THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL
SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK
DRAFT
COURSE NUMBER:
SOWO 799.004
COURSE TITLE:
SEMESTER & YEAR:
CLASSROOM:
INSTRUCTOR:
LEVERAGING SOCIAL MEDIA TO PROMOTE SOCIAL CHANGE
SPRING 2013: 2:00-4:50
TATE-TURNER-KURALT BUILDING ROOM: 137
JENNIFER SWANBERG, PH.D. MMHS
School of Social Work
Tate-Tuner-Kuralt Building, Campus Box 3550
Phone: 919.962.6441
Email: swanberg@email.unc.edu
OFFICE HOURS:
MONDAY: 12:00-2:00, ROOM 503-C
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
In this course students will learn the basics of social media and how to use it ethically and responsibly to inform
and drive change at the individual, organizational and/or policy levels. (1.5 credit hours)
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
The student who successfully completes this course will be able to:
1. understand core concepts of social media including interactivity and conversation/community building;
2. critically evaluate various forms of social media and determine their uses, benefits and drawbacks;
3. effectively use social media tools and maintain an appropriate online identity in personal, professional and
public forums;
4. skillfully communicate specific messages via social media;
5. conduct a social media audit and develop a social media plan;
6. understand the ethical implications associated with using social media, the consequences of unethical
behavior, and strategies to prevent/avoid said situations; and
7. develop and refine the skills necessary to work effectively in a team-based professional setting.
EXPANDED COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Social media has fundamentally changed the capacity for exchanging, collecting and processing information in
the 21st century. Businesses, governments, non-governmental organizations and non-profit organizations alike
have begun leveraging these technologies to facilitate organizational goals, inform social change, and address a
range of social problems. This seven- week, hands on course will explore the basics of social media, including
how technologies can be used to enhance personal professional brand and goals, to promote the mission of nonprofit organizations, to inform communities about social issues and research, and to drive social change. The
course is designed for graduate social work students to assist them in developing concrete and technical skills
necessary amid this rapidly evolving landscape. Students can expect an immersive and interacting learning
environment with a variety of real world examples from organizations working in the field.
REQUIRED TEXT:
Mansfield, H. (2012). Social media for social good. New York, NY: McGraw Hill.
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REQUIRED AND SUPPLEMENTARY READINGS:
Required readings outside of the textbook are listed in the course outline. Supplementary readings are assigned
at the instructor’s discretion.
TEACHING METHODS
The development of a supportive learning environment, reflecting the values of the social work profession, is
essential for the success of this class. A supportive learning environment is fostered by listening to the ideas and
views of others, being able to understand and appreciate a point of view which is different from your own,
articulating clearly your point of view, and linking experience to readings and assignments. Everyone will
appreciate your contributions to making this a safe and respectful class for learning and growth.
ONLINE RESOURCES:
Course materials for SW 799.004 will be accessible to you on https://sakaipilot.unc.edu/portal/.
COURSE PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT:
Final grades will be determined on the basis of points earned on each assignment and on participation in
seminars. Letter grades will correspond to the following point totals:
94 - 100:
80 - 93:
70 - 79:
< 70:
Clear excellence
Entirely satisfactory
Low Pass
Fail
H
P
L
F
Points are apportioned to individual assignments as follows:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
LinkedIn Assignment:
Designated Social Media Platform Goals:
Platform Launch:
Facebook Posts:
Twitter Posts:
Blog posts:
Youtube posts :
Class/group participation:
10 points
15 points
15 points
10 points
10 points
15 points
15 points
10 points
POLICY ON INCOMPLETES AND LATE ASSIGNMENTS
The instructor will only entertain requests to hand in/post assignments late in circumstances of special hardships
or emergencies. The potential for completing assignments needs to be discussed with the instructor in person at
least three days before the assignment is due. If not approved beforehand, late assignments will be graded five
points off for each day the assignment is late, including weekends. A grade of Incomplete is given on rare
occasions when there is sufficient reason to warrant it. It is the student’s responsibility to initiate a conversation
with the instructor to request an Incomplete—instructors have no responsibility to give an Incomplete without
such a request.
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POLICY ON ACADEMIC DISHONESTY
Please refer to SSW Writing Resources and References website for information on attribution of quotes,
plagiarism and appropriate use of assistance in preparing assignments. All written assignments should contain a
signed pledge from you stating that, "I have not given or received unauthorized aid in preparing this written
work".
In keeping with the UNC Honor Code, if reason exists to believe that academic dishonesty has occurred, a
referral will be made to the Office of the Student Attorney General for investigation and further action as
required.
POLICY ON ACCOMMODATIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
Students with disabilities that affect their participation in the course and who wish to have special
accommodations should contact the University’s Disabilities Services and provide documentation of their
disability. Disabilities Services will notify the instructor that the student has a documented disability and may
require accommodations. Students should discuss the specific accommodations they require (e.g. changes in
instructional format, examination format) directly with the instructor.
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CLASS OUTLINE & READINGS
Date
Week 1
3/18/13
Week 2
3/25/2013
Topics for Discussion
Basics of Social Media
Reading & Viewing Assignments
Completed before Class
Personal versus Organizational Use of
Social Media: Is there a difference
Please view:
 Bennet, S. (2012) A History of Social Media:
 http://www.mediabistro.com/alltwitter/history-of-socialmedia_b30226
Building a Personal Brand: LinkedIn

