DOTCOM: PH International

DOTCOM: International Press Coverage of our Pilot Program!

2010-04-27T13:44:00.000-07:00

Our SOCIAL MEDIA FOR SOCIAL CHANGE Flickr Site.

Armenia Now: Armenian and American students meet in Yerevan for joint internet lessons. April 2010.

Center for Social Media. Social Change 2.0 in the South Caucasus. April 2010.

The Messenger Online: Georgia discusses developing social media. April 2010.

Financial Channel: Georgia hosts First International Conference and First Social Innovation Camp Caucasus. April 2010.

REEL ACTION! The FINAL Module! Dr. W's last official DOTCOM blog post...

2010-04-11T02:03:00.001-07:00

Dear DOTCOM'ers,

I am sitting in the Munich airport - tired, yes, but incredibly energized as I reflect on your remarkable dedication to our DOTCOM program these past many months.

We have laughed, cried, debated, collaborated, eaten, traveled with and worked hard with one another - and it is hard to believe our official time together is drawing to a close.

Your last assignment, as you know, is to finish and post to our 123...REEL ACTION PHDOTCOM2010 YouTube page your final video reflection. Please do so by Monday, April 19, so you can receive your official DOTCOM certificates and bring some closure to the program, for you.

Here are a few examples to help you.

Every final DOTCOM video is different, with its own power.

Enjoy, and remember - keep the SOCIAL in "social media" - do great work in your communities and countries!

1,2,3...REEL ACTION!

Go DOTCOM.

SOCIAL MEDIA FOR SOCIAL CHANGE: "Crowdsourcing," and our DOTCOM'ers Reflect...

2010-04-10T23:12:00.000-07:00

How amazing are our students?

Listen to them as they draw some final conclusions from their DOTCOM experiences.

And - we embraced a "crowdsourcing" challenge - FLIPping, editing, and uploading the entire SOCIAL MEDIA FOR SOCIAL CHANGE conference as a group.

A really neat exercise in multimedia-driven self-organization.

We should have all the video up to our YOUTUBE page in the next few days.

Go DOTCOM!

Panorama of Tbilisi, Georgia - from the Old Castle on the Hill

2010-04-10T05:54:00.000-07:00

Photo by Tessa Ormenyi, our DOTCOM'er from Los Angeles, California.

SOCIAL MEDIA FOR SOCIAL CHANGE: First Day Keynotes

2010-04-09T21:12:00.000-07:00

A big SHOUT OUT to all of our DOTCOM students for FLIPping our conference - we are working feverishly to edit and upload as much of the conference as we can during the next 18 hours. You can access all of the keynotes at our PHDOTCOM 2010 YouTube page:

Here are my brief remarks on the DOTCOM program (we started late and the Internet wasn't working, so I delivered a very abbreviated talk):

And here is Kevin Anderson, formerly of THE GUARDIAN newspaper:

DOTCOM's Georgia the Explora: Caucasus Walkabout Crescendo!

2010-04-08T12:26:00.000-07:00

This is it, DOTCOM fans.

After a day of planning and exploring in greater Tbilisi, Georgia, the SOCIAL MEDIA FOR SOCIAL CHANGE conference kicks off tomorrow, and runs through Saturday.

Every one of our DOTCOM students has a role to play in making this conference a success, and we hope to bring you as much of the conference as we can via our Flip cameras, expertise, and the power of social media.

If you are using Twitter and Tweetdeck, follow the conference stream at #tbilisitalk.

And stay tuned for YouTube conference videos in the next 48 hours.

CROSSING BORDERS: Using Social Media for Social Change: Keynote Address by Dr. Rob Williams, DOTCOM Lead Trainer for PH International

2010-04-07T08:47:00.000-07:00

Crossing a Caucasus border; April 2010. Photo by DOTCOM'er Tessa Ormenyi. Used with permission.

Photo of Qobustan petroglyphs; outside of Baku, Azerbaijan; April 2010.

Subtitle: Go DOTCOM! One User's Guide to The Promise and Peril of 21st Century Social Media for Social Change

Mount Ararat; April 2010. Photo by DOTCOM'er Tessa Ormenyi; Used with permission.

Delivered on Friday, March 9, 2010 in Tbilisi, Georgia.
by Dr. Rob Williams of Champlain College; Burlington, Vermont.

Photo of Dr. Rob Williams and "Yak" - Downtown Yerevan, Armenia; April 2010.

As part of the International SOCIAL MEDIA FOR SOCIAL CHANGE Conference.
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OVERVIEW: PH International's DOTCOM program stands for "Developing Online Tools for Civic Outreach and Mobilization." DOTCOM promotes media education, an essential set of life skills for the 21st century that teach students how better to access, analyze, evaluate and produce their own media. Second, DOTCOM encourages young people to dive into the world of multimedia production, producing and presenting films through the medium of digital video that tackle current issues of global significance in a personal and powerful way. Finally, DOTCOM supports cross-cultural understandings and emerging leadership for global youth, connecting bright and talented young people in countries around the world and providing ways for them to work together on projects that matter in their communities.

Co-Sponsored by PH International and the U.S. Department of State.

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Welcome! A song snippet: "Candle in the Window."

Introduction: At this conference, we are posing a question that is enormous, complex, and deeply important:

In what CONCRETE and MEASURABLE WAYS might 21st century social media tools support SUSTAINABLE and REPLICABLE SOCIAL CHANGE?

After several years of using social media tools in my own work, as a media educator, college professor, journalist, and citizen - the jury is still out for me.

Idea #1: Humans possess the most complex living things in the known universe: the brain.

Idea #2: With our brains, humans have created the most powerful media culture the world has ever seen, and turned over most of its MOJO to very powerful players, including: GOVERNMENTS INTERESTED IN SELF-PRESERVATION and FOR-PROFIT CORPORATIONS with "nothing to tell but everything to sell" (George Gerbner).

Here's a simple example of what can happen when our brains interface with the most powerful media culture in world history.

Idea #3: New 21st century "social media" tools - Blogging, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, et. al. - are touted as a powerful solution to the problems created by concentrated corporate and governmental media ownership.

Here's Michael Wesch's well-known "The Machine is Us/ing Us" video exploring the power of Web 2.0.

And here's DOTCOM "green screen" phenom Jacob's pro-social media film.

Idea #4: The most effective use of social media tools, as Clay Shirky points out in his recent book Here Comes Everybody: The Power of Organizing Without Organizations, results from "a fusion of the technological and the social."

"There is no recipe for the successful use of social media tools.
Instead, every working system is a mix of social and technological factors." - Clay Shirky

It is important that we do not lose sight of the SOCIAL, especially when trying to use social media tools to foster social change across cultures, and even try to collectively engage in conflict resolution.

In other words, "Face to Face" (F2F) interactions across cultures are vital, if often difficult.

Idea #5: Our 2 year DOTCOM pilot program with high school students from 3 different countries - the United States, Azerbaijan, and Armenia - offers some useful lessons about how we might use social media to support social change.

DOTCOM's goals included:

1. TEACH students how to deepen their understanding of media's power using 21st century media literacy education pedagogy;

2. BRING TOGETHER students from three different countries - in both Web 2.0 social media online and F2F formats - to engage in cross-cultural conversations;

3. FACILITATE collaborative digital video production projects in an immersive F2F setting;

4. PROMOTE cross-cultural and educational visits to all three countries using PH International's "host family" approach.

Step #1 (Summer/Fall 2008): PH International DOTCOM project director Elizabeth Metraux secured U.S. State Department funding through a competitive grant application process, and our DOTCOM team - Elizabeth in the U.S., program manager Kanan Jafarli in Azerbaijan, and program manager Aya Zakarian in Armenia, recruited 90 students - 30 each from our 3 countries.

Step #2 (Winter 2009) : We launched DOTCOM, setting up Blogger, YouTube and Netvibes, Facebook, and Twitter platforms and introduced ourselves online using KNOWLEDGE TREES and PERSONAL MEDIA INVENTORIES.

NOTE: All 90 students created and started working on their own BLOGGER blogs right away - a way of helping determine our 30 final DOTCOM project participants. You gotta be in it to win it.

Step #3 (Spring 2009): We selected our thirty final DOTCOM participants and asked them to introduce themselves to us using the power of digital video, YouTube, and a "90 second elevator pitch." Here's the simple pilot I shared, using photos of all of our DOTCOM participants.

Step #4 (Spring 2009): Our thirty DOTCOM students used our online social media tools to explore how our brains interface with media, and media's language of persuasion, growing more comfortable with our Web 2.0 social media tools along the way.

Step #5 (Summer 2010): We gathered in the United States (Washington, D.C. and Vermont) for our first of two cross-cultural exchanges, complete with host family stays, and completed our three week digital video REEL ACTION three-country collaborative film projects, FLIPpin' amazing!

1,2,3...REEL ACTION!

And remember, stay with your REEL ACTION film groups. Please. Don't abandon them.

Here's a final REEL ACTION film.

Step #6 (Fall 2009): After early fall blog reflections on our intense DOTCOM summer together, and continued Web 2.0 dialogue, we launched a second digital video project within each of our three countries, called MOBILE EYES, designed to leverage the emerging media mojo of "smart phone" technology, AND to test our DOTCOM students to see if they could plan and produce Web 2.0 projects on their own in their own communities.

Here's a quick overview of the project.

Each of you, working on your own and/or with friends, family and community members, will design a funny, educational and/or provocative 20-30 second film that focuses on a SPECIFIC health issue and publicizes ONE resource/organization to go to for more information. (For example, you might choose to make a 20-30 second film about poor water quality in your city, then tell the viewer about one organization to go to to find out more information and to help SOLVE the problem.)

And here's Armenian DOTCOMers' Niko and Lilit's MOBILE EYES video.

Step #7 (Winter/Spring 2010): After the holidays, prior to our second of two cross-cultural exchanges, we launched a final digital video project asking DOTCOM students to reflect on a question similar to the one we are exploring at this conference. Here it is:

"Drawing on all of your DOTCOM experiences online and face-to-face during the past 12 months, explain how the power of social media has changed your life and your perspective on the world. Be as specific as possible, in a 1-2 minute short YouTube'able film."

I am waiting on the results, and in the meantime, have had some remarkable F2F conversations and debates with DOTCOM'ers during the past 2 weeks of trans-Caucasus travel about the promise and peril of using social media for social change.

Step #8: Now What?

THE BIG QUESTION: How do we measure the success of social media for social change?

1. AGGREGATED TRAFFIC DATA? (Google's answer): For example, do we at DOTCOM count the number of visits to our web sites? DOTCOM's YouTube page alone has had close to 10,000 total upload views. Factor in our Facebook, Twitter, Netvibes, and Blogger visits for all 91 blogs, and we may be on to something. Or not.

2. ASSESSABLE SKILLS/MEASURABLE KNOWLEDGE? (Champlain College's answer): All thirty of our DOTCOM high school students are now adept at blogging, tweeting, and producing and distributing digital videos. They can now go and teach these skills in their communities, and indeed, our Armenian DOTCOM'ers are already doing this, going above and beyond the expectations of this DOTCOM pilot program. And certainly, all of our DOTCOM students have a deeper appreciation for and understanding of the power of media to shape their understandings of their world. Nare writes: "Some weeks ago Armenian DOTCOM'ers decided to organize trainings about Web 2.0 tools for sharing our knowladge with Armenian studens. As we all were very busy we made our presentations by the help of online tools. As a result of it we succeeded, because most of them realized that social media can be useful for them."

3. SPECIFIC CITIZEN ACTION CAMPAIGNS? (Citizen Activists' Answer): Do we expect our DOTCOM'ers to go out and start campaigns like this one by concerned Yerevan citizens? The goal is to try and convince the Armenian government not to destroy the beloved Moscow Cinema Open-Air Hall in downtown Yerevan and replace it with yet another church, a campaign driven in no small measure by Facebook and flash mobs, with close to 3,000 citizens petitioning the government with FB signatures alone in just a few weeks' time.

A sign reading "No Destroy" (literally translated from Armenian); downtown Yerevan; April 2010.

