Spotlight on Digital Media And Learning

10.5.09 | Dylan, age 13, from New Hampshire, uses technology to improve his community. He’s working with other students from around the globe to build educational web sites and mobilize other students on issues he cares about like environmental sustainability, animal cruelty, universal education, and ending poverty and hunger.

Dylan says that contrary to popular myth, technology is not isolating at all.

“I collaborated with other children from Argentina, Japan, and India to work on this project.” he says. “We had different people working on designing the layout of the Web site and other people creating the content for the Web site.

“It is not at all isolating if you’re on a social-networking Web site or if you’re on a forum or email or even playing a game with someone online. I’ve gotten several emails from people asking my nonprofit organization to help their organization, and those all came in through technology. Without technology, I probably wouldn’t have gotten those.”

Watch his portrait below or read more about Dylan’s digital life here.

Edutopia’s The Digital Generation Project was produced with support from the MacArthur Foundation. Edutopia is published by The George Lucas Educational Foundation.  The foundation documents, disseminates and advocates for innovation and the redesign of K–12 learning environments, including how technology can transform teaching and learning.