Overview of technology in the 21st
http://www.ted.com/talks/clay_shirky_how_cellphones_t
witter_facebook_can_make_history.html
Please Read:
 Mansfield, H. Introduction. xi-xx; Ch. 6, pg. 137.

Kietzmann, J. Hermkens, K., McCarthy, I., Silvestre, B.
(2011). Social media? Get serious! Understanding the
functional building blocks of social media., Business
Horizons, 54, 241-251.

Dutta, S. (2010). What’s your personal social media
strategy? Harvard Business Review, Nov. 127-130.

Thurman, R. (2012). Why You Can No Longer Separate
Your Personal Life from Your Professional Life Online.
http://www.rosettathurman.com/2012/10/why-you-can-nolonger-separate-your-personal-life-from-yourprofessional-life-online/
Mansfield, H. Social Media for Social Good: Read: Ch. 2;
Browse 3, 4, 5 & 7 to familiarize yourself with social
media tools and their functionality for professional use.
Social Media Tools 101

Guest Speakers:
 Michelle Rogers, Director of
Communications, UNC, School of
Social Work

Wilson, H.J., Guinan, PJ., Praise, S., Weinberg, B. What’s
your social media strategy? Harvard Business Review,
July-Aug, 23-25.
Steele, R., McLetchie, S., Lindquist, C. (2010). Getting
social media right: A short guide for nonprofit
organizations, Bridgespan Group, Boston Ma.

Kanter, B. (2012). Becoming a networked nonprofit.
Blogpost, Stanford Social Innovation Review.
http://www.ssireview.org/blog/entry/becoming_a_network
ed_nonprofit

Acker, J. & Smith, A. (2011) The dragonfly effect.
Standford Social Innovation Review.

Racicot, R. (Jan, 2013). The Flock to Social Media.
Stanford Social Innovation Blog Post.
http://www.ssireview.org/blog/entry/the_flock_to_social_
media
Additional Readings:
 Hurst, A. (2012). Five drivers of social change. Standford
Social Innovation Blog Post.
http://www.ssireview.org/blog/entry/five_levers_for_socia
l_change_part_1 (Read all five blog posts)
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Date
Week 3
4/1/2013
Topics for Discussion
Core Principles:
Authenticity, Transparency & Ethics
Guest Speaker: Kim Strom-gottfried

Reading & Viewing Assignments
Completed before Class
Robb, M. Pause Before Posting-Using Social Media
Responsibly. Social Work Today, 11, p.8
http://www.socialworktoday.com/archive/020911p8.shtml

Reamer, F. (2011, July). Eye on Ethics: Developing a
social media ethics policy. Social Work Today,
http://www.socialworktoday.com/news/eoe_070111.shtml