4. CROSS-CULTURAL DIALOGUE?: Indeed, if there is to be greater understanding and potential peace between the citizens of Azerbaijan and Armenia (or any two nations or groups currently at odds), then social media, properly applied, can support this. But be warned, like all media experiences, the use of social media and a program like this is a double-edged sword. Some in our DOTCOM group pointed out that meeting the "Other" face-to-face demonstrated the humanity, the fragility, the flesh-and-blood nature of said "Other." We sometimes assume that this is a uniformly positive outcome, until we realize that such a process also demonstrates how fallible, how fragile, we can be as human beings, as well, as other DOTCOM'ers explained.

But I am an optimist, so I will leave you with some wisdom from our DOTCOM'ers about the use of social media for social change, thoughts shared at their own DOTCOM blogs during the past 24 hours.

Gunka writes: "Presently, there are groups on Facebook and other platforms for instance which connects people around generic issues. I think such generic approaches make it difficult to translate the ideas into tangible realities."

Medine echoes this "reality check": "I partly agree with the idea that social media impacts social change. I think it is too early for expecting large scale positive changes brought about by social media. Another issue is that social media is not always used for POSITIVE social change.. For instance, use of social media by private interest groups or lobbyists to disadvantage of vulnurable population groups. Yet another problem with use of social media is dependent on internet access, which is not equally accessable over the globe in terms of number of users, internet speed, and acceptance of the changes by broader communities and more importantly by decision makers."

David writes: "I pray that my involvement in DOTCOM and the work that we have done with social media have inspired my peers to become the next generation of free speech activists. I have seen concrete evidence of a change in the DOTCOM group mentality, and I hope that this change is evident to all as we prepare to express ourselves through social media at the Social Media for Social Change Conference."

Lusine writes: I found a Facebook group that helps young and talented artists to organize their first exhibitions and it helps them to develop for future.S o we can do helpful and interesting works by media. Let's chnage the world by media."

Marine points to the work of Mariam Sukhudyan: "Who is a young activist, after visiting one of special schools in Armenia, reported child abuse cases at the school. So she decided to turn to court to help the children. But soon everybody thought that she was to blame and everything got so serious that she was about to be arrested. She shared the information in social networks, helped children to put their stories in those networks and it raised awareness about existing problems in the school. In the result thousands of people joined her and stood up for justice."

Ergun notes: "Social media itself is in a process of evolution. It certainly enables people to join around common causes."

Jacob writes: "I was on my Student Government, and we were making a push for donating money to UNICEF. In the olden days, we would just post pamphlets around the school, pamphlets that no one would look at. However, we were able to send notices out on Facebook reminding people to donate, and the next day, we recieved a record amount in the annual UNICEF drive. If used correctly, Web 2.0 can be a powerful factor in making change happen."

May we all find ways to cross borders and to make change happen, using social media, in the months ahead.

Remember our question for our conference:

In what CONCRETE and MEASURABLE WAYS might 21st century social media tools support SUSTAINABLE and REPLICABLE SOCIAL CHANGE?

And don't forget to dance!

Photo of Qobustan petroglyphs; outside of Baku, Azerbaijan; April 2010.

DOTCOM'ers! Here is our PRE-CONFERENCE Blog Post Question!

2010-04-07T08:38:00.000-07:00

Please write 5-7 sentences (or more) on the following question at your PERSONAL blogs by THURSDAY, APRIL 8 at MIDNIGHT, and illustrate with any photos and/or videos you think useful.

The Question: How do you see YOUR use of social media tools supporting concrete social change?

Speak personally and out of your own direct experience.

DOTCOM Mojo: Leaving Yerevan, Arriving in Tbilisi...

2010-04-07T06:31:00.000-07:00

The DOTCOM team spent our last full day on the ground in Armenia in full-on program mode.

We began our day yesterday with a visit to the U.S. Embassy in downtown Yerevan, including a conversation with the U.S. Ambassador about our DOTCOM work. Thanks to the embassy for hosting us so graciously - the tea, coffee, and cake was excellent - and to the candid conversation about U.S. foreign policy in the Caucasus region.

After lunch downtown, we spent two hours at a local school meeting with journalists from four different news and information outlets in greater Yerevan, including Richard Giragosian of "Armenia Now" - a weekly online newspaper. Here's some compelling video of his short presentation to our DOTCOM group on social media.

A few of our DOTCOM students were asked to participate in radio interviews to be broadcast throughout Armenia - here are some quick outtakes from their interviews and conversations.

I missed the last visit of the day, to a youth film production center, but my hope is that some of our DOTCOM'ers will blog about their visit and give you the inside scoop.

Here's a photo montage of some of the highlights of our Armenian travels.

We have safely arrived in Tbilisi, Georgia, after another crazy six hour van ride through the Caucasus mountains - full of storytelling, eating, laughing, and even some sleep.

We'll need it, going into our SOCIAL MEDIA FOR SOCIAL CHANGE conference!

Vlogging Armenia: DOTCOM 2010 in Yerevan - Days 2 and 3

2010-04-05T21:36:00.000-07:00

What can be said about DOTCOM in Armenia?

Armenia.

The first Christian country in the world, accepting the doctrine in 301 A.D., several years before Rome and the region now known as Georgia.

Legendary resting place of Noah’s fabled ark, on the slopes of Mt. Ararat.

Which, by the way, I can see from my wonderful host Mariam Martirosyan’s 5th floor living room window.

There is so much more to tell, but time and lack of host family Internet connection means I'll have to wait until later.

Downtown Yerevan, Armenia’s capital city, is a well-kept network of parks, squares, streets and beautiful buildings – we spent the first two days exploring them.

And then, yesterday...

...We headed out of the city to two of the more prominent early Armenian churches: Khor Virap (where a famous Armenian priest was tortured and thrown in a “deep pit” for 13 years back in the day) and Ejmiacin, a gorgeous stone-hewed worship center just outside of town. Our late afternoon found us driving into the hills above Yerevan for an “Armenian barbeque” at Armenian program manager Aya’s family’s “dacha” (Russian for “nifty summer estate,” see Baku blogging). After two days of light spring rain, the sun emerged full bloom during our travels, and our day was spent basking in the warm weather as much as sightseeing and visiting with our gracious Armenian DOTCOM hosts.

My host, Mariam, who runs RH International’s project office in Yerevan, is a wealth of information about Armenian, language, customs and culture. I have learned so much just sitting in taxis, schwarma shops, and her living room visiting with her, some of which I will recount later as time permits.

Our DOTCOM’ers have had a few challenging “Chipotle” moments during our visit here – internal group dynamics that always catch up with any traveling group – but have ultimately handled them with grace and maturity.

I'll write more later - off to the U.S. Embassy, a school, and two media/journalism/democracy organizations today.

Thanks, John Brown, for covering DOTCOM's adventures!

2010-04-04T00:28:00.000-07:00

Just heard that DOTCOM's trip has received a bit of coverage in a U.S. public diplomacy blog. Thanks, John Brown.

Read more here.

Vlogging in Yerevan: DOTCOM 2010 Explores Armenia (Day #1)...

2010-04-04T00:09:00.000-07:00

Trans-Caucus blogger Onnik Krikorian is legend.

So is DOTCOM's mascot: Lenin the Rubber Chicken.

At long last, we bring the two cyber-celebrities together at Marco Polo's restaurant in downtown Yerevan.

It was an emotional moment. Go DOTCOM! Grin.

DOTCOM spent the whole day exploring downtown Yerevan - visiting a sprawling marketplace full of every possible good under the sun, 2 history museums, and a number of more well-known parks and commercial areas.

I have had so many eye-opening conversations while here in Armenia. Already.

I will post a longer series of thoughts and impressions in the next day or two.

Go DOTCOM!

Going Mobile! By Bus to Yerevan: DOTCOM Mojo 2010 continues...

2010-04-02T10:41:00.000-07:00

DOTCOM Mojo: Leaving Baku, Azerbaijan...

2010-04-01T12:54:00.000-07:00

First of all, a big DOTCOM SHOUT OUT to the most enthusiastic 72-year-old teacher I've ever met. She found us to say HELLO the day we left - and I swear to you I hope I have this much energy when I hit my seventies.

Today, we visited the Quobustan historical and archeological site south of Baku city. The ancients remind us of the importance of dancing. Good advice, even as our modern world burns through 1 billion barrels of oil every 11 days in what may be a collision course with collapse.

Driving past the oil platforms in the Caspian Sea, and viewing the largest oil refinery in Azerbaijan from our hilltop vantage point, I couldn't help but marvel at the rich history of this place, as seen from our Quobustan lookout.

What is the story that the independent 21st century republic of Azerbaijan hopes to share with the world?

This is the question I am left with as we leave the city of Baku for Tbilisi, Georgia.

Kanan, our DOTCOM Azerbaijani program manager (and fabulous tour guide for the past 4 days), had an interesting response to my question as we head to Aliyev International Airport.

"Twenty years ago when the Azerbaijani republic was created," he says, "we did not have these modern paved streets, all these expensive cars, and access to the very best education and opportunities that we have in Azerbaijan today."

"Now we do, and it is an exciting time for us."

Indeed, and having visited the boomtown that is Baku these past few days, I can sense a city on the move.

But there is a sense of anticipation here, too - big questions about how the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict will play out in the months and years ahead.

And this story of conflict infuses the spirit of Baku and every Azerbaijani I have met here.

"The past is not dead," the novelist William Faulkner once observed. "It isn't even passed."

Nowhere does that seem more true right now, for me, than in Azerbaijan.

Baku Blogging - Stories Told and Untold: DOTCOM 2010 Mojo - Day #3

2010-03-31T20:11:00.000-07:00

An emerging truism of cross-cultural blogging is this: What goes unvlogged tells you as much about a MOJO experience as what gets vlogged.

My advice. Read between the lines (or, in this case, between the “frames.”) Ask – what are the “untold stories” here?

Here’s some video of our host family’s dacha (“big country house,” in Russian) by sunrise – a beautiful place looking east towards the Caspian Sea), as well as our 1 hour drive (and funny snippets of our conversation) from Baku’s outskirts into the heart of the city.

Much to be gleaned here – or just enjoy the ride.

Our third day in Baku, Azerbaijan found us downtown once again, after an opening morning DOTCOM group reflective activity in which each of our students did some journaling and then shared some thoughts about one specific experience that deepened their understanding of the Caucasus and/or the power of social media.

Here’s some video of our American DOTCOM‘ers sharing their perspectives. (Out of respect for the privacy of our Azerbaijani students, as well as the fact that we don’t have signed parental release forms from them, we are not posting their video reflections here.)

This morning saw us listening in as honored guests in an assembly as School #220 commemorated March 31, remembered as a day of genocide in Azerbaijani culture, and the bitter events surrounding the dispute over the Nagorno-Karabakh region (NK, in blogger shorthand). The history was recounted by 2 different speakers, with an accompanying Power Point presentation, and followed by a question-and-answer session, including some Azerbaijani students asking our Americans what they knew of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Here’s some post-conference press coverage being filmed for Azerbaijani television news. Much to process here.

After lunch at the school, we headed downtown to visit a number of places, including a visit to the inside of the maiden tower (people were much shorter back in the 9th century), a stop at a social media/blogging center, a phenomenal tour at the Azerbaijan National History Museum, and a culminating conversation with a gracious U.S. public diplomacy official who hosted us at the American Center for a powerhouse end-of-the-day conversation about social media and cross-cultural dialogue.

On my mind, once again, throughout the day, is a burning question.

How exactly does social media lead to social change?

I asked this question of a young, articulate and committed Azerbaijani blogger this afternoon.

Can you give me a specific example, I asked him, of the power of social media leading to social change?

He thought for just a moment or two, and then shook his head.

No, he said. Very simply.

Not exactly a ringing endorsement for the Web 2.0 work all of us are doing.

Tomorrow, we are off to an archaeological site by way of a mosque, with a late afternoon visit to the Azerbaijani Parliament, and then packing up to fly to Tbilisi.

DOTCOM Caucasus Mojo: Azerbaijan - Day #2 in Baku

2010-03-30T22:01:00.000-07:00

We DOTCOM’ers thought Day #1 in Azerbaijan was epic.

Then came Day #2.

We’ve provided you with a short slideshow of the highlights of the past few days as seen on foot and from our blue bus.

