Category Archives: Educators

Our third and final installment of the “Reframing the Digital Divide” infographic series presents details about the disproportionate connectivity and access challenges that lower-income families face, particularly those of Hispanic origin headed by immigrant parents, when compared with higher-income families. Almost half (44%) of immigrant Hispanic parents never use computers, and 66% of immigrant Hispanic parents have less trusted sources of support for learning about technology than parents in other groups. Despite these challenges, immigrant Hispanic parents are most likely to…

The Cooney Center’s second installment of the “Reframing the Digital Divide” infographic series presents lower-income parents’ responses to classroom technology use. Eighty percent of surveyed parents think technology improves the quality of education, but significant groups of parents—particularly those who belong to historically marginalized groups—don’t know how much time their child spends using digital devices at school. And even though most parents (85%) whose children use classroom technology think that doing so helps students prepare for important tests, many also…

Librarians are perfectly situated to become media mentors for families seeking help navigating the digital landscape, but not all librarians are comfortable in that realm themselves—yet. Perhaps you are (or know) a children’s librarian who would like to start using apps in the library, but you’re not sure how to get started?  I have teamed up with the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction to create a free, self-directed online course called Digital Storytime: Kids, Apps & Libraries that is available…

During a recent visit to a local public library, a kindergarten class took over the children’s room. Many in the group were already familiar with the space thanks to storytimes and regular visits with family members to check out books or DVDs. For others, this visit was not just fun, but also a vital introduction to the many opportunities that the library offers. The kindergarteners may have initially come for storytime or a class visit, but the librarian’s not-so-secret plan,…

Empow Studios brings technology, arts, and play together to help young learners discover and build on their creative talents. They teach classes in programming, robotics, video game design, animation, design, audio engineering and other creative skills for the 21st century at over 20 locations in Massachusetts. Many of the students enrolled in their summer programs are designing games that are eligible for submission into the 2016 National STEM Video Game Challenge. When 22-year-old Lynne Richman had her first taste of…

Educators and researchers have long argued that engaging families and making connections between home and school learning are key elements that foster children’s academic success and strong communities. In communities where parents may have had few educational opportunities themselves, or may have been educated in very different systems outside the U.S, it is especially important to build a common understanding and empower families. To help address this need, Chula Vista Elementary School District (CVESD) in Chula Vista, the largest K-6…

Steve Isaacs teaches video game design and development to middle school students in New Jersey, and has been recognized as an ISTE Outstanding Teacher this year. Here he shares his experience in developing a curriculum in game design at his school, and offers tips for educators interested in doing so at their own schools.   When I started teaching at William Annin Middle School (WAMS) in 1998, I offered an after school computer club that focused on Game Design and…

On March 23, Michael Levine presented “Teaching with Digital Games,” a webinar for the Share My Lesson Virtual Conference with Rebecca Rufo-Tepper from the Institute of Play. The session was attended live by nearly 500 participants, and is now available for view on demand on the Share My Lesson website until March 22, 2016. Participants who take the webinar are eligible to receive one hour of professional development credit. Register online to view the session.

A Collaborative Experiment On January 23, 2015, researchers, educators, and digital media professionals spent the day at Stanford’s Hasso Plattner Institute of Design (aka the d.school) to imagine how to better support the needs and interest-driven learning of families with children through digital media. The “Designing Media for Underserved Families” event, funded by the National Science Foundation’s Cyberlearning and Future Learning Technologies program, continued in the cross-sector collaborative spirit of the LIFE Center and the Families and Media consortium, in…

A few weeks ago, the Cooney Center released Family Time with Apps, which helps parents think carefully about how (if at all) they want to support their children’s app use.  A central theme of that guide is “joint media engagement”: the entire family benefits when parents and children explore the app landscape together.  Even the guide itself is designed to be explored by the whole family! When I talk to parents about supporting their children’s learning, I frequently stress how…