- Amy Gahran

Cards as a basis for conversation really do work well - David Wilcox over at Designing for Civil society has pioneered this - check out his ‘demystifying Web 2.0′ deck here: http://www.designingforcivilsociety.org/2007/01/next_game_demys.html

Also, starting with some PC 101 skills that simply speed up the inevitably slow laggard laptops … and then gently moving over into Web 2.0 without making the transition too obvious … works remarkably well. We have thrown together a handbook for this purpose which can be found here: http://e-intelligence.weebly.com/beginnersiniciantes.html

Feel free to use it/distribute.

You wrote: >I used to be intimidated talking to college students about this stuff because I had an automatic assumption that they knew so much more. They don’t. They can play with myspace and order off of ebay but when it comes to thinking about how to creatively employ new media - not so much.<

I too have been amazed at the limited online skills of many college students — especially journalism students. (i get asked to address their classes a lot.) What’s up with that?

- Amy Gahran

You can lead a horse to water…
OK, it’s a cliche, but cliches are often true. You’re impatient. I’m impatient. But we’re in the midst of this cultural change that is lightning fast for the leaders and an agonizing adjustment for everyone else. I think you have to just keep putting the water in front of them until finally they get thirsty just from watching the other horses drink.
But I agree with your observations. I used to be intimidated talking to college students about this stuff because I had an automatic assumption that they knew so much more. They don’t. They can play with myspace and order off of ebay but when it comes to thinking about how to creatively employ new media - not so much.
Sorry I don’t have more useful advice. But I like the quilting bee suggestion.

Dave

Fair point. What concerns me, though, is people who keep exposing themselves to learning about online media, understand the concepts — but yet fall short of actually taking any action toward using the keystone skills I mentioned. Knowing how to use a search engine or join an e-mail list just isn’t enough to allow you to make that quantum leap toward experiencing online media as a connected ongoing conversation. This isn’t a spectator sport.

I see this again and again — I go to the same conferences, a lot of the same people show up at my sessions. They’re obviously interested, and they talk a good game about understandig online media and wanting to learn to use it better, but they don’t actually do it.

Yes, it’s an iterative process, and ultimately people are responsible for their own learning and actions, but still I think there has got to be a better way to get it across to people how valuable — no, crucial — actually learning and using these cornerstone skills are.

- Amy Gahran

>I’m sure that if you had a teaching set-up where everyone was seated at a desktop and you could talk for a few minutes, and then wander around talking to individual students while they experimented, your “catch” rate would be very much higher.<

That would be ideal — trouble is, how do you organize something like that? When people look to catch up on online skills, they often try to find web sites, books, conference sessions, or workshops to do it. What you describe is less formal, but would probably be more effective. And the in-person aspect of it would help.

Hmmm, will have to think about it more… Thanks for the suggestion. If you can help me flesh this concept out, I’d be grateful.

- Amy Gahran

>There does seem to be more interest than actual participation at present and I think a lot of people feel they can remain in their comfort zone, where they now have a warm glow of at least understanding the jargon.< Yes, I agree -- and while understanding the jargon is helpful in an academic sense, online media is not a spectator sport -- especially when you need to understand the significance of findability, connectedness, and conversations.

>I’m not clear if they have a chance to have a go in sessions, but rather than just hearing something is easy it helps if you can have a go.< Agreed, but that depends on the nature of the session. Most of the time, people don't bring their laptops, unless they're paying for a real hands-on workshop

>Alternatively, what about printing cards with say 5 baby steps on what they can do with a tick box next to each - maybe that they can send back to you for a “reward”?<

Excellent idea, thanks!

- Amy Gahran