Spotlight on Digital Media And Learning

John Seeley Brown and Constance Steinkuehler Squire at the Aspen Ideas Festival on Why Games Matter for Learning

Brown and Squire were among leading minds from around the world who hosted discussions on a range of topics as part of the the annual Aspen Ideas Festival.

How New Media May Help Invigorate the Political Life of the Next Generation

A new study finds that taking part in interest-driven activities using new media, whether it be gaming or sports or technology, lays an important foundation for political engagement down the line.

School Librarian’s Favorite Websites for Teaching and Learning

The American Association of School Librarians (AASL) announced the recipients of the 2012 Best Websites for Teaching and Learning. Plus, librarians speak out about the importance of libraries to academic success.

Through Robotics, Girls Find a Future in Engineering

We loved this new video over at KQED’s MindShift about 16-year-old Kam Gan, a 10th-grade student living in San Francisco, who immigrated from Guangzhou, China was she was 12.

Mozilla Kicks Off The Summer Code Party

This weekend the Mozilla Foundation began its Summer Code Party with a bang, holding more than 125 events all over the world to teach people how to make things for the web.

PLAYBACK: School is Out, Learning is In

Concerns over the level of academic preparedness in the United States are reflected in numerous stories about how to stem the “summer slide”—the loss of math and reading skills that can occur when the school year ends. In this week’s PLAYBACK, we’ve pulled together a number of recommended activities, most with a digital component, to keep skills sharp while having fun.

Not Just Playing Games: The Benefits of Failure and the Power of a Supportive Community

Randall Fujimoto recently delivered an insightful commencement address about games and failure. But as a recent Kickstarter campaign suggests, supportive environments in which gamers can fail safely are not the default for girls and women.

Digital Badges For Learning in the Classroom and Beyond

A pair of stories by Education Week reporter Katie Ash provides a big-picture overview of the pros and cons of digital badges and a close-up look at how badges are being used in a graduate course. 

After School, New York City Youth Design Technology for a Better World

Young people in grades 6-12 in the New York City area gathered on June 2 to show off their technology and media projects at the 4th annual Emoti-Con! Festival, competing for prizes in innovation and potential for social impact.

Playing Around With Games, Seriously

Katie Salen talks with SmartPlanet about the Quest to Learn school model; a look at how a school-based game design program offers students in a rural West Virginia community a window to the world; and the adoption of game-based learning in higher education.

All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten: How to Use Twitter From Kindergarten to College

As Twitter continues to make more inroads into academic spaces, two recent articles demonstrate its use across the educational spectrum and explain how teachers are addressing privacy and other concerns.

12-Year-Old App Developer Honored for “Disruptive Innovation”

Thomas Suarez, a 12-year-old from Los Angeles, was honored at the Tribeca Film Festival Disruptive Innovation Awards earlier this month. His app-creating company now sells four mobile applications for Apple’s iOS platform.

The Kids Are Already There: Why (Legally) Allowing Young Children on Facebook May Make More Sense Than You Think

Experts say instead of promoting prohibition, we need to empower kids to have safe, positive experiences with technology.