Spotlight on Digital Media And Learning

10.4.11 | It’s been called a “rigorous” and “thrilling” read. In Cathy Davidson’s new book, “Now You See It: How the Brain Science of Attention Will Transform the Way We Live, Work, and Learn,” she examines how the latest brain research could revolutionize education and the workplace, and how we can all go about adapting to the gigantic changes technology will bring in the future.

Virginia Heffernan of The New York Times summarizes her argument here:

As Ms. Davidson puts it: “Pundits may be asking if the Internet is bad for our children’s mental development, but the better question is whether the form of learning and knowledge-making we are instilling in our children is useful to their future.”

In her galvanic new book, “Now You See It,” Ms. Davidson asks, and ingeniously answers, that question. One of the nation’s great digital minds, she has written an immensely enjoyable omni-manifesto that’s officially about the brain science of attention. But the book also challenges nearly every assumption about American education.

Davidson is a professor of English and interdisciplinary studies at Duke University, a co-founder of HASTAC, which administers the annual Digital Media and Learning Competition. Now in it’s fourth year, the competition awards $2 million annually to the most novel uses of new media for learning. With leadership from Davidson, this year’s competition is focusing on digital badges for lifelong learning.

And for those of you lucky enough to be in the Chicago area tonight, Davidson will be reading, signing and taking questions on her new book at 6 p.m. at the Harold Washington Library. More information is available here.