Highlights from today: a visit to the ministry of education; a provocative conversation with Azerbaijani student journalists; a U.S.A.I.D.-sponsored online conversation with students from nine other countries about President Barack Obama’s “Cairo Address” and youth leadership; and a visit to Baku’s only Catholic church and a Jewish synagogue as Passover gets underway.

And yes, we did manage to squeeze in lunch at a little Azerbaijani café in between events.

Breathe, DOTCOM ‘ers, breathe.

We walked all around the city of Baku again today, parts of which (like every other city I’ve ever seen) are stunningly beautiful and well-kept, and other parts in need of some TLC and a few infrastructural improvements.

The highlight for me, though, was sitting with members of Samir’s host family in their dacha’s kitchen tonight, eating, drinking, telling stories, and singing songs.

Intercultural-bonding, with plenty of funny communication gaffes and laughs along the way.

“If you smile at me, I will understand,” sang CSN in “Wooden Ships,” “because that is something everyone everywhere does in the same language.”

Indeed.

We’re banking on this, and the generosity and good will of our Azerbaijani friends, as we seek to understand this part of the world a bit better, and prepare for our International “Social Media For Social Change” conference in Tbilisi, Georgia, next week.

Baku Mojo: DOTCOM in Azerbaijan's Capital City

2010-03-30T21:59:00.000-07:00

How to describe DOTCOM’s first day in Baku?

Begin with the end.

Our day culminated in a visit to Baku’s symphony hall, where we heard a semi-professional orchestral troupe perform 90 minutes of traditional Azerbaijani music.

From left to right, the instruments played are the Tar, the Ud (both of them stringed guitar/mandolin like creatures), the Canon (a remarkable multi-stringed machine), the Nagara (drum), the Zurna (an oboe-sounding reed instrument), the Kamancher (distinctive upright fiddle) and, of course, the piano.

A remarkably virtuosic end to our first day in Baku.

And the full day itself?

A whirlwind, really – a fully choreographed tour of the capital city of Azerbaijan, with a population of between 2.5 and 4 million (depending on the day and time), in a newly-emerged independent republic (with aggressive executive tendencies) fewer than 20 years old.

Our hope is that the three short videos here with give you a DOTCOM MOJO (mobile journalism) flavor of the sights and impressions of our first day.

To begin with, our Azerbaijani partners have been incredibly welcoming, plying us with tea, chocolate, and other tasty snacks, and opening up their homes and hearts to us in generous fashion. Special shout out to Kanan Jafarli, our DOTCOM program director in Azerbaijan, who has been gracious, super organized, and incredibly flexible, as well as serving as a fount of historical and political wisdom, tempered by a thoughtful and open-minded perspective. One of the biggest highlights for me these first few days has been getting to know him much better.

Azerbaijan is terra incognita to most Americans, who are hard-placed to find the country on a map. But for thousands of years, the Caucasus has been a Eurasian cultural, religious and commercial crossroads. Wandering throughout the city, I am amazed at the remarkable diversity of the place. First and foremost, Baku is an energy boomtown, a city fueled by fossil fuel – oil and natural gas – which is extracted, refined, and shipped from Azerbaijan to a wide variety of customer countries globally, with a heavy emphasis on greater Europe. Stand anywhere in Baku, and you can see, feel and smell the oil – and it sees, feels, and smells like money. Oil has powered Baku’s rapid development, and, in this westernmost Caspian Sea city, the derricks, refining plants, and distinctive harbor all indicate that Azerbaijan is a country with full knowledge of its priorities.

Azerbaijanis describe their new republic as a country in “transition,” a word that came up repeatedly in my conversations with our Azerbaijani friends. I learned while here that Azerbaijan was the world’s first Islamic parliamentary republic (1918-1920), prior to the Soviet military takeover, which lasted seventy years. As Azerbaijan emerged from the USSR’s collapse in 1990-1991, two big political events – the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict with Armenia, and Azerbaijani independence – have shaped the country’s new nationalistic identity.

On Monday, our first full day in Baku, DOTCOM students met with government officials, who spoke of the importance of Azerbaijani’s young people to the future of their country; toured cultural and historical sites downtown, including a visit to the cemetery honoring Azerbaijani politicians, poets, pundits and other visionaries; a walk through a moving hill-top memorial dedicated to the peaceful protesters whose lives were taken by Soviet soldiers in 1990; Seaside Boulevard tea and strolling by the Caspian Sea, that most strategic of Eurasian inland lakes since long before the discovery of “black gold” in the region; and a visit to Baku’s old city of forts and fortifications, including the UNESCO-commemorated “maiden tower.”

Time for resting.

Caucasus Walkabout Day #2: Arrival in Azerbaijan!

2010-03-28T22:34:00.000-07:00

Caucasus Walkabout Day #2: D.C. to Frankfurt to Azerbaijan by Air

2010-03-28T22:09:00.000-07:00

DOTCOM's Americans fly internationally, and decided to give ourselves over to the time-less and place-less nature of air travel.

And we got a little silly on the plane.

Caucasus Walkabout: Day #1 - Pre-flight planning in Washington, D.C...

2010-03-27T11:09:00.000-07:00

...Join us for our pancake, yak sausage, and egg breakfast, meet our American DOTCOM students, and sit in our travel orientation with our fearless and super-organized DOTCOM leader Elizabeth Metraux. To Baku, Azerbaijan tonight.

Caucasus Walkabout DOTCOM Gear - What To Pack?

2010-03-26T14:09:00.001-07:00

It's one of the first questions travelers ask one another when they swap adventure stories.

What did'ya bring?

...and, truth be told, some sojourners keep secrets, gear-wise.

Because DOTCOM is all about transparency, here's a complete list of one DOTCOM'er's Caucasus collection. Mine.

A few rules: 1. Go light - only the essentials. Two bags. No more. 2. Plan on re-using clothes more than normal. 3. And, take a few comfort items that connect you to home.

1. Acoustic Guitar (Bag #1).

A bit bulky, yes. But a necessity. Music is the universal language. I feel naked traveling without my guitar. With it, spontaneous song circles always emerge. My advice - pack the six string in a medium-weight case with some padding, pop on new strings just before travel, and use the carrying case crevices to carry underwear and socks. More padding for the instrument, and more room in your backpack for other stuff.

2. Communications/Storytelling/Researching Equipment.

No self-respecting vlogger would travel without digital storytelling gear. In the Age of Convergence, it's never been easier to pack for travel. I am carrying: a FLIP HD digital video machine, MAC G4 Power Book with cord and thumb drive; digital Pentax Optio W10 still camera; a Blackberry Bold with international plan (use as little as possible), and (new this trip), my Kindle e-book reader loaded with some new books on media and Caucasus history and culture (a HUGE space-saver, the Kindle.)

I have begun reading Charles King's recent history of the region, entitled THE GHOSTS OF FREEDOM: A HISTORY OF THE CAUCASUS. The Kindle makes is so easy to transport a whole library of books and articles without the weight.

3. Clothes

I use the "rule of 1/3s" here, as applied to clothes and length of trip. I am traveling for 15 days, so I am bringing 5 sets of everything: socks, underwear, short and long sleeve shirts (dressier and casual), pants, running shoes (always) and shorts, swim goggles (jumping into an Olympic-size pool on the western Chinese frontier last summer sealed this for me), and a light jacket. Layering is always an option. A hat is also useful, although I try to pick up a chapeau while traveling. Something fun, local and light.

4. Drugs/Toiletries

Only the essentials: toothbrush/paste, floss, light vitamin mix, razor, and some Tom's deod and goat's milk lotion. Ibuprofin - Vitamin I - and a simple first aid kit - both are musts.

5. Gifts

Vital. Be an ambassador, and introduce potential friends around the planet to Vermont's many culinary virtues. I've packed Lake Champlain chocolates.

6. Comfort Items/Terroir Power!

I always pack a small thermos of Vermont maple syrup, harvested from the homestead (n this case) and a small box of Stash Lemon Ginger non-caffeinated tea. I drink it most every morning for breakfast, and it goes a long way to re-connecting me with home when I travel. The power of terroir!

Ready to go. Now, for a pre-flight nap...

Our CAUCASUS 2010 Rendezvous!

2010-03-26T08:31:00.000-07:00

It is hard to believe, but after 15 months of online and F2F work - 30 students, 4 leaders, from 3 countries (Azerbaijan, Armenia, and the United States) - we will at long last be reunited in the Caucasus for two full weeks.

Take a look at our travel itinerary.

Where is the Caucasus? Here's a map - one of the most beautiful and cultural rich crossroads on the planet.

Look at the map's left portion, just east of Turkey - we'll be traveling to Baku, Arzebaijan; Yerevan, Armenia; and Tbilisi, Georgia.

The GRAND FINALE: In Tblisi, we will be co-hosting an international SOCIAL MEDIA FOR SOCIAL CHANGE conference.

And best of all, we'll be staying with and visiting our new friends in the region - and learning more about this part of the world.

If you are just joining us, we invite you to find out more about our DEVELOPING ONLINE TOOLS for CIVIC OUTREACH and MOBILIZATION (DOTCOM) initiative by visiting our YouTube and NetVibes pages, where you can access all thirty of our students' personal blogs, and numerous articles about the work we are doing.

And of course, we are on Facebook and Twitter, too - our hash tags are #PHsocialmedia and #tblisitalk.

So travel along with us for the next few weeks - and we'll share our DOTCOM stories with you.

Our final DOTCOM film project! (Go DOTCOM!)

2009-12-04T05:35:00.000-08:00

This final film project begins on Monday, December 7, 2009. Please finish and post it by Sunday, February 21 at our official YOUTUBE page, and then embed it in your personal DOTCOM blog.

Hello DOTCOM colleagues in Azerbaijan, Armenia, and the United States!

The time has come for us to begin our very last DOTCOM online project.

I am excited.

Here is our last challenge before we meet again in the Caucasus in March 2010.

Each of you will write, shoot, edit and post to both your PERSONAL and our DOTCOM blogs a short 1-2 minute video/film that sums up your DOTCOM experiences to date.

Here is the official assignment:

"Drawing on all of your DOTCOM experiences online and face-to-face during the past 12 months, explain how the power of social media has changed your life and your perspective on the world. Be as specific as possible, in a 1-2 minute short YouTube'able film."

Some suggestions:

1. Use your FLIPs!
2. Make your film personal - speak from the heart and soul, as well as from the mind.
3. Remember our brain research: Use powerful photographs, video clips, and music.
4. Be sure your sound levels are high enough so that they are easy to hear.
5. Be sure your film is well-lighted (no shadows or dark areas, please).
6. Consider camera motion and angles in your production.
7. Have fun! Use your friends, family, and neighbors to help you!

I look forward to seeing the results of your hard work and good ideas, friends.

GO DOTCOM!

Dr. Rob the Mad River Yakker

MOBILE EYES: Dr. Rob's KICK BUTTS P.S.A.

2009-09-29T09:43:00.000-07:00

DOTCOM colleagues,

Here is a short MOBILE EYES video I produced with my seven-year-old son Theron.

Here's how you should blog about your MOBILE EYES project - starting with your IDEA, your INDEX CARD sequence, and your PUBLIC HEALTH ORGANIZATION.

My idea: Create a short public health video that spotlights the nasty goals of the Big Tobacco corporations - attention, addiction, profit - when they attempt to hook kids under the age of 18 into trying smoking for the first time, in hopes that these kids will become addicted and enslaved to tobacco products for life.

My index card sequence looked like this:

Card #1: They want your attention.

Card #2: They want your money.

Card #3: They want your addiction.

Card #4: They want your life.

Card #5: Kick Butts.

Card #6: Vermont Kids Against Tobacco (VKAT)

And my contact organization is Green Mountain Prevention Projects at www.gmppvt.org.

I shot the video on my Blackberry (Yakberry) with Theron, and then edited in all the text.

I used a wooden table to capture the drumming sounds for my soundtrack.

What do you think?

Dr. W

DOTCOM's MOBILE EYES (Part 1) Project will run from October 5 through Sunday, November 1, 2009

2009-09-25T11:27:00.000-07:00

Hey DOTCOM'ers!

Are you ready?

1, 2, 3 - MOBILE EYES!

