Teacher Guidelines
Overview
| Element | Implementation | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time | 2–3 lessons + homework | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Quality band | B (practice) or C (full project with submission) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Group size | Individual project; group discussion | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tools | AI tool with web search; a free account is enough | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (Fill-in template table) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Why This Theme Works — and Requires Sensitivity
This theme is relatable to all students and is highly relevant for those who experience a lot of digital but little real-world community (see Sara's user story). However, it can touch upon sensitive experiences: loneliness, exclusion, or difficult relationships.
Sensitivity (read first):
- No obligation to share. Students may choose a group they feel comfortable describing. Nothing needs to be published to the class.
- Avoid trivializing online communities. For marginalized, chronically ill, or isolated students, digital connections can be a real lifeline. Demand both sides in the analysis — this is built into Step 3.
- Not a judgment on the student. The goal is to analyze platform design, not to judge how "addicted" to the internet someone is.
Preparation
- One AI tool with web search.
- Can start with a short discussion: "when did you last feel a real sense of community?"
- Read the completed example for the expected quality standard.
Progression
- Step 1 (15–20 min, without a machine): students write about their own community.
- Step 2 (lesson): the ICCRA prompt; separating design from experience.
- Step 3 (lesson + homework): Honest Oracle, both sides, judgment + action.
- Discussion: what in their real-world community would disappear without friction?
Common Pitfalls
- One-sided "the internet is bad". Demand that the student also sees where digital connections actually help.
- Connection confused with relationship. Messages received are not the same as trust.
- Hallucinated loneliness statistics. Machines invent statistics about isolation. Demand lookups.
- No action. The project does not end until the student names one real-world step.
Adaptation
- Social sciences/sociology: delve into community resilience and social capital as concepts.
- Academic studies: connect to the attention economy and design for engagement.
- Shorter version: skip platform mapping, focus on one group and one moment.
Discussion Questions
- Is there a difference between 500 followers and one friend who shows up?
- What is it about friction (effort, commitment) that builds trust?
- Can a community exist without costing anyone anything?