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I am interested in discussing how archaeologists are using web technology as a means for engaging and working with the public. My particular interest is how we use the web as a tool for community engagement. This can range from the use of social media, project-specific websites and blogs, the creation of online exhibits, or something I haven’t thought of yet. I’m coming to this both as a person who runs social media programs for archaeology, as well as a person who is in the process of building a digital exhibit, and trying to incorporate the community in the process. It’s on my mind. Some topics to think about:

– Community engagement: are we using the web as a one-way or two-way medium? Are we engaging communities actively in the creation of an online community, or providing a one-way static representation of our research? how is the public incorporated into the project through the web? Are we able to build meaningful relationships with these tools that result in greater awareness, education, and better stewardship?

– Access: One of the major obstacles for using the web is a question of access. What steps are we taking to ensure that our web content is accessible to the public? How do we ensure that we’re reaching the “correct” public? How do we define what public we’re trying to reach, and is that public online to begin with? How do we know the web is even the right tool for the job?

– The Real vs. The Digital: Most people would argue that the web cannot replace person-to-person interaction. Is this true? Is it even the right debate? What type of engagement are you doing through the web that couldn’t be done “in-person”? Does the digital space allow for engagement with groups that would have been otherwise unreachable? Can you use the digital space as a means for facilitating in-person engagement? Is digital engagement a compliment, a replacement, or a completely separate type of engagement from in-person engagement? What type of approaches can we learn from in-person public archaeology that we can apply to digital engagement, and vice-versa?

– How-To: The final component is discussing the how-to of digital engagement. What types of steps should people take when building a social media or digital engagement plan? What pitfalls should they look out for? How do they determine which tech to use, how to use it, and so on? What resources do they need to allocate? How do you determine if your project was a success or a failure?

Anyway, I’m interested in discussing this further below, or shoot me a message on the twitters @brockter.