community

The Elon University/Pew Foundation 2008 survey "Imagining the Internet" has been released and can be found at: http://www.elon.edu/e-web/predictions/about.xhtml. This is a fascinating look at what people expect from the future of the Internet and how we think about the ways our lives will be changed by future interconnectivity. Whether or not it is an accurate prediction of the future, it is a fascinating survey of where our thinking is today. The site contains 6000 pages and is rich with interesting information, ideas, and insights. Here's a reblog of the abstract with links.

Game playing is universal, diverse, often involves social interaction, and can cultivate teen civic engagement.  The first national survey of its kind finds that virtually all American teens play computer, console, or cell phone games and that the gaming experience is rich and varied, with a significant amount of social interaction and potential for civic engagement. The survey was conducted by the Pew Internet & American Life Project, a project of the Pew Research Center, and was supported by the MacArthur Foundation.

What do we really mean by "community" when we think about virtual participation? We know from many studies that far more people "lurk" than respond . . . are lurkers part of a community?