Welcome to our first class meeting; I’m using this post to share several resources that are important to starting our work together this week.
This is a non-traditional class. We will be studying Georgia politics and the current General Assembly session through the lens of local stakeholders on social media, and we will be analyzing and evaluating the engagement strategies of those stakeholders (those are the “what” of the class). At the same time, the class will expose you to experiential learning, collaboration methods, online publishing, and project management skills (those are the “how” of the class). I am interested in introducing you to a simulated workplace environment, giving guidance when I can, and encouraging you to learn and grow in the directions that match your interest.
Here are some things that you need to know and do to get started!
Discord
I use this Discord for a large portion of activities and communication this semester. Discord will not be used to post grades or any other FERPA protected materials. If you have an issue or question about the use of Discord, please reach out to me.
- Create a Discord account that uses your KSU email account. This may require you to build a separate Discord account than the one they already have (if you’re already a Discord user).
- Use the link below to join our class Discord server, and join with an account that uses your KSU email.
- Set your username on our server to be the first name that you choose to go by in class and the first initial of your last name.
- Choose an avatar/picture for your account if you would like.
- After you have joined, email me a screenshot of the “My Account” tab under your profile that allows me to see your username/display name, avatar, and KSU email address all in one place (here’s an example of what the looks like in my account). The subject line of that email should be: Discord Verification for WRIT 3152
WRIT 3152: Digital Community Engagement, Discord “join” link
Upon joining, I recommend that you immediately revise the Discord notifications so that you only receive notifications from the #announcements and #help channels in addition to posts or DMs sent directly to you. This will keep your KSU inbox from getting flooded with emails for every conversation on our server. Here is a resource page on Discord notifications.
You may choose to interact with Discord for our class via a web browser, the Discord app on your phone, or both. I do not expect immediate, synchronous response to Discord material, but I do expect that you are checking Discord for relevant messages at least every other day (and sometimes more frequently during collaborative projects).
Syllabus
Our syllabus is posted under the “Syllabus” tab in D2L. Please read it carefully.
Media
Per the syllabus, you will need to purchase a subscription to The Atlanta Journal and Constitution. For new users, this subscriptions are offered at a reduced rate of 99 cents for 3 months; this will mean that you will only need to pay the regular price of $9.99/month for the final month of the semester.
You will need to open an account at X (formerly known as Twitter) in order to be able to search tweets for major stakeholders. You will also be encouraged to develop facility with at least one social media platform that proves useful for research related to Georgia politics at the state level.
You do not need to purchase any textbooks for this class. I will be linking articles and e-book chapters as readings.
Activities
- Join Discord (see above); remember to send the email mentioned above.
- Complete an introduction for yourself in the #introductions channel on Discord. The guidelines at the top of the channel; please read them carefully.
- Read the syllabus (within D2L); complete the activity related to the syllabus in #activities.
- Read the “Communication Protocols” section of this blog post; post questions in #help if you have any.
- Look for the Week One blog post that will be posted in #announcements before class begins on Mon, 1/12. Leave an emoji on that post when you see it.
- Read the following article by Wed, 1/14:
- “Will Georgia lawmakers revive any bills left unfinished in 2025?” by Baruchman and Prabhu in the AJC
- Read the following article by Wed, 1/21:
- “Introduction: Democracy in the Wild” (pgs 1-16) in Governable Space: Democratic Design for Online Life by Schneider (requires library log-in)
During our first day of class this week, I will discuss the regular flow of our in-class and hybrid work.
I do not use D2L email/messaging, so do not message me there. If you miss the first class or have any questions after attending, email me: pete@kennesaw.edu. You can always schedule time with me for a f2f or virtual meeting on my Bookings page.
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