Digital Media and Learning Conference

The Digital Media and Learning Conference is an annual event supported by the MacArthur Foundation and organized by the Digital Media and Learning Research Hub located at the UC Humanities Research Institute, University of California, Irvine. The conference is meant to be an inclusive, international and annual gathering of scholars and practitioners in the field, focused on fostering interdisciplinary and participatory dialog and linking theory, empirical study, policy, and practice. The fourth annual conference – DML2013 – is organized around the theme “Democratic Futures: Mobilizing Voices, and Remixing Youth Participation” and will be held between March 14-16, 2013 in Chicago, Illinois.

Joan Ganz Cooney Center Research Fellows Christina Hinton and Anna Ly will lead a panel at the conference on global networking, focusing on how we can use digital media to help children ages 7-11 learn about international issues, connect across cultures, and participate in the global society.

Modern digital technologies provide new avenues for helping children gain these critical skills. At the click of a button, children in different countries can have a virtual playdate, collaborate on a project, or share media about their cultures. This panel brings together experts from technology companies, international NGOs, and nonprofits to discuss innovative initiatives that use technology to help children ages 7-11 learn about international issues, connect across cultures, and participate in the global society.