GOAL: During these four weeks of Monday, October 5 through Sunday, November 1, working with your specific country program directors and Dr. Rob, each of you will:

1. Brainstorm and post on your DOTCOM blog a "public health" idea;

2. Draft and post on your DOTCOM blog an "index card" script of between 5 and 8 index cards (one sentence or phrase for each card.)

3. Be sure you have all the contact information for your public health organization ready to go.

Greetings all DOTCOM'ers!

Now that we've warmed up our brains with a quick analysis of REEL BAD ARABS, it is time to dive back into the world of digital video production.

First, remember everything we learned last summer about making a film: starting with brainstorming a good idea, doing some research, writing our your script on index cards, and then moving into production and editing. Remember?

We're going to have fun this month (October 2009) by starting to produce short 20 second films focusing on a specific public health problem and how citizens might solve it.

We're calling this project "MOBILE EYES - Celling Youth With Public Health Messages."

Get it? "Mobilize"? (Work with me here.)

The idea is to make short, funny, interesting 20-30 second movies that can be compressed for "viral spread" via mobile phones, which global youth are using all over the world right now.

Here's an example of a very famous 30 second public health video in the United States.

Now...

There are TWO BIG PROBLEMS with this video.

#1. This video is not specific enough. She talks about drugs. WHICH drugs? Be specific. Name one.

#2. This video does not tell me, the viewer, where to go to learn more information, get help, and/or solve the problem.

You DOTCOM'ers will NOT make these two mistakes. Right?

Right.

So - Here's the plan.

Each of you, working on your own and/or with friends, family and community members, will design a funny, educational and/or provocative 20-30 second film that focuses on a SPECIFIC health issue and publicizes ONE resource/organization to go to for more information. (For example, you might choose to make a 20-30 second film about poor water quality in your city, then tell the viewer about one organization to go to to find out more information and to help SOLVE the problem.)

And you get to choose whatever public health issue you think is vital, with the blessing of both Dr. Rob and your DOTCOM staff country manager: Aya, Kanan, and Elizabeth.

Here are our production requirements.

PRODUCTION REQUIREMENTS - Your 20-30 second MOBILE EYES film should:

1. Be filmed with ONLY your FLIP camera.

2. Be 20-30 seconds in length.

3. Edit together at least 3 scenes over the course of 20 seconds (to practice our editing).

4. Use our knowledge of the three-part brain, production techniques, and persuasive techniques to GRAB your audience's attention.

5. Contain a final 4 seconds that includes the following information for your public health resource: a listing for a public health organization that shares both web site and/or phone number.

6. Be SHARED on your personal DOTCOM blog via YouTube. (Make sure you have permission from anyone who appears in your film before shooting them!)

And Elizabeth, Kanan, Aya and I are here to help you!

And lust a reminder to all DOTCOMers that as you continue to discover ways that you can make a difference, we're here to help you succeed. Small grants for community service initiatives are available for projects that use social media as a tool to improve your schools and communities. We can't wait to hear your inspired ideas!"

Let's go, DOTCOM!

1, 2, 3 - MOBILE EYES!

DOTCOM Phase #3, Module 2 - Exploring REEL BAD ARABS

2009-09-11T08:42:00.000-07:00

This module runs from September 14 through September 27.

Greetings DOTCOM'ers!

And thanks for providing the rest of us with some quick reflections about our summer 2009 Phase 2 experience.

For these next two weeks, let's reconnect with our online critical thinking tools, and expand our understanding of "the language of the image."

First of all, let's try a simple thought experiment.

I want you to write down the VERY first thing that comes into your mind when I say the following word.

Ready?

"Arab."

Without thinking, write down the very first thing that came into your mind.

Was it a word? A phrase? A picture of some sort?

Please tell us what you wrote down on your PERSONAL BLOG.

Example: The very first thing that came into my head when I thought of the word "Arab"was a picture of the desert.

Now, can you figure out WHERE that "very first thing" came from? Was it a media source? A real-life experience? Be specific.

Example: The source for my picture of the desert, I think, was the Disney film "Aladdin."

Now, take a look at this short excerpt from a film called REEL BAD ARABS, produced by an organization called the Media Education Foundation in Northampton, Massachusetts. I suggest watching it at least 2 or 3 times.

While you are watching, take some notes and consider the three-part brain, our persuasive techniques we learned online, and the production techniques (lighting, sound, camera angles and motion, music, special FX, etc.) that we learned and practiced with our FLIP cameras and our films during July's Phase 2 experience.

After you watch the film, please answer the following questions right here at your individual blogs. Don't forget to EMBED the YouTube clip of the film at your blog, so others can watch, as well.

1. THE THREE-PART BRAIN - In what ways do YOU think REEL BAD ARABS attracted your REPTILIAN (instinctual), FEELING (limbic) and THINKING (neo-cortex) brains?

2.PRODUCTION TECHNIQUES - List and describe one specific production technique - lighting, music, camera effects, editing - used by REEL BAD ARABS.

3. PERSUASIVE TECHNIQUES - Looking at our list of 24 plus persuasive techniques, list and describe a specific moment from the film as an example of THREE different specific persuasive techniques used by our filmmakers.

4. SUGGESTIONS - Offer one specific suggestion for the REEL BAD ARABS filmmakers that might make their film even more powerful.

5. Would you recommend this film for viewing with friends or colleagues? Why or why not?

DOTCOM Launches PHASE 3! - Module #1: Reflecting on DOTCOM, Phase 2

2009-08-24T05:55:00.000-07:00

This module runs from Tuesday, September 1 through Sunday, September 13.

YOUTUBE FLASHBACK: The Streets of Vermont, Summer 2009. (Hey look - it's raining. Who knew?)

Welcome back, DOTCOM colleagues from Azerbaijan, Armenia and the United States! What a remarkable summer of learning for us all - it is very good to be back online and beginning Phase 3 of our work together.

STEP #1: Let's begin our Phase 3 fall online work by reflecting, in a personal way, on what each of us learned during our three weeks of July production work. Please answer the following questions at your own blog, using 3-4 sentences for EACH answer.

STEP #2: And then, post a favorite photo image you or a friend captured during our July work together, and explain why you like the image.

Here are our four questions.

1. What proved the most challenging part of our July Phase 2 DOTCOM experience for you?

2. What proved the most rewarding part of our July Phase 2 DOTCOM experience for you?

3. What proved the most fun part of our July Phase 2 DOTCOM experience for you?

4. What are you most excited about, looking forward to our online Phase 3 DOTCOM experience coming up this fall?

And don't forget your photo, too!

Please be sure to post your responses at your own blog by our Sunday, September 13 deadline.

GO DOTCOM!

DOTCOM Forever - Glimpses of Summer 2009

2009-08-21T14:54:00.000-07:00

In case you were missing DOTCOM - here's a reminder of how much fun we had last summer.

Courtesy of...David Sackstein? I think?

Where for art thou, Lenin?

2009-07-25T18:32:00.000-07:00

Fear not, DOTCOM colleagues.

Games Mistress Sarah bequeathed Lenin the Rubber Chicken to David Sackstein.

For now.

See?

Jacob has made sure that Lenin is strapped into his car seat and ready to return to Sudbury, Massachusetts.

Lucky Lenin.

GOODBYE TO VERMONT, DOTCOM (And Prepare for Phase 3!

2009-07-24T11:59:00.000-07:00

We spent today celebrating our success with REEL ACTION, and beginning to think about our next Phase of DOTCOM.

Here are the two questions we "debriefed" this morning.

QUESTION #1: In making your REEL ACTION film, what is one important specific thing you learned?

QUESTION #2: When you go back to your home communities, you will make second REEL ACTION film – how might you connect your second film with the film you just made?

Or, maybe you might make a completely different film on a different topic?

Travel safely, DOTCOM'ers!

1,2,3...REEL ACTION!

REEL ACTION 2009 Film: Oil Issues in the 21st Century

2009-07-24T11:57:00.001-07:00

REEL ACTION 2009 Film: Children's Rights

2009-07-24T11:56:00.001-07:00

REEL ACTION 2009 Film:The Globalization of Media

2009-07-24T11:55:00.001-07:00

REEL ACTION 2009 Film: Global Warming

2009-07-24T11:54:00.000-07:00

REEL ACTION 2009 Film: Media, News, and Censorship

2009-07-24T11:53:00.000-07:00

DOTCOM "Reel Action" World Premiere - Watch Us Live!

2009-07-24T02:49:00.001-07:00

Watch our DOTCOM world premiere live at this web stream!

Thanks to Jacob for setting us up - go DOTCOM!

REEL ACTION 2009 Film: Global Media Education

2009-07-23T09:37:00.000-07:00

REEL ACTION 2009 Film: Gender Stereotypes

2009-07-23T09:34:00.001-07:00

REEL ACTION 2009 Film: Global Youth Voices In The 21st Century

2009-07-23T09:33:00.001-07:00

"Lenin the Rubber Chicken" Alert! And Games Mistress Sarah visits us in Vermont tomorrow!

2009-07-22T19:32:00.000-07:00

As you may recall, during our first DOTCOM week-end in Washington, D.C., we conducted team-building exercises with Sarah Benson (a.k.a. the Games Mistress).

As a gift, she bequeathed to us a rubber chicken named "Lenin" before we left for Vermont.

It seems only fitting that we honor her arrival tomorrow with a video of Lenin, courtesy of Lilit.

As you can see, we've been taking good care of Lenin the Rubber Chicken.

DOTCOM Explores the Power of Music!

2009-07-22T06:19:00.000-07:00

One of the best aspects of DOTCOM has been the sharing of international music across cultures.

As we've discussed in our DOTCOM work, music goes right to the limbic (emotional) brain, and is a very powerful media force in shaping the human experience.

Thanks to our Azerbaijani colleagues for these two videos - one featuring the Boston-based band "Inca Sun," and the other featuring Nargiz and Gunel, two of our Azerbaijani students.

GO DOTCOM!

DOTCOM Reinvents the Public Service Announcement (PSA)

2009-07-22T02:43:00.000-07:00

What happens when the Internet breaks - how do we fix it?

And why bother recycling?

Join David Sackstein and his merry band of DOTCOM film producers to answer these (and many more) questions.

Some say that making public service announcements isn't very fun.

Here at DOTCOM, we believe differently.

Who says REEL ACTION isn't fun?

Day #20: Capturing Day #19...

2009-07-22T02:41:00.000-07:00

After a hard day of REEL ACTION work, it is important to kick back with...

Al's French Frys and a baseball game, of course!

The baseball game got rained out.

That didn't stop us from torturing small children who refused to eat ice cream at Al's.

Or is that little boy having fun?

(Thanks, son Theron, for hanging out with us DOTCOM'ers.)

Day #19: Yoric Lives, Al's French Frys, and Lake Monsters Baseball!

2009-07-21T05:09:00.000-07:00

We've had some wonderful support from our host families here in Vermont.

Some have even blogged about out work, like ORCA's Kenric Kite in Montpelier.

Check out his blog post about the DOTCOM program - and thanks, Kenric, for all of your technical support, too!

DOTCOM is furiously filming today, pulling together our movies, and then heading to Burlington for dinner at Al's French Frys and some Lake Monsters baseball.

GO DOTCOM!

Dr. W

Day #18: DOTCOM's "How To Make S'mores" Instructional Video

2009-07-20T08:21:00.000-07:00

As we've said before, DOTCOM is not all about working on our REEL ACTION films.

Host family stays in each other's home countries - Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Vermont - are a vital and important aspect of our 20 month DOTCOM experience.

In this instructional video, two of our Armenian colleagues - Shahen (our "talent") and Armen (the Flip production crew) - demonstrate how to construct one of the North American continent's most beloved summer camping desserts:

S'mores.

One bit of advice from S'mores expert Dr. W: Lay a piece of chocolate on top of the graham cracker and place it near the fire, to melt the chocolate before you add the marshmellow. Yummy!

Day #17: Sunday with the State Department - Weigh In DOTCOM'ers!

2009-07-19T12:21:00.001-07:00

Hey DOTCOM'ers!

Check out this link to the U.S. State Department "Exchanges Connect" page - your visit to St. Michael's College is featured!

Why don't you weigh in with a comment with or three?

Dr. W

Day #15: Making REEL ACTION films...is like grilling.

2009-07-17T17:30:00.000-07:00

Here's a shot of some yak burgers from our DOTCOM pool party the other night.

