Spotlight on Digital Media And Learning

Teaching Tolerance, Nurturing Democracy: Using Digital Media in the Classroom to Encourage Civic Participation and Social Action

Facing History and Ourselves helps educators use new media in their classrooms to spark critical thinking and embrace the responsibilities of citizenship in a democracy.

Making Media, Making Sense, Making Change

Facing History evaluated its digital media program, surveying the 578 participants of the online workshop, with a 49% response rate (for a total of 255 respondents). Students ranged in age from 13 to 19 years old, and were, on average, 15 years old. Here’s a look at some of the results.

Students Use Virtual Tools to Collaborate Across the Globe on Real World Environmental Conservation

With the help of the Field Museum, students in Chicago and Fiji work together to dive on coral reefs, examine living species, and learn about biodiversity and conservation.

Digital Media in the Classroom Case Study: Voices on the Gulf

Voices on the Gulf is an online community that encourages teacher and student discussion about the aftermath of the largest oil spill in U.S. history. Students from all across the nation learn firsthand what happened—and is still happening—to residents and wildlife affected by the spill.

Digital Youth Network Program Expands to Underserved Areas in Chicago

The Digital Youth Network, a program that teaches kids to be meaningful producer of digital media is expanding.

What Is This Buzz Word “Transliteracy”? A Q&A with Ryan Nadel

If you Google “transliteracy,” the definition is nearly unanimous from Wikipedia on down: the ability to read, write and interact on a range of platforms, tools and media. But, behind the definition, according to Ryan Nadel is a simpler concept that’s as old as the theory of evolution.

Filmmakers Create a “Discovery Channel” for Heiltsuk First Nations Youth

Although they lived surrounded by nature, Heiltsuk youth in northern Canada seemed more interested in their iPods. A novel project brought the bears and wildlife their ancestors revered into their classrooms and empowered them to use technology to connect with their surroundings—all through the simple act of discovery.

YOUmedia Program Builds On Success at Downtown Library, Expands to Underserved Chicago Neighborhoods

YOUmedia is taking its successful model for 21st-century learning to more Chicago students across the city.

Theft or Tribute? Copyright Butts Heads With Online Habits

Members of today’s “YouTube generation” have been sharing files and downloading media for free since practically the day they were born. How does their view of remix and copyright conflict with today’s intellectual property law? Spotlight talks with attorney Jaime Wolf and with Joi Ito, CEO of Creative Commons, about the movement for greater latitude in reuse and remix, and forging a “third way” for future copyright.

Remixing as a Classroom Strategy

Today’s students are remixing music, video, text, software and other media with their original work to make it their own. Josh Karp visits a classroom in Chicago to understand how educators are using remixing as tool for learning to teach collaboration, systems thinking and media literacy and why remixing is not plagiarism.

Girls Carve Out Their Own Space Online

A new study shows that despite gender divides, girls are finding their own voice online as bloggers and fans.

Are Girls Less Involved with Technology Because Parents Fear Online Predators?

Research shows young women pursue online activities less than their male peers. Spotlight talks with Northwestern University professor Eszter Hargittai about why the digital divide is still frequently a gender divide.

To be Young, Digital, and Black

As the digital divide closes, thanks in no small part to mobile media, the question is no longer who’s using digital media, but how. Are African American youth engaging with digital in dynamic ways that will help them develop useful skills and greater capabilities?

The Chicago Public Library Helps Teens “Find History”

Armed with mobile GPS devices, Chicago teens race around the city looking for facts—and learn a little something about Daniel Burnham’s plan for the city as they go.