Spotlight on Digital Media And Learning

[Reblogged] Filmmakers at Sundance look to game industry

“Is a Sundance Video Game Festival the next logical step?”—News.com

[Reblogged] Jenkins interviews David Williamson Shaffer

Shaffer responds to Jenkins’ questions about his new book “How Computer Games Help Children to Learn”...

[Reblogged] podcast on MacSeries use of Learning Times

This podcast reflects across three volumes of the MacSeries’s online discussions.  Topics include moral panics, games, and modeling safe practices.

[Reblogged] Youth Survey Released Supporting MacArthur Series

Global Kids has released their youth survey data, including a comic.

Larry Johnson:  Who’s Listening to the Avatars?

Recent online conversations revealed a great disparity of perceptions on questions of identity, credibility, and civic engagement between those who have spent time in virtual worlds, and those who haven’t.  Is it right to reject virtual worlds as irrelevant before exploring them?

Youth Discussion #2: Teens Reflect on Virtual Summer Camp

When you think of summer camp what images come to mind? Perhaps getting outdoors, leaving one’s home, physical challenges, and bugs? Well, for participants in last summer Camp Global Kids program, in the teen grid of Second Life, they might respond: flying on floating platforms, watching hippos fall from the sky, and taking action on world issues.

Youth Discussion: the Role of Adults within Online Teen Spaces

What role should adults play, or not play, within online teen spaces? Global Kids, which works with teens both in person and online, took the question to a number of teens familiar with their work within Teen Second Life (TSL).

Barab and Thomas on their Project, “Learning in the 21st Century”

Douglas Thomas and Sasha Barab discuss the need and promise of their project, recently funded by the MacArthur Foundation.

Davidson & Goldberg: The Future of Learning Institutions

We are faced today by a pressing question: How do institutions—social, civic, educational—transform in response to and in order to promote new kinds of learning in the information age? —by Cathy Davidson and David Theo Goldberg

New Grants, Reflections on Spotlight’s Launch

MacArthur’s President considers how far Spotlight has come and announces support for three new projects.

Susannah Stern: Girls Gone Wild? I don’t think so…

It’s easier to deride girls for being superficial and imprudent than to recognize that, online, girls are practicing how to be part of our culture.

danah boyd: net neutrality is critical for youth participation

Net neutrality is not just a geek thing; it’s a generation thing.  If we want to build a world where youth have a voice online, we have to keep the net neutral. 

Rebekah Willett: Commodified Identities?

Is Google’s purchase of YouTube and similarly Murdoch’s purchase of MySpace an issue for research on online identity?

Angela Booker: Participation = Power?

Institutions may be of paramount significance to understanding links between commodification, access, and engagement.