We are not all work - play is an important element of our DOTCOM experience.

As is eating.

Happy Friday, everyone - only 4 more production days to our DOTCOM WORLD PREMIERE!

Have a fun week-end,

Dr. W

Day #14: DOTCOM On The Road - Taking St. Michael's College by storm!

2009-07-16T19:44:00.000-07:00

In Colchester, Vermont at an international high school youth summit on leadership at St. Michael's College.

Our DOTCOM'ers proved inspirational!

Day #13: The Language of the Image ("DOTCOM Floating Cam")

2009-07-15T12:48:00.000-07:00

We begin today's vlog experience with a "signer" (an interpreter for the deaf) "signing" one of my favorite 30 second commercials - an advertisement for BERMUDA vacations.

Languages come in all forms, yes?

And then, a traveling camera montage of our REEL ACTION groups at work - I tried to say nothing verbally, and simply let the floating camera interact with our DOTCOM students.

Aren't they working hard?

Pool party tonight!

REEL ACTION: Look! Our WORLD PREMIERE Poster!

2009-07-15T12:27:00.000-07:00

Day #12: REEL ACTION groups in full swing!

2009-07-15T05:08:00.000-07:00

What a fun day we had yesterday!

Check what a typical REEL ACTION production day looks like - plenty of work, but plenty of recreation and good times, too.

GO DOTCOM! 1,2,3...REEL ACTION!

Day #11: Monday's REEL ACTION scripts start to sing!

2009-07-13T18:28:00.000-07:00

But first, don't miss Armen's story about the great "Lenin the Rubber Chicken" pass-around.

Lilit - you are now "it"!

And yes, DOTCOM busted a big move today, as we moved our REEL ACTION films from just 10 half-formed ideas to a 10 real scripts.

We're making headway...

1,2,3...REEL ACTION!

GO DOTCOM!

Day #10: The DOTCOM Sunday potluck picnic!

2009-07-13T18:21:00.000-07:00

...Where good fun, frolicking, and merriment was had by all.

Thanks to American Flatbread and Lareau Farm Inn for hosting us, especially to Lizabeth for her fabulous wood fired stove cooking, to Vermont Yak Company, for donating some yak meat for the occasion, and to the Phineas Gage band, for donating their music to the afternoon. (Don't miss their TWEET UP song - just click on the link here.)

It was inspiring to have so many DOTCOM'ers perform, as well - David, Nargiz, Gunka, and Kenric Kite, one of our host family members, all did some singing and jamming, as did Jessica Best, featured in this video clip.

Day #8: Our REEL ACTION film projects are taking shape!

2009-07-09T15:31:00.000-07:00

As I was teaching in Burlington this morning, I cannot speak to the morning's activities, including a very powerful (I hear) "fish bowl" exercise - hopefully others will weigh in with a description at their blogs.

This afternoon, however, proved very productive.

Our REEL ACTION trios have now hammered out their specific film topics, identifying the problem, general solutions, and a specific project that they can undertake in their home countries and/or online, perhaps working in conjunction with other partners.

I don't want to steal anyone's thunder here, so I'll just mention that the topics include: media censorship, climate change, energy/oil/conservation, stereotyping, educational inequities, and gender issues (among others).

I am very proud of our REEL ACTION trios, and our DOTCOM team as a whole.

Thanks, Aya, Kanan, and Elizabeth, for all your hard work with our students.

All together now...

1,2, 3...REEL ACTION!

GO DOTCOM!

See everyone on Sunday...

Dr. W

Day #7 and Day #8: REEL ACTION adventures - CCTV and more!

2009-07-09T03:20:00.000-07:00

Here's a fabulous 10 minute montage of our visit to CCTV yesterday.

We've had so many adventures the past few days - REEL ACTION film launch, host family fun, and a visit to Church Street and Burton Snowboards.

Thanks, Vermont, for making us feel welcome!

Day #6: REEL ACTION is underway! (Our FILM Guidelines)

2009-07-07T18:43:00.001-07:00

First of all, I promised all of you some video of my "afternoon dance party" during my day off.

I shot this on Monday afternoon with my Blackberry (er, "Yakberry") - Dan Zanes is one of my favorite family-oriented musicians. He and his band sing global and Americana songs about work, play, peace, justice, and travel - in many different languages. He rocks.

Dancing and singing are very important.

Second, it was so good to see all of you this afternoon for our first REEL ACTION planning session. We are so glad you like your FLIP cameras.

They are powerful tools. Use them wisely.

Now, here are our SEVEN "REEL ACTION" film guidelines. Our REEL ACTION films will:

1. Be 5-7 minutes long (including the closing credits.)

2. Appeal to all three brains - Reptilian, Limbic, and Neocortex.

3. Use images, music, and video (courtesy of the Flip.)

4. Display consistent closing credits agreed upon by everyone in the DOTCOM group.

5. Contain two interviews.

6. Be personal in nature.

7. Reach out AND mobilize the viewers around a specific (and fundable) project.

Let the planning and conversations begin!

GO DOTCOM!

See! The U.S. State Department IS Listening to Student Feedback!

2009-07-06T18:26:00.000-07:00

I heard from Anna Mussman, our contact at the U.S. State Department today, via Facebook.

She delivered our student reactions and suggestions to the CO.NX presentation to the organizers, and they wrote back with the following responses.

To the DOTCOM students who suggested that the State Department do more advertising to "grow" the participation at the CO.NX program, CO.NX replies:

We totally agree on the need to build up the community…we want this to top 50K. For now, we are growing slowly as we gather funds for more FB ads.

To the suggestion to call the "events" something else, like "discussions" or "dialogues," CO.NX replies:

As far as calling our chats “events”…this is what FB calls calendar items, we can’t change that. It’s one of the challenges/limitations to working in the FB and social media realm…we play by their rules! This includes days when FB just decides to change the layout of a typical fan page…all of a sudden we have to adjust.

Day #5: Our First DOTCOM Reflection Assignment (For Monday, your "Day Off")

2009-07-06T03:32:00.000-07:00

Greetings DOTCOM'ers!

As you settle in with your host families today, enjoy some rest, recreation and relaxation, and check your email, Facebook page, Twitter account (remember the #dotcom hash tag), we ask that you take a few minutes to think and blog about the following questions - please do this at your OWN individual blogs.

Here's a link to the Project Harmony NETVIBES page, in case you forgot where to find your blog.

At your blog, please write answers to the following four questions, and remember to be specific in your answers, providing examples for all four responses.

1. What did you learn in Washington D.C. about media?

2. What did you learn in Washington, D.C. about your student colleagues from the other two countries?

3. What has been hard or challenging about the DOTCOM program so far?

4. What has been exciting and rewarding about the DOTCOM program so far?

Remember, the world is reading your answers. Be thoughtful, honest, and detailed.

See you tomorrow (Tuesday) at the Waitsfield Elementary School!

Day #4 (continued): Welcome to Vermont, DOTCOM'ers!

2009-07-06T03:30:00.000-07:00

Meet Aya, Kanan, Elizabeth, and our thirty DOTCOM students from Azerbaijan, Armenia, and the United States.

Welcome to Vermont!

Day #4: Heading to Vermont; Thanks, Washington, D.C.!

2009-07-05T04:18:00.000-07:00

After an initial meeting last night by the pool for dinner, swimming, socializing and basketball, DOTCOM was off and running early this morning - heading to BWI to fly to Vermont and meet our host families.

Thanks, Anna, for shepherding Lenin the Rubber Chicken through airport security.

Nice chicken. Cluck cluck.

And now, Lenin the Rubber Chicken is on the plane and ready for the journey. Buckle up, Lenin! Thanks for the assistance, David.

As we go, we'd like to issue a deep thanks to Ken and Marcy Huntsman, Lewis and Nita Saylor, and everyone in D.C. who has made us feel welcome here these past several days.

Here are Ken and Marcy:

And here is Lewis - balloons, PH sign, and all. (Sorry we missed you for a "photo opp," Nita!)

BWI proved easy enough to get through, even with 34 of us and all of our luggage. Thanks for keeping us organized, Elizabeth!

Here are some of our Azerbaijani guys moving the big bags:

And some of our Azerbaijani gals waiting at the gate (Nargiz was writing in her journal just before I snapped this - way to go, Nargiz.)

And here's Katie writing in her journal on the plane. I hope some of these private thoughts (from everyone in our DOTCOM group) make it onto our more public blogs in the days ahead.

Arriving in Burlington, Vermont to a beautiful sunny day. An auspicious sign for our work ahead, no doubt. Look at how much space DOTCOM occupies. We are big, eh?

And a fabulous lunch and orientation with our host families, who whisked all of our students away until Tuesday morning. Thanks to Ann Martin, Renee Berrian, and Lizzy Hewitt for helping with the orientation and for welcoming everyone!

And, finally, here is a farewell note from Games Mistress Sarah Benson, our wise team-building leader. Read her words closely - much to reflect upon here.

HI!!! I hope you travels were safe and "flew" by (harharhar), It was weird waking up this morning and not heading to the Huntsman. I am excited to see you all at the end of the month, to check out what amazing projects I am sure you will create. I will most certainly be tracking your every movement on blogs and might even sign up to tweet!!! Look how you've inspired me already ;) But as I was leaving on Saturday I was thinking about a quote from the book, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance,

Mountains should be climbed with as little effort as possible and without desire. The reality of your own nature should determine the speed. If you become restless, speed up. If you become winded, slow down. You climb the mountain in an equilibrium between restlessness and exhaustion. Then, when you’re no longer thinking ahead, each footstep isn’t just a means to an end but a unique event in itself. This leaf has jagged edges. This rock looks loose. From this place the snow is less visible, even though closer. These are things you should notice anyway. To live only for some future goal is shallow. It’s the sides of the mountain which sustain life, not the top. Here’s where things grow.

~ Robert Pirsig, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

In short, I hope to watch your climb up will surely be a steep and rocky mountain and can't wait to be with you to see the view to the top. I hope you do remember though that it is inbetween the intial steps upward we took this week and reaching the summit of the very green mountain when I rejoin you that the most growth will occur. So happy trails, hug a tree or two on your way up, and I'll see you on top of mont verde....

Sarah, aka Game Mistress

See you on Tuesday morning!

Day #3: Enjoying Downtown D.C.'s July 4th Festivities

2009-07-04T16:10:00.000-07:00

What a wonderful opportunity to be in Washington D.C. - the capital city of the United States - for the big July 4 Independence Day celebration. DOTCOM spent the whole day on the National Mall, taking in all of the sights, sounds, and smells of the big day.

And then, the best news of the day - we picked up our Azerbaijani colleagues at the airport and re-grouped back at our DOTCOM HQ for dinner around 6:00 p.m. It is good to haver all thirty students together - even though it is clear that challenges for all of us lie ahead.

Here we are on the steps of the U.S. Capitol.

Here's Lenin the Rubber Chicken, the official DOTCOM mascot, making friends.

Here's a whole American family celebrating July 4th in full costume.

And David and Rob volunteered to march in the parade itself, carrying Lenin and a banner for the 2006 "Military Idol" award winner. We had a blast!

GOOD NEWS: The Azerbaijanis Are Coming...Early!

2009-07-04T05:19:00.001-07:00

Hello DOTCOM friends.

We just got word that our colleagues from Azerbaijan will be touching down in D.C. at 3:30 today.

We will be leaving D.C. to greet them at Dulles.

Hooray!

Go DOTCOM!

D.C.: DOTCOM Thanks Our Host Families!

2009-07-03T16:26:00.001-07:00

One of PH International's signature features of any of their programs, including DOTCOM, is host family stays for our international students.

Here are Massachusetts' Danielle Sackstein and Armenia's Marine Ghazaryan with three members of the Pistole family.

Thanks to all of our host families in D.C. for their warmth and generosity while we are here!

And here are Marine and Danielle's introductory "elevator pitch" stories, so you can get to know them...

GO DOTCOM!

Day #2: D.C. Team Building - DOTCOM Develops Trust and Leadership

2009-07-03T13:56:00.000-07:00

Before we write about anything that happened today, we simply want to issue a big "We Miss You!" SHOUT OUT to our DOTCOM colleagues in Azerbaijan who are experiencing travel delays.

