The #WESTOPSCROLLING Challenge is underway!
We hosted our Kick Off on NOVEMBER 27TH!
The Challenge ends December 11th!
This challenge is for students (individually) or teachers (with their class of students) between the ages of 13 and 18 who are interested in using social media to create positive social change. Participate in our #WeStopScrolling social media challenge (in partnership with Tech for Good Canada) to spread the word about a cause you’re passionate about and potentially win a gift card to Indigo or Decathlon Canada!
Important Dates and Learning Opportunities
RECORDING OF – October 14th, 2021: Teacher Information Session
RECORDING – Teacher Information Session
📅 November 8th, 2021: Teacher Professional Learning Session
⏰ 4:00 – 5:30pm Eastern
RECORDING – Teacher Professional Learning Session
📅 November 27th, 2021: Challenge Kick-Off
⏰ Time 10:00am – 1:00pm EST
Register for Challenge Kick-Off Session
📅 December 11th, 2021: Challenge Wrap-Up
⏰ Time 10:00am – 12:00pm EST
Register for the Wrap-Up Session
The recent “Devious Licks” trend on TikTok highlights the negative and risky behaviours which can result from social media use. It is against this backdrop that we invite all teachers and students in Grades 7-12 to join the #WeStopScrolling challenge.
The challenge will provide youth with an opportunity to use social media to address a
social issue of importance to them and the findings from the research we will conduct based on the challenge will inform the development of a new conceptual framework for digital citizenship that includes digital activism as a key component. Click here to learn more about the research component of this project.
Teachers will receive free training on using social media for activism and creating on social media for a cause. There will also be further professional learning opportunities for interested teachers on topics like critical digital citizenship.
We hosted a teacher information session on October 14th, 2021, to share more details about the project. If you missed that session, click here to watch the recording, or flip through the slides below:
How Do I Get Involved With My Students?
It’s easy to get involved!
How Do Teachers Participate?
- We hosted our Teacher Information Session last week. If you missed it and would like to learn more you can access the recording HERE!
- If you would like to avoid using students’ personal accounts, Create a class account on Instagram or TikTok (Need a Name? What about @WeStopScrollingClassName?)
- Work with students on presenting the cause they chose. What causes do they care about? What kind of information do they want to express?
- Help students to post their content!
- Optional: Fill out a survey, Join us for training sessions and video creation tips! See the timeline below for dates and more information.
Can Students Participate on their own?
- YES! Students can participate on their own.
- Register for the November 27th, 2021: Challenge Kick-Off
⏰ Time 10:00am – 1:00pm EST
Register for Challenge Kick-Off Session- At this session, students will learn more about mental health and social media as well as civic engagement through social media. These students will then be mentored by volunteers from our B.Ed. program on how to research an issue of their choosing, craft effective content and create impact through their content.
- Then just follow the directions in the “What is the Social Media Challenge” below.
- Register for the November 27th, 2021: Challenge Kick-Off
What is the Social Media Challenge?
- Post about a social issue that is meaningful to you, on TikTok or Instagram. It can be about a local or global issue that is important to you – anything that you want to speak out about.
- It can be funny or serious, you choose the tone.
- You can post on your own, or even better, as a group of two or more, for increased impact and chances of winning.
- Use either video or still visuals, with or without text.
- Tag @WeStopScrolling on Instagram or @WeStopScrolling on TikTok, and make sure to use the hashtag #WeStopScrolling so we can find your content!
Timeline and Learning Session Details
Please note that you do not need to attend these events to participate in the challenge. All you need to do is help your students to create their content, post, and tag @WeStopScrolling!
For those who would like to be more involved the following sessions and registration links are outlined below.
📅 October 24th, 2021 – Teacher Information Session (Recorded)RECORDING – Teacher Information Session
This session introduced the #WeStopScrolling Challenge and discussed the research project collaboration between Ontario Tech U (OTU) and Tech for Good Canada (TFGC). This research project is aimed at studying online Canadian youth activism and promoting pro-social civic engagement with digital media. The session introduced the researchers, presented the challenge details and outlined how teachers and students can get involved.
📅 November 8th, 2021: Teacher Professional Learning Session
⏰ 4:00 – 5:30pm Eastern
RECORDING – Teacher Professional Learning Session
This session provides a professional learning opportunity for those teachers who want to be involved. Through an exploration format teachers will learn more about the meaning of “digital citizenship” and how the term, and what it represents, has evolved over the past 5-10 years in both the K-12 context and in society, at large. The professional learning session will also explore civic engagement via social media and how to help students develop the skills needed to critically navigate their digital worlds — both the consumption and production of online content. The goal of this session is to inform teachers on how to help students understand how social media can be used for pro-social purposes, like digital activism and civic engagement and to help teachers connect this content to the curriculum through activities that could easily be implemented in grades 7-12.
📅 November 27th, 2021: Challenge Kick-Off
⏰ Time 10:00am – 1:00pm EST
Register for Challenge Kick-Off Session
Interested students can register for the Nov. 27th kick-off event, which will mark the official start of the challenge. In this event, students will learn more about things like mental health and social media and civic engagement through social media. Students will be mentored by volunteers from our B.Ed. program on how to research an issue of their choosing, craft effective content and create impact through their content. Teachers are welcome to join the Nov. 27th kick-off event to learn more. Teachers who are engaging in the challenge with their class, specifically, may want to attend to support their students.
📅 December 11th, 2021: Challenge Wrap-Up
⏰ Time 10:00am – 12:00pm EST
Register for the Wrap-Up Session
During this event, we will debrief the challenge and present prizes to the top students in the challenge.
Following the wrap-up of the challenge, we will meet with research participants to discuss your experiences with the project! Please note that you do not have to participate in the research to participate in the challenge.
Still Have Questions?
Questions? Teachers, contact Laura Morrison: laura.morrison1@ontariotechu.net
Community, contact Caroline Isautier: caroline@techforgoodcanada.com
