Thread by @mitgovlab

@MIT @grassrootza Thanks @MIT for sharing!

TL:DR? Thread!

1/ The @grassrootza pilot occurred before the coronavirus outbreak. Yet results from @mitgovlab show how #WhatsApp can be effective for organizers to move training + people development online when face-to-face interaction isn’t possible

@MIT @grassrootza @MIT_SHASS @azomer @MITPoliSci @AmandlaMobi @Kmoeti @MobilisationLab @CivicTechAfrica @mySociety @MITxonedX 2 / Piloted over five classes, the course reached more than 40 distance learners in #SouthAfrica, largely in urban and peri-urban areas near Johannesburg and Durban. What did the research show?

#civictech #elearning #governance #research #PoliSci #socialmedia4good

@MIT @grassrootza @MIT_SHASS @azomer @MITPoliSci @AmandlaMobi @Kmoeti @MobilisationLab @CivicTechAfrica @mySociety @MITxonedX 3 / For a deeper dive into the research results, check out this brief by @mitgovlab + @grassrootza on what they learned designing & implementing an online training course for community organizers entirely over #WhatsApp.
mitgovlab.org/results/a-nove… #research #engagedscholarship @MIT

@MIT @grassrootza @MIT_SHASS @azomer @MITPoliSci @AmandlaMobi @Kmoeti @MobilisationLab @CivicTechAfrica @mySociety @MITxonedX 4 / Why WhatsApp? Grassroot chose WhatsApp to reach organizers who dont normally have access to in-person / online training. WhatsApp is a familiar medium that allows for rich media interchange (voice notes, infographics, etc) without usual concerns about connectivity & location.

@MIT @grassrootza @MIT_SHASS @azomer @MITPoliSci @AmandlaMobi @Kmoeti @MobilisationLab @CivicTechAfrica @mySociety @MITxonedX 5 / Curious about how to create your own course on #WhatsApp? Check out this “how-to” guide developed by @grassrootza + @mitgovlab with all the nuts and bolts and lessons from the #SouthAfrica pilot training community organizers mitgovlab.org/results/teachi… #socialmediaforgood @azomer

@MIT @grassrootza @MIT_SHASS @azomer @MITPoliSci @AmandlaMobi @Kmoeti @MobilisationLab @CivicTechAfrica @mySociety @MITxonedX 6/ Can training on WhatsApp be useful for other social impact sectors?

Opportunities to expand from community organizing to healthcare training. More here: mitgovlab.org/updates/webina…

#civictech #elearning #lowtech #governance #research

@MIT @grassrootza @MIT_SHASS @azomer @MITPoliSci @AmandlaMobi @Kmoeti @MobilisationLab @CivicTechAfrica @mySociety @MITxonedX @GWpublichealth 7 / Social media for good? How @grassrootza transformed #WhatsApp into a classroom to train community organizers in #SouthAfrica.

More on what worked, what didn’t work & the research collaboration w/ @mitgovlab: mobilisationlab.org/stories/how-to… via @MobilisationLab #socialmedia4good

@MIT @grassrootza @MIT_SHASS @azomer @MITPoliSci @AmandlaMobi @Kmoeti @MobilisationLab @CivicTechAfrica @mySociety @MITxonedX @GWpublichealth END / 🥳! We’d love to chat more!

If you use the guide or have questions on the research, please reach out!

mitgovlab.org/updates/mit-ne… w/ @grassrootza

#civictech #elearning #lowtech #governance #research #engagedscholarship #SouthAfrica #PoliSci #socialmedia4good