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11/22/11
By Matt Haber
From Ideas to Learners' Hands: Startl Boosts The Next Generation of Ed-Tech Startups
Spotlight talks with two nascent education software developers, both of whom have received support through Startl, a technology accelerator funded in part by the MacArthur, Hewlett and Gates foundations. Is personality the “x-factor” when it comes to developing a potentially far-reaching idea?10/13/11
By Barbara Ray
Q&A: Cathy Davidson on the Brain Science of Attention and Transforming Schools and Workplaces in the Digital Age
In “Now You See It: How the Brain Science of Attention Will Transform the Way We Live, Work, and Learn,” Cathy Davidson has offered an antidote to the anxieties about the effects of digital media on kids—and on all of us.7/27/11
By Josh Karp
Teaching Tolerance, Nurturing Democracy: Using Digital Media in the Classroom to Encourage Civic Participation and Social Action
Facing History and Ourselves helps educators use new media in their classrooms to spark critical thinking and embrace the responsibilities of citizenship in a democracy.7/27/11
By Josh Karp
Making Media, Making Sense, Making Change
Facing History evaluated its digital media program, surveying the 578 participants of the online workshop, with a 49% response rate (for a total of 255 respondents). Students ranged in age from 13 to 19 years old, and were, on average, 15 years old. Here’s a look at some of the results.4/19/11
Digital Media in the Classroom Case Study: Gamestar Mechanic
Gamestar Mechanic is a video game that teaches kids how to design video games. With the first school year wrapping up in which Gamestar Mechanic was used, Spotlight takes a look at how teachers—and students—made progress with it in the classroom.4/06/11
Can Digital Technologies Help Low-Income Preschoolers Catch Up to Their Peers?
One study shows promising evidence that technology can improve young children’s literacy skills.3/24/11
Learning, Digital Media and Creative Play in Early Childhood
Can new media technologies be a valid learning tool during the preschool years? Spotlight talks with education and childhood development experts about what is known and what isn’t—and what teachers and parents can do about it.12/20/10
By Josh Karp
Digital Youth Network Program Expands to Underserved Areas in Chicago
The Digital Youth Network, a program that teaches kids to be meaningful producer of digital media is expanding.11/23/10
The Future of Reading and Writing is Collaborative
A vanguard of educators, technologists, intellectuals and writers are reimagining the very meaning of writing and reading.11/10/10
Novel Public/Private Partnership Brings “Gamestar Mechanic” Video Game to Classrooms
After five years in the making “Gamestar Mechanic” is now available to educators via E-Line Media. Spotlight tells the story of how unique game-based learning platform came to be.10/21/10
By Josh Karp
Filmmakers Create a “Discovery Channel” for Heiltsuk First Nations Youth
Although they lived surrounded by nature, Heiltsuk youth in northern Canada seemed more interested in their iPods. A novel project brought the bears and wildlife their ancestors revered into their classrooms and empowered them to use technology to connect with their surroundings—all through the simple act of discovery.7/28/10
By Ben Wolff
iCivics: How Games Can Teach Kids to be Better Citizens
Upon leaving the bench, Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor was concerned that civics education was faltering and that teachers needed better materials and support. (Watch her on John Stewart’s “The Daily Show” back in 2009 talk about how only one in three Americans can name the three branches of government.) So O’Connor helped start a web-based education project designed to inspire students to be more active citizens through online game play.7/07/10
By Josh Karp
Theft or Tribute? Copyright Butts Heads With Online Habits
Members of today’s “YouTube generation” have been sharing files and downloading media for free since practically the day they were born. How does their view of remix and copyright conflict with today’s intellectual property law? Spotlight talks with attorney Jaime Wolf and with Joi Ito, CEO of Creative Commons, about the movement for greater latitude in reuse and remix, and forging a “third way” for future copyright.7/07/10
By Josh Karp
