Lead Change (mh)

Transmedia Storytelling Transmedia storytelling means: “dividing chunks of a story across multiple platforms to form one cohesive narrative.”   Rethinking trans media storytelling is going to be very important.   Stories will play against many different platforms.   According to Jenkins, transmedia storytelling will allow you invite the audience to play a more active role by discussing things, reassembling elements, deciphering things, similar to putting together a jig saw puzzle.   As they join online communities, they will have more things to talk about, debate, analyze and will have information to trade with each other.   Amateurs will be able to participate as well.    Five tips for transmedia storytelling 1. Keep content unique Rather than repeating the information on different platforms, use different parts of a story to match a platform’s strength and maximize user experience. 2 . Provide a seamless point of entry. Because audience engagement

Social media has completely transformed the way we fight for social justice. In the modern day era, social media has proven to be terrific tool for activists campaigning for social equity.  One of the main benefits is the ability to spread information faster than ever before.  Malala Yousafzai, who won the Nobel Peace Prize when she was seventeen and began her fight for equality at the age of eleven when she took a stand against the Taliban, "encouraged youngsters in Mexico City to use social media platforms as a political weapon for issues that they truly care about, such as equality, women's rights, and education" (IANS, 2017). Social media has become an alternative public space for activism.  Social media gives those in society who feel isolated and marginalized a platform to have a voice.   Malala says (IANS, 2017), "Thanks to technology, young people can now be more involved in the politics of their countries."  She is a blogger for the B

Kids enter a whole new world in school settings and now online as well.  There are a lot of hurtful and mean things said to kids that they endure alone.  Cyber bullying is a new reality, which leads many victims to commit suicide.  These are not just snarky comments, but cutting or inappropriate pictures posted of kids, and some cannot even go to school anymore.  The question is not should parents or school officials get involved, but when do you step in?  We should begin with the definition of bullying.  According to Paul Coughlin, founder of The Protectors, a faith-based solution to bullying, bullying is "The superior use of power with the intention to harm another person over a period of time.  It is an ongoing campaign of cruelty.  It is highly predatory. Bullies are highly selective of who they attack, when, and how." Paul Coughlin has a great podcast about solutions to bullying:  https://www.oneplace.com/ministries/familylife-today/listen/a-faith-based-solut

Katie Hurley, LCSW, makes a persuasive argument that there is a downside of social media use by teens.   While teens use social media to join groups and make new friends, they also experience cyberbullying, trolls, toxic comparisons, sleep deprivation, and less frequent face-to-face interactions.   According to Hurley (Hurley, 2019), “Too much time spent scrolling through social media can result in symptoms of anxiety and/or depression”. Hurley explains how social media can be destructive: Focusing on likes : The need to gain “likes” on social media can cause teens to make choices they would otherwise not make, including altering their appearance, engaging in negative behaviors, and accepting risky social media challenges. Cyberbullying : Teens girls in particular are at risk of cyberbullying through use of social media, but teen boys are not immune. Cyberbullying is associated with depression, anxiety, and an elevated risk of suicidal thoughts. Mak

April 26, 2019 New research shows a link between social media and mental health of teens.  Teenagers gravitate to social media platforms to find community, but their mental health is adversely affected by this culture of social comparison.  According Katie Hurley, LCSW,  (Hurley, 2019), “Some studies show that online connections with small groups of people can be beneficial to teens, while other research points to a rise in symptoms of anxiety, depression, and eating disorders.”   There are distinct pros and cons to teenagers using social media.  One study from the University of Pittsburgh found a “correlation between time spent scrolling through social media apps and negative body image feedback” and “those who had spent more time on social media had a 2.2 times the risk of reporting eating and body image concerns, compared to their peers who spent less time on social media.   The participants who spent the most time on social media had 2.6 times the risk” (Hurley, 2019).     

In the book Identity Crisis, the 2016 Presidential Campaign and the Battle for the Meaning of America , authors Sides, Tesler, and Vavreck note (Sides et al, 2018), “Sander’s challenge to Clinton benefited from three things, however.   The first was a set of tools, including social media that helped him generate grassroots enthusiasm and large crowds at rallies and speeches.”   Sanders’ gained momentum and arguably influenced and connected with many supporters.   Still, Sanders had to influence a vote.   Sides explains (Sides et al, 2018), “Sanders faced the perennial challenge of insurgent candidates: how to turn thousands of supporters at local rallies into millions of voters.”   Social media played an important role in influencing supporters and making strong connections. Through social media, Sanders gained momentum and over performed expectations. He was able to increase his level of effectiveness and his ability to lead others.   Social media such as Facebook, Twitter, and R