| Publication |
2012.
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| Summary/Abstract |
Just as public policy was once debated over newspapers in Parisian cafes, today's global policy debates take place in the blogosphere and on social networks. Admission to the lettered city of the twenty-first century demands not just constant connectivity but also rapid comprehension and succinct writing. Preparing students to participate in the global public sphere requires supplementing their directed research skills with monitoring skills, then showing them how to communicate in public debate. In selected undergraduate International Relations courses at San Francisco State University, students hone monitoring skills by following news feeds in RSS feed readers and course management systems. Textbooks then become a source of context for understanding the latest developments in regional issues. Suggested Web sites and a Facebook forum provide students with access and encouragement to communicate with experts on course topics. By engaging online, students repurpose technologies and social skills from their daily lives for educational ends. Examination questions cover relevant current events, briefing papers replace term papers, and course assessment measures reward students for experimenting and improving throughout the semester. Because this approach to online participation and current events monitoring may be unfamiliar to students, the course design and simulation activities encourage students to draw on small group support while developing their individual skills and confidence.
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