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Online Community, Culture, and Citizenship
Online Community, Culture, and Citizenship

Online Community, Culture, and Citizenship Activity: E-Organizing for A Better World: Internet Activism

Instructions for Your Students

What's Going on Today

So far the Internet seems like a pretty chill place, no? Especially now that you know how to ward off the creepers and malware. You can play games, Facebook with friends worlds away or down the street, and look up whatever info you're jonesing for. What you might not know, though, is that the world wide web can also be a powerful tool for change.

Using the Internet, bloggers in war-torn countries keep a news pipeline going when there is no other, students organize over Twitter, radio sites play banned music online in dictatorships, and politicians try to get your vote. Regardless of the cause, the Internet can help people organize. Now it's your turn to figure out how you can use the Internet to organize and mobilize, and consider what causes matter to YOU (yes, we want you!) enough to get involved.


When your instructor asks you to go to the websites below, open them in your browser.

World Food Programme's Freerice Info Page. Read the page and watch the video, then discuss the following questions:

  1. Why was the Freerice game developed? 
  2. What's so cool and new (a.k.a. innovative) about the game?
  3. Ten grains of rice might not sound like much, but how many people have the Freerice players been able to feed? 
  4. What are some countries (name at least one) where Freerice rice has been donated?
  5. Does Freerice sound like a game you would play? Why or why not?

Freerice Game. Play the game, then discuss these questions:

  1. How many grains of rice did you donate?
  2. How many grains of rice were donated yesterday? 
  3. Did you like the game? Did knowing that the game helps feed hungry people around the world make you more interested in playing?
  4. Do you think you'll come back and play Freerice again? Would you tell your friends and family about this website?

Activism Websites. Dig around for causes that you're interested in.