Judd, R., & Johnson, R. (2012). Ethical consequences of
using social network sites for students in professional
social work programs. Journal of Social Work Values &
Ethics, 9, 5-12.
Retrieve from:
http://www.socialworker.com/jswve/spring12/spr122.pdf

Week 4
4/8/2013
Social Strategies
Social Media in Action: Using Social
Media to Enhance Public Health
Guest Speakers:
 Mike Newton-Ward, MSW, MPH
Social Marketing Consultant
North Carolina Division of Public
Health/Social Marketing National
Excellence Collaborative
Week 5
4/15/2013
Designing Social Experiences
Guest Speakers:
 Beth Messersmith, Moms Rising
Campaign Director
Week 6
4/22/2013
Listening & Monitoring to your Followers
Measuring your social media campaign.
Ethically challenged? (2010).
http://www.ssireview.org/blog/entry/ethically_challenged.
Stanford Social Innovation Blog Post.
 Thackeray, R.., Neiger, B., Smith, A. & Van Wagenen
(2012). Adoption and use of social media among public
health departments. BMC Public Health, 12:242.
Available at: http://www.biomedcentral.com/14712458/12/242
 Levine, R.., Locke, C,. Searls, D. and Weinberger, D.
(2009). The Cluetrain Manifesto. Seee on-line book at:
http://www.cluetrain.com/book/95-theses.html . Read:
o 95 Theses
o Chapter 4: Markets are conversations
o Chapter 5: The hyperlinked organization
Please review:
 Mom’s Rising North Carolina Website:
http://www.momsrising.org/page/moms/nc/main
Please view: Consider why these are top ranked social media
campaigns.
http://nonprofitorgs.wordpress.com/2012/07/30/11nonprofits-that-excel-at-social-media/
Please review the following:
 Evan Williams on Listening to Twitter
usershttp://www.ted.com/talks/evan_williams_on_lis
tening_to_twitter_users.html