"Salaam! Travel Safely! Go DOTCOM!"

We look forward to seeing you (them) soon.

Today was an epic day of team-building exercises, led by Sarah Benson, our D.C.-based DOTCOM associate who we affectionately call "The Games Mistress." Here she is now...

The Games Mistress comes with her own "bag o' tricks" - all the tools, gear, gadgets and gizmos needed for a successful DOTCOM team building day.

And yes, that is a Rubber Chicken.

Because, well...

DOTCOM needed an official mascot.

So...meet Lenin the Rubber Chicken. (And yes, she'll be coming with us to Vermont.)

Here are Sarah and Lenin, in an afternoon wooded "action shot" - the trust walk.

Kinda like "the Blair Witch Project." Only much scarier.

More about that later.

So, the "games" we played today, of course, are not simply games.

They are challenges designed to encourage team work, leadership (and "followership"), as well as listening and problem-solving skills. We'll need all of these qualities in a big way as we begin the serious work next week of producing our own REEL ACTION films about real-life projects in our communities.

Sarah began by challenging all of us to "persevere" - a big word that means "stick-to-it-tiveness." To not give up. To keep trying.

Don't give up, in other words. We even learned the word in Armenian, which I cannot spell here.

Take a look, as we played "Zoom" together...

We began this morning with a game called "Zoom" - and all of the leaders were surprised how quickly our eighteen DOTCOM'ers worked together (more or less) to figure out how to piece together the larger story told by each of their still pictures, images that each of them could see, but could not share with the rest of the group.

Here's what we learned from "Zoom:"

After "Zoom"ing, we headed outside to the field for a rousing game of Hula Hoop Challenge. The sun was out, and the weather this morning proved spectacular - it was nice to be outside and working together as a large group for this activity.

We then moved over to the tennis court for the most intense game of the morning.

And again, we use the word "game" loosely.

This was an activity called "the Tarp Walk." Sounds easy, right?

Nope.

Two teams of 9 students each have to move square by square around a tarp.

They don't know the route, though. Only the leaders know the route, square by square. (Shhhh.)

Each group has to coach each of their members through the tarp through trial and error.

Without talking. That's right. Without talking.

This was quite a challenge.

Let's take a look...

And here's what we learned - below.

One group figured out that both groups were ultimately following the same square-by-square path, but both groups found it difficult to actually work together across groups. An important metaphor, perhaps...

LUNCH BREAK! (Thanks to Lewis and Nita Saylor, and Ken and Marcy Huntsman for taking such good care of us - a beautiful place to stay, terrific food and drink, and gracious hospitality.)

After lunch we began with a "Consensus Ribbon" activity. Again, deceptively simple.

A bunch of ribbons are all jumbled together on the ground. One ribbon connects all the others. Without touching the ribbons, can the group come to a consensus on which ribbon is the one that binds them?

See Lord of the Rings here...OK, work with me.

A ha...

We then headed up to the tennis court for a communication game called "Lego Builder" (or "Doozer," as our Games Mistress liked to call it.)

Let's have her explain, and take a look...

Aya, Sarah and I had a fascinating time observing the Armenians and the Americans work together in mixed-groups...and the tennis court made for an interesting stage for filming, especially the net.

Here's Sarah on the ultimate take-away from "Doozer" - how this activity will set us up for our REEL ACTION film projects starting next week.

We then launched a powerful "trust walk" activity from the gazebo, and ended over at the screened-in hunter's lodge, where we debriefed leadership and followership styles.

Our last two activities of the day - Group Jump Rope and the classic and ever-popular trust fall - capped our experiences together in grand style. The jump rope activity, oddly enough, was the only activity of the day that we didn't fully master by the end of our time period.

But we took a vow: "we'll be back."

We ended the day with SLIDE SHOW, in which small groups produced quick snap shots of 3 activities or things they learned from the day.

See if you can guess what's what here. As you can see, we really didn't have ANY fun with this last "game."

DOTCOM is deeply grateful to Gamesmistress Sarah Benson for her remarkable work with our group today. Thanks, Sarah!

(And thanks to Lenin the Rubber Chicken.)

We are fired up to apply what we learned today to our REEL ACTION work together going forward.

GO DOTCOM!

DAY #1: D.C. Whirlwind - Visits to the State Department, the Newseum, and NPR

2009-07-02T15:01:00.000-07:00

What a fabulous first day for DOTCOM.

Despite the travel delay on the part of our friends from Azerbaijan (we miss them!), DOTCOM headed into D.C. for a jam-packed day of conversation and touring. Out the Huntsman's door at 8:30 a.m. we were, and at the State Department by 10:00 a.m., after a brief side trip to the Lincoln Memorial.

Here's Daniel Chester French's massive Lincoln now, flanked on our left by the words of the famous 1863 Gettysburg Address, and on our right, by his Second Inaugural Address.

We then spent the rest of the morning talking with our State Department DOTCOM co-sponsors.

Here's one representative discussing "surprises" and new and emerging State Department student programs with us - very exciting possibilities here.

We also talked with the State Department about their work in global civic outreach with Web 2.0 tools, including Facebook and a new program called CO.NX. The goal here is to "link audiences with U.S. experts in all fields, from inside and outside the U.S. government, using Adobe Connect, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and other Web 2.0 resources to alert specific audiences to programs."

Top 10 countries interested so far?

The most enthusiastic response to the CO.NX program, instituted just last November, has been from audiences in Indonesia, Egypt, France, Kenya, Nigeria, Morocco, Maldives, Pakistan, Tunisia, and Greece.

Thanks to CO.NX jockey Mark Betka for the overview.

On the way out of the State Department, we were asked to provide critical feedback on the presentation, so I talked with some of the students, and here's what they had to say:

1. Very important, that CO.NX is using varying technology - text-only to multimedia - to broadband for multimedia capability, to allow for people in different parts of the world to engage the conversation.

2. Funny, that CO.NX only has 9,000 plus followers on Facebook from around the world. They should keep working to increase that "fan" number substantially.

3. Instead of using the term "audience" to describe the growing global community of Web 2.0 readers and posters at CO.NX, why not use the word "participant"? And instead of calling the webcasts "events," why not call them "dialogues" or "discussions," to highlight the fact that citizens from around the globe can participate?

A trip to the Newseum for lunch and a 1 hour tour of the history of news, as well as fabulous views of downtown D.C., proved eye-opening, especially as they caught us on their camera and projected us onto the giant lobby's Jumbo-tron flat screen as we were leaving. Nifty!

Here's a view of the U.S. Capitol building.

The Newseum is billed as "the world's most interactive museum." I'll let our DOTCOM'ers be the judge of this claim.

They do have the largest marble-carved tribute to the 1st Amendment in the world - mounted right on the front of the building.

And here's an inspirational quotation - one of many - from the Newseum's wall.

I liked Colbert's line from one of the short Newseum videos the best, though.

"If you make a museum to news, that means..THE NEWS IS DEAD!"

Worth thinking about. And Funny Faux News Man Colbert ought to know.

Off to National Public Radio for our last visit of the day. Elizabeth and Sarah (Benson, our fabulous DC-based DOTCOM colleague) were gaga over the opportunity to visit their favorite radio network, and the students seemed excited, too.

We met with NPR ombudsman Alicia Shepard, who told us she was in the middle of a big brouhaha over NPR's decision to avoid using the word "torture" in its ongoing coverage of U.S. government interrogation policies overseas. As Alicia observed, NPR has adopted a policy of describing specific incidents of what they call "harsh interrogation techniques" - covering a prisoner's nose and mouth with a cloth and pouring water over his face for 20-40 seconds - and then letting listeners make up their own minds about whether such techniques constitute "torture.'

Or not.

Food for thought. Read her unfolding writings on the "torture" debate and many other ethical issues at her NPR ombudsman's blog.

I've posted some video of much of our conversation with her here, as it reveals (in her own words) "just how important language is when describing unfolding news events."

She definitely looked a bit weary, though she proved nothing but gracious and thoughtful in her conversations with us. Thanks for taking the time to talk with us, Alicia!

It is wonderful to have the opportunity to see all of our students getting to know one another F2F (face to face) for the first time.

Tomorrow will bring more fun here at the Huntsman's, with a whole day devoted to team-building exercises.

GO DOTCOM!

DOTCOM is now TWITTER'ing!

2009-07-02T14:54:00.000-07:00

We've created a hash tag (# - the little number sign) for our DOTCOM program.

#dotcom.

There it is.

So now anyone tweeting from any Twitter account about our unfolding DOTCOM program can simply include #dotcom as part of any tweet, and Twitter will kindly archive it for us.

If you'd like to follow us on Twitter, you have a few options.

The easiest way is to create a free Twitter account, download Tweet Deck for free, and simply search for #dotcom.

Here's what the link looks like: http://search.twitter.com/search?q=%23dotcom

I tweeted up a storm today.

One of my goals, though, is to get other DOTCOM'ers to tweet about our work as we ramp up our work together.

GO DOTCOM!

To D.C.: DOTCOM is Underway!

2009-07-02T05:22:00.000-07:00

Here's some fun at the JFK Airport, courtesy of Ana, Katie, and Emily.

We got stuck in JFK due to weather-related delays.

So, they decided to make a movie about drink costs at airports.

No pre-production.

Take a look:

Our 2009 REEL ACTION film production trios!

2009-06-22T19:01:00.001-07:00

Friends: As promised, I have created our 10 groups of three. Everyone who blogged about their top 3 choices received one of their top 3 choices. If you didn't tell me what themes interested you...oh, well. See you in D.C. very soon! GO DOTCOM!

Here's a short REEL ACTION film to get you thinking about the work we will do together.

Our projects will be more sophisticated than this one.

DOTCOM: “REEL ACTION” Film Trios 2009

Group #1: Social Justice

Danielle Sackstein (US)
Lilit Petrosyan (Armenia)
Togrul Novruzlu (Azerbaijan)

Group #2: Stereotyping

Jessica Best (US)
Marine Ghazaryan (Armenia)
Ashraf Ismailov (Azerbaijan)

Group #3: Media

Emily Massell (US)
David Avoyan (Armenia)
Ergun Ahmadzade (Azerbaijan)

Group #4: Peace/War

Tessa Ormenyi (US)
Nicholay Haratyunyan (Armenia)
Samir Karimov (Azerbaijan)

Group #5: Peace/War

David Sackstein (US)
Sona Dilanyan (Armenia)
Gunel Nuraddinova (Azerbaijan)

Group #6: Media

Katie Spencer (US)
Armen Galstyan (Armenia)
Nargiz Huseynova (Azerbaijan)
Group #7: Media

Katie Kirk (US)
Lusine Dokhoyan (Armenia)
Novruz Manishov (Azerbaijan)

Group #8: Environment

Ana Sizensky (US)
Astghik Khachatryan (Armenia)
Madina Mahmudova (Azerbaijan)

Group #9: Theme to be determined

Anna Myers (US)
Nare Zakaryan (Armenia)
Shafag Humbatova (Azerbaijan)

Group #10: Theme to be determined

Jacob Rasch (US)
Shahen Mailyan (Armenia)
Tengiz Farxullasoy (Azerbaijan)

China Mojo A'Go Go! (Web 2.0 Mobile Journalism Lives!)

2009-06-16T11:04:00.000-07:00

Greetings DOTCOMers,

I returned from China at 2:00 am this morning.

And I am still awake. Barely.

A remarkable trip - you can follow our daily adventures at our China Mojo blog.

Now, to DOTCOM business - please be sure you post to your blog your TOP THREE "Reel Action" film themes by this Sunday night, June 21.

Otherwise, Elizabeth and I will simply stick you in a group at random.

Take charge of your destiny.

GO DOTCOM!

Looking forward to D.C.,

Dr. W

DOTCOM / CHINA MOJO: Please excuse my absence...

2009-05-27T11:02:00.000-07:00

Greetings DOTCOM colleagues!

I wanted to take a moment to let you know that I am heading to western China on a 2 week trip with some college graduate colleagues, and will not be responding to DOTCOM blogs until I return on June 17.

You can follow our adventures at our CHINA MOJO blog.

I look forward to reading up on your TOP 3 REEL ACTION film themes when I return.

