(via Sarah Lohnes, and the CET Social Software Users Group listserv)

May 13-14, 2005
Annenberg Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
Call for Participation

http://www.annenberg.edu/ssaw
(Submission Deadline: March 31, 2005)

Tools for collaboration and communication have proliferated in
academia. Students and professors regularly communicate via email and
mailing lists and course materials are commonly made available via the
web. Students regularly use instant messaging and cell phones to
communicate with each other, enhancing relationships and building
support networks for college life. A new wave of tools for
communication and collaboration has surfaced under the name 'social
software' including tools like weblogs, wikis, del.cio.us, Flickr,
tagging, etc. Researchers are exploring how these tools fit into
everyday life and how they can be employed in professional contexts.

The goal of the conference is to bring together researchers working in
a variety of academic disciplines to understand current and possible
uses of social software in the academic context. We invite submissions
for papers, panels and demonstrations of relevant research tools.

Possible topics might include:

• The social/learning issues of using backchannels in the classroom
• How weblogs and wikis can be employed in support of teaching and
learning
• The possibilities and challenges of using folksonomies for organizing
academic knowledge
• Wikipedia as an encyclopedic tool
• Designing better social software tools for the classroom
• The use of social software as assistive technology
• The role of instant messaging in learning
• Models for using social software to collaborate across disciplines
and universities
• Using social networking tools to create and/or enhance campus
community
• Methodologies for researching the use and impact of social software
tools on various aspects of campus academic and non-academic life

We are looking for three different types of submissions: papers,
discussion panels and demonstrations. Papers are 10-20 pages, and cover
new research and development projects. Discussion panels consist of 3-5
participants who will collectively discuss and explore key questions or
issues in the field. Discussion panels should be constructed before
submission and are not connected with paper submissions. Demonstrations
offer an alternative format in which to present posters or media or
technology simulations in a setting that encourages interaction between
presenters and participants. Please note: demonstrations are meant to
highlight research developments, not promote products. If you have an
idea for an alternate format for presenting your research, please
contact us.

Individuals interested in participating in the conference can apply by
submitting the following: the author's bio (name, email, affiliation,
relevant publications), a brief description of current research, and a
500 word abstract describing the paper, discussion panel or
demonstration. Video, sketches or other relevant media are welcome as
additional material if appropriate. Each member of a panel should
prepare a brief position statement in addition to the 500 word panel
abstract.

Submissions for consideration should be mailed to danah boyd
(dmb@sims.berkeley.edu) and Sarah Lohnes (scl2103@columbia.edu) by no
later than March 31, 2005. Some travel support is available for student
and underemployed speakers. Please indicate in your submission if you
need sponsorship to attend.

Papers presented at the conference will be considered for publication
in either a journal special issue or a book on this topic. Please
indicate in your proposal if you are interested in submitting your
presentation as a formal document for publication. Full and short
papers will be considered. Panels and demonstrations may also be
publishable in some form.

This conference is being sponsored by Annenberg Center for
Communication at the University of Southern California. If you have any
questions, feel free to contact the conference chairs.

CONFERENCE CHAIRS:
danah boyd - University of California, Berkeley - dmb@sims.berkeley.edu
Sarah Lohnes - Columbia University - scl2103@columbia.edu

CONFERENCE COMMITTEE:
Todd Richmond - University of Southern California
Mimi Ito - University of Southern California
Justin Hall - University of Southern California