Alexis Ohanian: How to make a splash in social
media
http://www.ted.com/talks/alexis_ohanian_how_to_m
ake_a_splash_in_social_media.html
Measurement:
 Four ways to measure your social media success.
(2012) Forbes on-line.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/dailymuse/2012/08/22/4
-ways-to-measure-your-social-media-success/
Week 7
4/29/2013
Group Presentations
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CLASS ASSIGNMENTS
1) DEVELOPING A PERSONAL PROFILE ON LINKEDIN: (10 POINTS)
LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional social networking boasting over 120 million users worldwide.
In recent years, organizations and community leaders have begun using LinkedIn to recruit for open
positions and search for subject matter experts. While it is most heavily used by business professionals,
there is an ever growing presence of human service, social work, government, NGO and academic
professionals. As a colleague once said, “you don’t exist in the professional world, unless you are on
LinkedIn.” Each person in class will be required to develop a professional profile on LinkedIn. If you
already have a personal presence on LinkedIn, you will be required to critically evaluate your profile, and
update it to reflect your new professional credentials. Due: Monday, March 25, by 12:00PM.
SOCIAL MEDIA CASE STUDY
During this “short” course students will have an opportunity to develop and implement a social media plan for
Roosevelt Community Justice Center, a fictitious non-profit organization with a mission to broaden economic
and social possibilities for vulberable working populations. Students will be assigned to groups that will blog,
tweet, add information to the organization’s face book page, and develop a youtube video. Additionally each
group will be assigned to represent a program area of the Roosevelt Community Justice Center: 1) general
mission/other services/fund raising; 2) Roosevelt Multi-Generational Care Center; 3) Roosevelt Job Training &
Re-entry Program; and Franklin’s Meals. Because this class project uses a ficticious case study, all social media
conversations and content will remain private.
2) ASSIGNED SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM GOALS & OBJECTIVES: (15 POINTS)
Each group will develop the goals and objectives for one social medial platform (facebook, youtube, twitter,
blog). Each social media platform will have goals and objectives that help RCJC meet its overall social
media plan. Students will be required to work in groups to: a) develop goals and objectives for their
assigned social media platform; b) develop a strategy for evaluating whether goals were/are being met; and
c) assess whether goals and objectives were met. Each group will present their social media platform’s goals
and objectives during the third class. On the last day of class, groups will present an evaluation of their
platforms effectiveness in fostering the RCJC social media plan.
3) ASSIGNED SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM LAUNCH: (15 POINTS)
The start of a social media campaign is critical to its success, as the initial content and framing of the
message play an important part in whether people will engage in your campaign. Each group will be
responsible for “launching” their assigned platform (facebook, youtube, blog, tweet) for Roosevelt
Community Juctice Center. I encourage groups to be creative and innovative with this process. Please
consider RCJC’s social media plan and the goals and objectives for your assigned platform.
4) ROOSEVELT COMMUNITY JUCTICE CENTER FACEBOOK PAGE: (10 POINTS)
Developing an engaging facebook page has become a cost effective tool for nonprofit organizations, social
movements, and non-government organizations to inform the public about their agency/cause. Students will
have an opportunity to contribute to RCJC’s facebook page. During the designated week, each group will
post content to facebook that is relevant to their respective programmatic area. Students should be sure to
consider RCJC’s overall social media plan, as well as the strategy for using facebook to meet that plan.
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5) ROOSEVELT COMMUNITY JUCTICE CENTER CLASS TWITTER: (10 POINTS)
Throughout the semester each group will have the opportunity during one week to use Twitter to represent
your RCJC. The Twitter conversation may highlight may be used to inform the “ficticious” public about
your assigned RCJC’s program area, social issues or research of relevant to issues of importance to your
program, or other issues your group determines important to your program. Each student will be required to
create a Twitter username specifically for this course that is designated as a private account and that easily
identifies who you are. Tweets should highlight content relevant to your programmatic area and address the
social media goals and objectives developed by your classmates for each social medial platform, all the
while keeping in mind RCJC overall social medial plan developed by the class. Tweets highlight
information about your program, program content area, reactions to current political or social events that are
related to your program area or links to relevant material on the web. Tweets should include the course
hashtag #SW799.004. You will be required to post at least 3 Tweets during your assigned week. The
instructor will be keeping track of class participation and Tweet content.
6) ROOSEVELT COMMUNITY JUCTICE CENTER CLASS BLOG: (15 POINTS)
As a class, you will create and maintain a blog about topics and issues relevant to the ficticious
organizational case study: Roosevelt Community Justice Center. Each team will have an opportunity to blog
for one week. During this week, each team member will be required to blog at least twice. You can blog
about an ongoing current event, social media campaign or social issue of relevant to the mission of the
class’s ficticious organizational case study . During this time you will be responsible for chronicling major
events, opinions, controversies, developments that are related to your team’s program at Roosevelt
Community Justice Center. (For instance, if a major new story or research study is released about work
related issues for ex-offenders.) You must provide sources for your statements. Your blog is iterative and
evolving. I will be monitoring the entire process. This is a learning exercise; don’t be afraid to make
mistakes. Only your instructor and members of the class will have access to your blog site. At the end the
last day of course, we will have a class discussion about the process. We will look at many examples in
class.
7) ROOSEVELT COMMUNITY JUCTICE CENTER CLASS YOUTUBE POSTS: (15 POINTS)
Visual images (e.g. photographs and videos) increase the likelihood that people will visit or read your blog,
facebook page, or tweet. During your designated week, your group will be develop a youtube clip to be
posted on RCJC’s facebook page. The youtube clip should: 1) consider RCJC’s overall social media plan,
the goals and ojectives for using youtube to address RCJC’s social media, and the content relevant to your
programmatic area (i.e. Roosevelt Multi-Generational Care Center, Roosevelt Job Training and Re-entry
Program, etc).
8) CLASS/GROUP PARTICIPATION: (10 POINTS)
Students will be asked at the end of the class to evaluate participation in class and in their groups. And each
group participant will be asked to evaluate their teammates participation. The group grade will be an
average of the individual and group members’ assessment.
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