Get fire up for July in D.C. and Vermont!

Go DOTCOM,

Dr. W

The DOTCOM REEL ACTION Film Project - Identifying Your Top 3 Themes

2009-05-16T04:01:00.000-07:00

This Module will take place between Monday, May 18 and Monday, June 15, 2009.

Hello DOTCOMers!

"ELEVATOR PITCH" CONGRATULATIONS!

First of all, we'd like to congratulate all of you on passing your first MODULE 2 challenge - the 90 second video elevator pitch - with flying colors! We've enjoyed watching and commenting on all of your videos, and have learned a bit about each of you in the process.

(NOTE: If you haven't yet posted your video to BOTH your personal blog AND the DOTCOM2010 YouTube page here, be sure to do so as soon as possible.)

MODULE 2: DEVELOPING OUR "REEL ACTION" GROUPS

Here are our two challenges for the next month.

1. First, take some time to go and "meet" all 29 other DOTCOM students by watching their 90 second video elevator pitches - you can access all 30 DOTCOM Phase 2 blog sites here.

And don't just watch the videos. Be sure to COMMENT on them - tell your DOTCOM colleagues what you liked and learned about each other! (Remember, we'll all be together in person and FACE TO FACE in just under two months' time.)

2. Our second challenge will take some reflection on your part. It is time to begin thinking about making our cross-cultural 5-7 minute DOTCOM "REEL ACTION" FEATURE FILMS, a project that we will spend much of our July time together.

We'll tell you more about the REEL ACTION film project when we gather together in Washington, D.C.

Here's an example of a REEL ACTION film called "Stereotypes," produced by four PH International students from the countries of Jordan and the United States a few years ago.

This gives you some idea of where we are going with our REEL ACTION projects, though yours will be longer, more complex, and feature more live video, courtesy of your emerging skills and our Flip cameras and related tools.

For now, though, use your own personal blog to identify your TOP THREE "REEL ACTION" themes from the list of themes below, and then, in 4-5 sentences for each of the three themes, tell us more about what specifically interests you about your selected three themes, and how these three themes connect with your own life and the life of your school and community. We'll be using your blog themes to help create small REEL ACTION groups for our July work together, so choose wisely.

Here are the REEL ACTION themes:

Environment

Media

Religion

Governance

Social Justice

Peace/War/Conflict

Food/Agriculture

Stereotyping

Gender Issues

Race/Ethnic Issues

Other (What might we be forgetting?)

Here's an example for you to follow:

BLOG POST TITLE: My Top Three REEL ACTION Themes (Please use this title for your blog post.)

#1: Media

My very top choice for a REEL ACTION film is the theme of media. I have learned that most people in industrialized countries spend between 10 and 12 hours a day with all kinds of media - books, magazines, newspapers, television, radio, music, computer games, the Internet, etc. In the United States, the average teenager sees as many as 3,000 advertisements every single day! I have also learned that 90% of media content - music, movies, etc. - is owned by one of 6 large multinational corporations who are more interested in selling than they are in telling. For my REEL ACTION film project, I'd like to make a 5-7 minute movie that explores some sort of specific media-related theme.

At your personal blogs, do this for your THREE top REEL ACTION media themes, selecting from the list above.

So, you'll have three short paragraphs at your blog by the time you are finished and post.

And of course, include IMAGES, VIDEO and other content to help explain your three choices.

If you have any questions, as always, don't hesitate to email me at rob.williams@madriver.com.

GO DOTCOM, and looking forward to July!

Dr. Williams (The Mad River Yakker)

DOTCOM - Welcome to Phase 2! (The 90 second video elevator pitch)

2009-04-26T10:19:00.000-07:00

This exciting DOTCOM video challenge is due by Sunday, May 10, 2009.

Welcome to Phase 2 of DOTCOM, colleagues!

And congratulations to the thirty of you who were selected by the DOTCOM leadership team to participate in Phase 2 - the DOTCOM exchange program. We are very excited to get to know all of you better, and to work with you over the next year. In just a few short months, we'll be gathering in Washington, DC and Vermont to spend some significant time working and playing together, as well as launching F2F (face to face) our DOTCOM cross-cultural digital film projects.

So, let's dive in and get to work!

To get to know ourselves better and to practice our emerging multimedia and Web 2.0 skills, our first fun challenge for each of you is what I like to call the "90 second video elevator pitch."

A "pitch," in the language of advertising, is a persuasive argument in support of a person (Barack Obama), an idea (blogging for a better world), a product (Ivory soap) or a program (DOTCOM).

An "elevator pitch" refers to the 90 seconds you may have when you meet someone in an elevator to persuade that person to take an interest in your person, idea, product, or program.

A "video" is...well, you know what a "video" is. Ha.

Here is an example of a simple "90 second video elevator pitch" I wrote and produced to explain DOTCOM to people I want to support our program.

"Hi, my name is Rob Williams. A pleasure to meet you. What do I do, you ask? I am working as the lead teacher on an exciting new project called DOTCOM, which stands for "Developing Online Tools for Civic Outreach and Mobilization," PH International's new cross-cultural pilot project. Here are three reasons why you should get involved in supporting DOTCOM. First, DOTCOM promotes media education, an essential set of life skills for the 21st century that teach students how better to access, analyze, evaluate and produce their own media. Second, DOTCOM encourages young people to dive into the world of multimedia production, producing and presenting films through the medium of digital video that tackle current issues of global significance in a personal and powerful way. Finally, DOTCOM supports cross-cultural understandings and emerging leadership for global youth, connecting bright and talented young people in countries around the world and providing ways for them to work together on projects that matter in their communities. You can find out more about DOTCOM at our web site, which I'll display for you here. Go DOTCOM."

And here's the video version, now available at our new DOTCOM YouTube videos page.

So here's your challenge:

Grab a video camera, and write and film a short 90 second elevator pitch for yourself, in which you introduce yourself to the rest of us, and explain, in any fun and creative way you like, who you are and what you find important about your life, your work, or any other related issues.

Your 90 second elevator pitch should be fun, creative, and interesting. You can use narration, music, still images, video, animation, mash-ups - However you choose to present yourself to us is up to you.

Take another look at my short 90 second elevator pitch for DOTCOM - and I bet you can do better!

Once you film your 90 second elevator pitch, figure out how to use a simple video editing program to edit it and "compress" the film file to be "YouTube friendly".

Then, upload your compressed video at our new PHDOTCOM2010 account. Please title your YouTube video: "DOTCOM: YOUR NAME's Ninety Second Video Elevator Pitch."

Our YouTube password (shhhh...) is: harmony123 (Please make a note of this, as I will delete this password in two weeks' time.)

Finally, "embed" your own video at your own DOTCOM blog, just as you have done for other video media, by grabbing your DOTCOM video elevator pitch's YouTube "embed" code and pasting it into your blog.

Have fun with this, and again, welcome to DOTCOM's Phase 2 - let's get busy!

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to e-mail me at rob.williams@madriver.com.

Go DOTCOM!

Rob

Welcome to MODULE #7: Wrapping Up PHASE 1!

2009-04-10T09:58:00.000-07:00

This module takes place between Monday, April 13 and Sunday, April 27.

Dear DOTCOM student colleagues.

First of all, deep thanks to all NINETY of you from three countries - Arzerbaijan, Armenia, and the United States - for taking part in PHASE 1 of our DOTCOM project. It has been my sincere pleasure to work with you, and to get to know all of you a bit better.

Our last PHASE 1 module assignment is simple and fun.

1. First, please answer these questions at your blog.

A. What was the most fun/exciting part of the DOTCOM PHASE 1 project for you?

B. What was the most challenging part of the DOTCOM PHASE 1 project for you?

C. What is one specific suggestion you have for the DOTCOM PHASE 1 project, when we do this project again?

2. Second, find the FUNNIEST video you can find on YouTube, embed it in your blog, and tell us why you find it so funny.

Have fun with this, and I look forward to seeing what you come up with!

Here's my funny video above - short - at 18 seconds.

See you online!

Dr. Rob Williams (the Mad River Yakker)

Welcome to MODULE #5: Media and Leadership - Learning The Persuasive Language of Media

2009-03-11T04:35:00.000-07:00

This module officially begins on Monday, March 16. This module officially ends on Sunday, March 30.

"persuasion" - "the art of convincing."

How do media persuade us?

Even though we have the most powerful living thing in the known universe – the human brain – embedded in our skulls, we are still very easily persuaded by powerful media messages and stories.

Why is this?

Now that you know a bit about how the three-part brain - REPTILIAN, LIMBIC, NEOCORTEX - experiences media, it is time to learn media’s “language of persuasion,” those specific techniques by which media seek to influence our feelings, thoughts, and behaviors.

Attached to your Module #4 e-mail is a short two page handout (PDF) listing and defining more than 24 different persuasive techniques – please print it out and start studying it. (We'll also mail the PDF to Aya and Kanan in Armenia and Azerbaijan.)

Our goal for this two-week module is to learn to turn these “persuasive techniques” into “tools of analysis": - and begin to develop a language with which to discuss together our media experiences.

We do this by first learning how to recognize and “name” the persuasive techniques. Study the "language of persuasion" closely.

For example, the very first persuasive technique on your list is SYMBOLS.

"Symbols" are "idea conveyances" - words, pictures, phrases, logos, brands - that move or transfer ideas.

Here is an example.

All national flags are very powerful symbols.

National flags mean many different things to different people.

The American flag symbolizes freedom for some people, and oppression for others.

And this is one of the most IMPORTANT aspects of ALL persuasive language.

Persuasive language is not BAD or GOOD, but COMPLEX.

So - let's begin to practice APPLYING the language of persuasion to the media texts all around us.

Here's one of my favorite YouTube clips - 'Grand Theft Coke." Take a look - give it a watch - it is only 60 seconds long.

I like this piece of media because it tells a funny and interesting story, combining several different kinds of popular media texts - video games, commercial advertising, clever animation, and a wonderful song.

The advertisement appeals to my REPTILIAN brain (at the beginning, with the fast-moving car chase), my LIMBIC brain (with the uplifting "Give a Little Love" song and all the colorful graphics) and my NEOCORTEX (when I begin to think more deeply about the relationship between video games and products like Coke.)

It also uses a number of persuasive techniques from our list.

1. SYMBOLS: the use of the "Grand Theft Auto" main video game character at the beginning and the "Coca Cola" logo at the end.

2. HUMOR: The message of the media example here is funny, because the GTA guy decides to help out everyone in the story rather than beat them, kill them, or take their money. (A good pro-social and positive message!)

3. PLAIN FOLKS: The media text uses a bum/singer, an old lady, and many other "normal" everyday characters to tell the story.

4. BANDWAGON: The media text suggests that "everyone is drinking Coca Cola," and that I should, too.

5. TESTIMONIAL: The Grand Theft Auto character is famous, and immediately recognizable to anyone who has ever played this game around the world.

HERE IS YOUR ASSIGNMENT, TO BE COMPLETED BY MARCH 30:

Find and “embed” a short YouTube video at your blog, and then:

1. Describe how your three part brain engages with the media text: REPTILIAN, LIMBIC, AND NEOCORTEX.

2. Make a list of FIVE specific persuasive techniques you can find in the video, along with a “moment” illustrating each technique from the video, just like I did, above.

I will comment on your blog post and make some observations of my own, once you post.

I look forward to reading your blog posts and seeing what you learn from applying our "language of persuasion."

Congratulations – you are becoming more media literate!

Welcome to MODULE #3: Our Brains on Media (Scary Green Monster) (Running Monday, February 16 – Sunday, March 1)

2009-02-12T05:16:00.000-08:00

Welcome to module #3, DOTCOM colleagues in Armenia, Azerbaijan, and the United States!

Now that you have completed and blogged your KNOWLEDGE TREE and PERSONAL MEDIA INVENTORY, we are ready to get into the "nuts and bolts" of our study of 21st century media.

What follows is a brief overview of "Our Brains on Media."

Closely read over the activities below, several times if need be, and have fun learning about your brain on media.

And then, find a YouTube video you like, and apply what you've learned at your blog.

HERE WE GO!

For this two-week module, begin with a simple activity.

Take your right hand, reach up, and place it gently on top of your skull. You are now touching the most complex living thing in the known universe.

