Rarely do we hear stories about how playing in digital environments in school – much less playing a popular videogame not originally designed for school – can be life-changing in a good way. So here's one (names in the story have been changed to protect everybody's privacy): For four years, starting in 2008, when he was in middle school, "Zach" participated in the WoWinSchool Club every day … [Read more...] about Digital media’s power for all kinds of good: One student’s story
digital media
How digital media’s changing learning AND learners
Are you seeing this in students at your house or school too? "Learners are more resilient and able than many teachers give them credit for. They have unprecedented access to a large array of new technologies. They connect and communicate in ways previous generations could only imagine … [and] they are identified and maintain their identities through their social media," writes Plymouth University … [Read more...] about How digital media’s changing learning AND learners
For families: ‘Digital detox’ vs connecting mindfully
It takes a lot more than "digital sabbaths" to become grounded, but it sounds like the creators of Camp Grounded in northern California get that. I think. As described by writer Matt Haber in the New York Times, the three days were as gluten-free as they were tech-free and packed with activities aimed at human connection, if not so much reflection. "Designed less to be a spiritual journey than a … [Read more...] about For families: ‘Digital detox’ vs connecting mindfully
Parenting the littlest media users: Important study
Increasingly, digital media are just part of the rhythm of everyday US family life, a significant new study of parents of young children indicates. The study, "Parenting in the Age of Digital Technology," conducted by Northwestern University's Center on Media & Human Development, surveyed a nationally representative sample of more than 2,300 parents of children 8 and under about how media – … [Read more...] about Parenting the littlest media users: Important study
Point & counterpoint on young video gamers: 2 studies
What an interesting point and counterpoint about videogames have been turned up by two just-released studies, one from Northwestern University in the US and one by University of Victoria in Canada: On the one hand: "Parents assess video games more negatively than television, computers, and mobile devices. More parents rate video games as having a negative effect on children’s reading, math, … [Read more...] about Point & counterpoint on young video gamers: 2 studies