our research proposal

Applied Research proposal

Online Democracy - Issues in Agriculture

Mission statement:
Create a news and information web site to engage the Canadian agriculture industry in the context of the global economy using the principles of civic journalism. To facilitate and inform the agriculture community in a timely manner, as well as facilitating interaction between all stakeholders in agriculture with the goal of strengthening a community in the virtual and real world.

Purpose:
1. To provide an opportunity for interaction and partnership between academics, agricultural interests legislators and consumers.
2. To provide those in the agriculture and agri-foods sector in Canada and abroad with timely news and information, along with related resources;
3. To engage the audience and opinion leaders using interactive online technology;
4. To provide a model for e-journalism, in an effort to more clearly articulate the form, while setting higher news media and publishing industry standards
5. To launch a web-streamed forum in October 2001 and continue with a multifaceted web site and additional online forums in phase three of the project;
6. To provide Loyalist College with material it can use to demonstrate its leadership as an educational institution for the 21st century. To advance Loyalist's leadership position in E-journalism and Agricultural Journalism.

Background
Online Democracy (www.onlinedemocracy.ca) was created as a learning tool for students in the Online Publishing and Computer-Assisted Reporting program in Fall 2000. Students developed a site for municipal voters in Belleville, aimed at helping them participate in the local elections.

The site provided a focus for project-based learning, giving students a concrete application of skills, as well as a platform to experiment with new technology. Its main journalistic goal was to explore the emerging principles of e-journalism in the context of civic or public journalism. The program sought private sector partners, engaging assistance from the Belleville Intelligencer and Apple Canada.

Students began posting the first week of classes in September, using only the most basic skills. But within a few weeks, the site was filled with voting information, community resources, candidate profiles and other static information. This was accompanied by a news service, which included copy from the campus newspaper, The Pioneer, and the Intel.

A major highlight of the project was a live mayoralty debate held in Alumni Hall that was broadcast across the Internet using streaming technology. The debate format was unique because the event was interactive, allowing the public to ask questions in person and online. About 165 citizens attended the event and 320 watched on computers from home. Even more, listened to the broadcast on the campus radio station, CJLX, and submitted questions via the Internet. An estimated audience of 1,500 people were involved. More than 12,000 times the web site was accessed on that night as viewers tried to get on or become involved.

During the election an average of 10,000 hits per week with an average stay of about 15 minutes, viewing multiple pages.

On election night, the site provided up-to-the-minute poll results as part of a partnership with the chief returning officer for Belleville. This was combined with breaking coverage to provide competitive news service throughout the evening.

The project ended on a strong note with the interactive news pages that included text, photography, audio and video, along with related linked information.

The site was hugely successful by any standard

Phase 1 (six months January 2001 - June 2001)

After six months of planning and execution of Online Democracy, it is apparent the faculty in the Online/CAR program wish to further develop some of the original principles and supporting framework. The project-base learning model was very successful as a teaching methodology. However, as adult learners, students were given the full latitude in the application of the theory being delivered in class. Often, their skills and lack of context meant some of the theory was not fully developed to its potential.

Faculty wish to develop a web site that would take the principles of e-journalism in the context of civic journalism that we are teaching and give them direct, unfettered application for the purpose of further defining and articulating this new form.

The results would be:
7. A service for the agriculture community
8. A more highly developed curriculum for the Online/CAR program
9. A framework for e-journalism and online publishing that would be more clearly defined and useful to media and the publishing industry
10. Further articulate the project-based learning model
11. Materials for Loyalist College to use for promotion and recruiting

Timeline
January 8 - March 2:
Planning phase
Develop web site map
Make contact with potential partners
Brainstorm concepts
Research
More detailed timelines and deadlines
Review various software and hardware needs

March 2 - March 23
Develop templates
Review existing materials including stories, photos and other materials
Develop story plans for further material to be posted later
Firm up potential partners, set meeting
Research
Line up software and hardware

March 23 - April 20
Set up interviews for stories
Meet with interested partners
Hold focus group
Research
Finalize details

April 20 - June 8
Build site and tools
Work with partners
Finalize research
Produce all necessary materials for posting

June 8 Launch date

June 8 - June 22
Tweak site
Invite users and partners to surf
Publicity
Promotion
Write final reports

Journals
Each team members keep a journal of activity.

Content
Faculty would develop the content and design for the web site. Prof. Joe Callahan's photojournalism project on the future of the family farm would be the seed for content in the initial stages. This would be further developed over the life of phase one using the existing web site format of news/information and resources (see existing web site)

Faculty
Robert Washburn - co-ordinator Online/CAR and project director
Hersch Jacob - art director and design
Joe Callahan - content, industry liaison
Alan Florence - computers engineer and web expert (contracted as needed)
Scott Lamberton - online fundraising, online community building (contracted as needed)

Partnerships
We would seek out partnerships with existing organizations and institutions developed through the Agriculture Journalism option of the print journalism program. New partnerships would be explored and brought on as time and money allow.

Costs
Research $12,000, in-kind donations from Media Studies program, $24,000, other partners $36,000 (matched funds)

Phase 2
Incoming students would use the templates and web structure in Fall 2001 as the basis for an extended web site for the same audience. The focus would be broadened to include an international aspect using existing partnerships with non-government organizations and materials generated by the proposed CIDA Youth Internship. Content would be expanded including student work, other interested publications and agricultural groups.

Since live web streaming is a component of the Online/CAR program, an interactive forum involving key government representatives, industry and the farming community from across Canada would take place during special projects week in Fall 2001.

Phase 3
Transcanada participation by the agriculture community. Additional media participation through partnerships. Another interactive forum. Further development of e-journalism.