Not your hair, silly.

Your brain.

The human brain is a remarkable piece of work: highly sophisticated, evolutionarily inelegant, and vital to keeping us alive and functioning.

And the human brain is not one brain, but three brains.

Understanding how the brain works, believe it or not, is vital to deepening your appreciation of media, leadership, and community.

So, briefly explained - here is your three-part (triune) brain on media.

THE REPTILIAN BRAIN (the instinctual or “dinosaur” brain - see the red area on our brain diagram, above):

The oldest part of your brain, the reptilian system can be found at the base of your brain stem, and regulates basic bodily functions – heart rate, breathing, etc. This is the part of your brain that instinctively reacts when you experience a sudden and unanticipated stimulus – BOO!

Without thinking, your reptilian brain asks one of four questions about the BOO stimulus:

1. Do I eat BOO?
2. Do I mate with BOO?
3. Do I fight BOO?
4. Do I run away from BOO?

The important thing here is that your brain DOES NOT THINK when asking these questions – your reaction is instinctual; it happens very quickly. And this evolutionary response in the reptilian brain has kept humans alive for literally tens of thousands of years.

THE LIMBIC BRAIN (emotional or “feeling” brain):

The second oldest part of your brain – the limbic – is where two very powerful kinds of media (images and music) are processed.

You know the old saying: “A picture is worth a thousand words”?

True enough – because pictures bypass the “thinking brain” and go directly to the emotional/limbic system.

The same is true of music – you can literally alter your neuro-physiological chemistry by putting on the right piece of music.

Feeling depressed? Then put on your “feel good” music and within minutes, you’ll notice a change. Neat, eh?

THE NEOCORTEX (rational or “thinking” brain):

This is the youngest part of the brain, and is located in the frontal lobe, behind your forehead, more or less. All higher level thinking - reading, writing, etc. – takes place in the neocortex.

Ever wonder why reading a book is initially so much harder than watching television? Because TV is processed in the limbic and reptilian brains, while the printed word (typography) is processed in the neocortical brain.

Here's the picture of your TRIUNE BRAIN one more time.

I know what you are thinking.

Why should I care about the triune brain?

Because, even though our brain is the most complex living thing in the known universe, it is easily manipulated by our powerful 21st century media culture.

For example, take a look at this short commercial – one of the best single example I have found for illustrating how media influence the triune brain.

Describe which of the three brains the commercial FIRST appealed to – how do you know?

If you said: LIMBIC - you are right. We SEE soothing images - green trees, a quiet country road, and we HEAR soothing pan flute music.

And then, which of the brains did the commercial appeal to next?

If you said: REPTILIAN, again, you are right. The scary shrieking green monster interrupts our LIMBIC brain and SHOCKS us, literally, the first time we see this ad. Immediately, WITHOUT THINKING, we have an instinctual reaction.

Did your heart rate and breathing rate go up when you first watched the Kfee ad? Were you "startled"? That's your REPTILIAN brain at work.

And finally, the Kfee advertisement asks you to read the words on the screen, using your NEOCORTEX (thinking) brain.

The Kfee advertisement is a GREAT piece of media for understanding how our three-part brain is influenced by media.

Here's your challenge for this module.

Find one SHORT (no more than 2 minutes) YouTube movie that you like at www.youtube.com.

Copy and paste the "embed code" for that YouTube movie into your blog (you'll find the code to the right of the actual movie), and then write a 4 sentence explanation describing which of the three brains - reptlian, limbic, and neocortex - you think your movie is influencing.

Use my analysis of the KFEE advertisement above to help guide you, and e-mail me with any questions you have.

And have fun.

Vive DOTCOM!

Dr. Rob Williams

DOTCOM in the NEWS!

2009-01-28T12:48:00.001-08:00

Hi DOTCOM friends,

We'll use this page to store news stories (for now) re: DOTCOM.

Here's one from GLOBAL VOICES - other than referring to our participants as "children" ("teens" or "young adults" might be more appropriate), this is an exciting story.

Read it by clicking here.

Welcome to MODULE #2: Your Personal Media Inventory

2009-01-28T05:13:00.000-08:00

MODULE #2: A Personal Media Inventory
Monday, January 2 – Sunday, February 15

Welcome back to DOTCOM, colleagues, and here is our next challenge!

Now that you’ve had a chance to share a bit about yourself with your Knowledge Tree, let’s explore your personal media world for this two-week module. (Some of you have begun to talk about this at your blog already - consider this module your formal opportunity and invitation to discuss your media world, and to share your media world with the rest of us.)

Begin by making a descriptive list, at your blog, of the following kinds of media you enjoy, and describe, in 4-5 sentences for each, WHY you enjoy these media, along with some specific examples of each kind of game, book, program, or band.

And add photographs, video, hyperlinks to other web sites, or other links to illustrate each written description. Show us what you can do with the Web technology!

For example, here's my descriptive response to the MUSIC media question.

MUSIC – Do you listen to or play music? What kinds of music do you like to listen to? How do you listen to music – via cassettes, MP3 files, radio, or live performances? Who is a musician you currently are listening to?

I am a musician, and I enjoy listening to a wide variety of music. I grew up in the age of vinyl records, studied the violin and trained as a classical musician from age 4 through high school, and then picked up the guitar in college and never looked back.

And I love to sing - solo, and in groups. As a college professor, journalist, and writer, much of my work is very intellectual and "cerebral." Music is a wonderful release for me. Here's a photo of me with my guitar.

I am currently playing in a band called Phineas Gage, named after a famous Vermont railroad engineer who got a spike through his head and lived to tell the tale.

We do different kinds of music - I like to call our style of music "folkgospel grassicana" (A combination of folk, gospel, bluegrass, and Americana music.) I buy CDs from time to time, and download music from iTunes, as well, and I have just discovered Pandora.com, a wonderful free Internet music service that allows anyone to listen to their favorite bands and other musicians with a similar style.

While I listen to a wide variety of music, I am currently into the band "Great Big Sea," from Newfoundland. I first heard them several years ago at an outdoor concert here in Burlington on the shores of Lake Champlain, and was hooked. My wife and two children like them, too - here's some video I shot while dancing in the balcony at their Halloween 2008 concert a few months ago. Fun stuff!

THE END

My response to the music question, above, is intended to serve as a guide for how you should answer each of these questions at your blog.

So here's your assignment: a list of different kinds of media, with some questions to respond to for each.

1. BOOKS - Do you read books? What kinds of books do you like to read? What’s a book you are currently reading that you are enjoying?

2. NEWSPAPERS/MAGAZINES – Do you read newspapers or magazines? What kinds of newspapers and magazines do you enjoy and why?

3. MUSIC – Do you listen to or play music? What kinds of music do you like to listen to? How do you listen to music – via cassettes, MP3 files, radio, or live performances? Who is a musician you currently are listening to?

4. TELEVISION – Do you watch television? (I have not watched TV for 20 years, but I used to watch hours of TV a day as a kid). What kinds of TV do you like to watch and why?

5. VIDEO GAMES – Do you play video games? Which games do you play and why? What is your favorite video game experience right now?

6. COMPUTERS – Do you use computers much? What kinds of things do you do on your computer?

7. INTERNET – Do you spend much time on the Internet? What kinds of activities do you most enjoy pursuing on the Internet?

Now, rank your MEDIA PREFERENCES from 1 – 7, with 1 being your FAVORITE kind of media, and 7 being your last favorite.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6,
7.

DOTCOM Module #1: Media and Me - The Knowledge Tree (January 19 - February 1)

2009-01-16T08:40:00.000-08:00

MODULE #1: Media and Me – The Knowledge Tree
Monday, January 19 – Sunday, February 1

Welcome to Phase 1 of the DOTCOM program! I look forward to getting to know all of you better, and beginning to implement our three sets of “goals and outcomes” (see attached) for this DOTCOM project.

I’ve organized our spring’s work into several two-week modules.

Your first two-week module challenge is a fun one. Create your own free blog site using www.blogger.com, and “embed” text, photos, videos, music and other content that helps us understand your life, your community, and your passions – what you care most deeply about.

We’ll call these multimedia blog posts our “Knowledge Trees.”

I will collect our blogs as you e-mail them to me, and share them with everyone through our NetVibes home page. More about that in February.

Two guidelines:

1. The URL address for your blogger account should contain the word DOTCOM and then YOUR FIRST NAME AND LAST INITIAL– don’t be obscure or confusing.

(For example: “http://www.dotcomrobw.blogspot.com” is a good title.

2. Please e-mail your blog address to me as soon as you have created your blog, so I can start reading your posts. My e-mail address: rob.williams@madriver.com.

Now, here are some questions to answer once you create your blog, and get started with your “Knowledge Tree.” Any photographs, video, or other links you can provide are welcome.

1. Tell us about yourself in a brief autobiography of between 20 - 25 sentences. Where are you from? What do you most like to study? What are your passions and your dreams? Tell us a bit about your personality. Are you outgoing? A leader? Quiet and shy? An observer? What do you want us to know about you?

2. Explore your relationship with media in five sentences by telling us about a favorite media experience you are having – a book you are reading, a video game you are playing, a movie you just saw, a magazine you subscribe to, a newspaper you read regularly, or a musician or band whose music you really like. What is it about this media experience that makes it powerful for you?

3. In five sentences, tell us about an issue you are concerned about in your home community. Why? What, if anything, have you tried to do about something you are concerned about, or what would you like to do if you could?

4. In five sentences, tell us what you can contribute to the group of participants during our DOTCOM program (face-to-face) workshops?

WELCOME TO DOTCOM: Meet Dr. Rob Williams - Let's get started!

2009-01-06T18:36:00.000-08:00

Welcome everyone!

Is this a flattering "still" photo of me on YouTube, below, or what? Grin.

Rule #1 - Let's have as much fun as possible as we get to know each other.

Feel free to click on the YouTube video to meet me, and then - read on!

Welcome to the online portion of our DOTCOM program! On behalf of Project Harmony International, the Action Coalition for Media Education (ACME), and all of our supporting partners, I’d like to welcome you to our DOTCOM adventure.

My name is Dr. Rob Williams. You can find out more about me and my media interests at www.robwilliamsmedia.com.

I look forward to getting to know each one of you better as we begin our online spring 2009 DOTCOM program.

We have three goals for all of us as DOTCOM ambassadors:

Goal 1: To develop a sense of civic responsibility and commitment to our local and global communities.

Goal 2: To engage youth from Armenia, Azerbaijan, and the United States in exploring how to apply media literacy education and technology as a way to foster mutual understanding.

Goal 3: To foster personal and institutional ties between participants and partner countries.

Before you do anything else, please read and be sure you understand our Rules for Online Discussion.

It is VITAL that you understand and abide by them. I will not hesitate to let you know if you are behaving in a way that is “out of bounds” with regard to the online site, so be sure you understand the rules before beginning.

Here they are:

RULES FOR ONLINE DISCUSSIONS

Overview: Our Netvibes web forum and all embedded content is a public forum, and will be viewed by members of the US Department of State, Project Harmony staff, government officials, host families and others. Please review the following rules for discussion before participating.

Rule #1: The language to be used on this site is English.

Rule #2: Please express your ideas and comments directly to me - Dr. Williams - in a respectful and appropriate manner. For this first phase of our DOTCOM experience, please only engage directly with me and your DOTCOM adult staff contacts.

Rule #3: This forum is to be used for DOTCOM-related assignments and discussions only. For any personal conversations, please use email.

After reading the Rules, please visit www.blogger.com and create your own free blog. Simply follow the easy 3 step process for doing so, and select whichever template you like the best.

In creating your blogs, here are two guidelines:

1. The URL address for your blogger account should contain the word DOTCOM and then your FIRST NAME AND LAST INITIAL – don’t be obscure or confusing. PLEASE DON'T USE YOUR FULL NAME.

(For example: “http://www.dotcomrobw.blogspot.com” is a good title.

2. Please e-mail your blog address to me as soon as you have created your blog, so I can start reading your posts.

My e-mail address is rob.williams-AT-madriver.com.

Please contact me at this e-mail address if you have any urgent questions or need more information.

In module #2, I’ll introduce you to our Net Vibes online learning community.

And again, welcome to DOTCOM!

For a successful program,

Dr. Rob Williams