October 25, 2006
Barry Joseph: How do you bring a youth development model on global issues into a virtual world?: Global Kids shares best practices from their global education programs run for teens in Second Life. 
Category: Comments: James L. Smith,

October 24, 2006
James Paul Gee: Good Games are Good for Good Learning (part I): Good video games are good for learning.  When we compare how they recruit learning, I believe we see ways in which learning can be enhanced in and out of school, with or without using games.…
Category: Ecology-of-GamesMatt,

October 24, 2006
Youth Voice: Can Teens In A Virtual Summer Camp Take Action On A Real World Issue?: Lucky Figtree is the screen name of a teen involved with the global education programs in the virtual world Second Life. 
Category: Comments: Barry Joseph, Taran Rampersad, Rafi Santo, Taran, R. Panganiban, Taran, Lucky Figtree, Blue Linden, Lucky Figtree,

October 23, 2006
Mimi Ito: Do young people really take “naturally” to digital media?: Although kids’ use of the Internet and video games may seem effortless, it actually takes a lot of effort, ongoing learning, and a supportive social environment.
Category: UnexpectedJill,

October 22, 2006
Cathy Davidson: The Future of Institutions: Skunkworks!: At the MacArthur launch, someone mentioned the “skunkworks model”—my favorite tactic for institional innovation.  The name comes from a moonshine factory in the Lil Abner cartoons.  Shine on!
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October 20, 2006
danah boyd: coverage from MacArthur’s launch of the Digital Media and Learning Initiative: Yesterday i had the fortune to participate in the launch so that i could bringing you, our dear new readers, some sense of what took place.  First an overview, and then i want to dive…
Category: Civic-Engagement, Credibility, Ecology-of-Games, Identity, Race-Ethnicity, UnexpectedAlan Levine, tim, Beth, Rik Panganiban, Alan Levine, Beth, Stephen Haliczer Ph.D.,

October 20, 2006
Cathy Davidson: Reflections on the Launch: Disciplines and the Futures of Thinking: Our challenge as educators, parents, and co-learners is to figure out together how we can make the most of this digital moment for creative, inspiring, and engaged learning.  Our institutional challenge is to figure out…
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October 20, 2006
Mimi Ito: Reflections on the MacArthur launch: My own sense, particularly because I do transnational research between Japan and the US, is that this international dimension is absolutely critical understanding how digital technologies are transforming young people’s cultural worlds.
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October 19, 2006
Welcome from the MacArthur Foundation: Welcome to Spotlight, the MacArthur Foundation’s first foray into blogging.  Today we announced plans to help build the emerging field of digital media and learning, committing $50 million over five years to the effort. 
Category: Comments: Joe Tojek, Beth, Rik Panganiban, Dave Blackburn, Andrea Magnuson, Beth, Barry Joseph, Marc Sirkin, Idit Harel Caperton, Rachel Lindstrom, John Thompson, Beth, Mark K.,

October 18, 2006
Henry Jenkins: Ensuring Technological Access Will Solve the Digital Divide (A Misconception): The Digital Divide (which has historically been understood primarily in terms of technical access) masks a deeper cultural challenge which we are calling the Participation Gap as many young people lack access to core social…
Category: Comments: Andy Carvin,

October 18, 2006
James Paul Gee: A New Kind of Child: Many children are turning to a productive attitude to literacy and knowledge, not a consumption attitude alone.  What are the implications for schooling, learning, and equity?
Category: Comments: Joe Tojek, Mel Chua, Larry Gourley, Clarence Fisher, Lucy Hausner, a.c. burgess,

October 18, 2006
Mimi Ito: Learning with digital media involves more than “educational technology.”: Learning happens with digital media even if it is not explicitly educational or academic.
Category: UnexpectedGeoff McGovern, Jean Locicero Shankle, Geoff McGovern,

October 18, 2006
danah boyd: Culture Matters (and is overlooked): In a culture that is obsessed with formal education and college admissions, it’s hard to remember that there are other things that teens must learn during their formative years.
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October 17, 2006
Henry Jenkins: Youth Are So Media Savvy They Don’t Need Any Media Education (A Misconception): Many adults believe youth know more about new media culture than they do. So what’s the need for media education?
Category: Comments: Mel Chua,

October 15, 2006
Cathy N. Davidson: Who is really preying on our children?: If we are concerned about predators because of the irreparable harm they do our children, then let’s look at an even greater harm that comes from a thirty percent high school drop out rate.
Category: Comments: Roberta L. Dennis, C. Davidson, Roberta L .Dennis,