A metaphor used by Global Kids Online researchers in a new blog post reminds me of research in the US that represented a huge digital youth milestone for me almost a decade ago – then of brand-new insights. The metaphor is that of a ladder – a progression of online activities kids and teens engage in, starting with the most “attractive and accessible” ones, like watching video or hanging out … [Read more...] about Higher & deeper views of kids online
Katie Salen
The benefits of agency, choice, and student-centered learning
"More and more of society at large, and consequently many students, are demanding an educational system that works for and with them," wrote high school math teacher Paul Bogdan in Edutopia (emphasis mine). "A student-centered learning environment encourages students to become independent learners and ultimately to be in charge of their own education." Student-centered learning just makes sense … [Read more...] about The benefits of agency, choice, and student-centered learning
The 7 properties of safety in a digital age
In Part 1 of this series, I pointed you to a recent talk by John Seely Brown on the whitewater-kayaking kind of learning we need today and in Part 2, examples of that in Marianne Malmstrom's New Jersey classroom. Both touch on "safety" in and for the learning process. Here, Part 3: zooming in on how they and other wise educators have clarified my view of child safety today. What safety is … [Read more...] about The 7 properties of safety in a digital age
SxSW, Part 2: Rheingold & Salen on how to play with social media
In addition to the panel mentioned in my previous post about Hope North and the one I participated in, "Reaching Teens on the Digital Streets," here – in Part 2 – are some takeaways from featured speakers at South by Southwest (SxSW) last week (Part 1 is here): * From Howard Rheingold, help in making social media work for you Social media is overwhelming to a lot of us parents and educators. … [Read more...] about SxSW, Part 2: Rheingold & Salen on how to play with social media
PBS Frontline’s ‘Digital Nation’: Presenting our generation with a crucial choice
Seems to me, Gever Tully's Tinkering School would be the perfect antidote for all the concern about kids and digital media expressed in PBS Frontline's "Digital Nation" – hands-on problem-solving, lots of tools, collaboratively learning by doing, giving kids time to work the problem, celebrating and analyzing failures, teaching that success is embedded in the process (watch his TED Talk about … [Read more...] about PBS Frontline’s ‘Digital Nation’: Presenting our generation with a crucial choice