American Democracy Project
The E-Citizenship Initiative is part of the American
Democracy Project, multi-campus initiative that seeks to create
an intellectual and experiential understanding of civic
engagement in the United States in the 21st century. The project
targets undergraduates enrolled at institutions that are members
of the American
Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU). The
project grows out of a concern about decreasing rates of
participation in the civic life of America in voting, in
advocacy, in local grassroots associations, and in other forms
of civic engagement that are necessary for the vitality of our
democracy.
The role of institutions of higher education is to instill a
sense of agency, efficacy, and capacity in students. Citizenship
inherently involves skills that can be fostered in institutions
of higher education including the ability to articulate one's
preferences in speaking and writing, to organize, and to be able
find common ground when differences of opinion occur.
E-Citizenship Goals
The main goal of the e-citizenship initiative to provide
insights into and strategies for engaging undergraduates in the
use of social networks and technology tools for civic purposes.
E-citizenship is an examination of how the role of
citizens is shaped by the new technology environment. This
includes:
1. Understanding and learning about the social networking
tools students use
2. Understanding how to harness those tools to build
connections
3. Engaging in and discussing research related to the use
of social networking tools
4. Encouraging civic engagement
5. Using students as co-creators
6. Merging what is happening in class with what is
happening outside of class
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse E-Citizenship Goals
1. Engage in research and encourage undergraduate
research related to e-citizenship
2. Promote awareness of the American Democracy Project
3. Profile the use of social networking tools on campus using an
interactive website
4. Profile and coordinate speakers and events that are already
happening at UWL using the interactive website
5. Profile examples from individual courses using the
interactive website
6. Coordinate links with community
7. Hold workshops for faculty on how social networking tools are
related to student learning and citizenship