Spotlight on Digital Media And Learning

8.6.07 | As has been noted in several thoughtful and touching posts by danah boyd, Mimi Ito, Henry Jenkins, Peter was a wonderful person, researcher, thinker and friend.

I first met Peter at a meeting we sponsored at the Exploratorium in 2004.  Peter was the one at the table regularly taking pictures, singing the praises of his graduate students and willingly expressing confusion or asking for further clarification of points far too sophisticated for me.  I was immediately touched by his humility and his insightfulness.  He and his graduate students later wrote a literature review for us outlining the critical questions to be explored in an investigation of how digital media may be influencing young people.  The literature review and his presentation to the MacArthur Board of Directors were part of the first critical steps leading to the Foundation’s involvement in Digital Media and Learning.  The new initiative may not have started without Peter.  He was truly extraordinary and we can think of no better way to honor him than to Spotlight the work of his colleagues.

Series Index (please check back as we update this):

• Laura Robinson on Information the Wikipedia Way
• Patricia Lange on Youth, Social Identity, and Online Community
• Katynka Martínez on new Los Angeles narratives created by urban youth. Who would be chasing Pacman if he were navigating the city streets of LA?
• Heather Horst on Coming of Age in Networked Public Culture
• C.J. Pascoe on Teens and Online Hangouts
• Sonja Baumer on Self Production Through Online Video-Sharing on YouTube
• Dilan Mahendran on Sound Against Vision in Digital Media
• Matteo Bittanti on the"Angry Gamer”