Tomorrow I start to teach a new course at the University of Malta, focusing on production, content, participation, meaning and power in social media and 21st century communications. I teach because it is the scariest thing I know. I teach so I am out of my comfort zone and have no choice other than to […]
NGOs and the mindful use of social media
I’m currently teaching a crash course called ‘Understanding Social Media’ for students following a Masters in Humanitarian Action at the University of Malta. On the 30th April, the seminar is open to NGOs in Malta – there’s a Concept Note here. There’s nothing new about NGOs and non-profits trying to put social media to good use – […]
Developing a National Lifelong Learning Strategy
It’s not every day that you are asked to develop the Lifelong Learning Strategy for your country. Lifelong learning has become a loaded term within the EU context, with interpretations that range from ‘learning throughout life for personal empowerment’ to ‘learning basic skills’ to secure employment in the labour market. So it was clear […]
The power and threat of social media networks
There’s nothing like a birthday for some introspection. I’ve spent the past three years studying claims for the potential of social media to disrupt systems of power in bounded communities – hyperlocal, for lack of a better word. Soon, it’s time to submit my thesis and wait to engage and defend my work within the […]
Say Everything
Say Everything is one of my favourite books. Not just because it covers the history of blogging, which is at the core of my doctoral research – but also because it encapsulates the empowerment we associate with the read/write web: freedom from intermediaries, access to the modern equivalent of a private printing press, the right […]