The MacArthur Foundation’s digital media and learning

John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation September 2012

AT A GLANCE• MacArthurlaunchedthedigitalmediaandlearninginitiativein2006toexplorehowdigitalmediaarechangingthewayyoungpeoplelearn,socialize,commu­nicate,andplay.

• Since2006,theFoundationhasawardedgrantstotalingmorethan$100millionforresearch,developmentofinnovativenewtechnologies,newlearningenvironmentsforyouth,includingaschoolmodelbasedongamedesignprinciples,andeffortstobuildthenewfieldofdigitalmediaandlearning.

• Thegoalofthegrantmakingindigitalmediaandlearningistocreatemoreopportunitiesformoreyoungpeopletoachievethetime­honoredoutcomesofagoodeducation—career,academic,andcivicsuccess—throughtheadoptionanduseofasimplesetofprinciplesthatre­imagineshowyoungpeoplelearnandhowthatlearningissupported.

• Anewframeworkforthinkingaboutlearning—connectedlearning—hasemergedasaresultofthegrant­making.Itdrawsonsuccessfulapproachesofthepast,isbasedon

evidenceofwhatworksbestinthecontemporarycontext,andisdesignedforthedigitalage.

• MacArthursupportsdemonstrationsitesthatputtheconnectedlearningapproachintoaction.TheyincludeHiveLearningNetworks,QuesttoLearnschools,andYOUmedia,aninnovativeteenspaceforengagementandlearning.

The MacArthur Foundation’s digital media and learning initiative aims to determine how digital media are changing the way young people learn, play, socialize, and participate in civic life. Answers are critical to education and other social institutions that must meet the needs of this and future generations.

DiGiTAL MEDiA AND LEArNiNG

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BACKGrOUND

Contemporarysocietyisreinventinghowknowledgeiscreated,organized,accessed,andshared,withfar­reachingimplicationsforinstitutionsoflearning—schools,libraries,museums,andmore.Digitalmediamayfacilitateanewwayofthinkingaboutlearningthatacknowledgesandnurturesindividualtalents,skills,andinterests.TheinitiativeindigitalmediaandlearningaimstosupportpositivechangeinAmericaneducationthatbuildsonnewmodesoflearningobservedamongyoungpeopleusingdigitalmediaandrelatedtools.

Theinitiativeisexaminingwhatmaybenewwaystothinkaboutlearningforyoungpeoplewhoare“growingupdigital”thatcouldbefacilitatedandsupported.Whenitwaslaunchedin2006,thehypothesiswasthatyoungpeoplearedifferentbecauseoftheirexposuretodigitalmediaandtheInternet—differencesthatarereflectedintheirsenseofself,inhowtheyexpresstheirindependenceandcreativity,andintheirabilitytolearn,exercisejudgment,makeethicaldecisions,andthinksystematically.

Phase 1: Exploration, 2006-2011

InPhase1,wefocusedoninquiryandraisingawareness,withthegoalofunderstandinghowlearningischangingasaresultofdigitalmedia.Weconsideredquestionssuchas:

• Howareyoungpeoplechangingasaresultoftheiruseofdigitalmedia?

• Howarelearningenvironmentschanging?Howshouldtheychangeinthefuture?

• Howarecivicandsocialinstitutionschanging?Howshouldtheychangeinthefuture?

ThefirstsignificantprojectsreceivedsupportinMarch2006.Wefundedresearchonhowyoungpeopleusedigitalmedia,newtheoreticalwork,andexperi­mentationinthedesignoflearningenvi­ronments.Grantsexploredhowinformallearninginstitutions,suchaslibraries,museums,andafter­schoolprograms,couldsupportlearningandprovidepathwaystosuccessinschoolandinlife.Allofthisshapedthecreationofnewlearningenvironments,policiestosupportlearning,andinnovativepractices.

A New Framework for Learning: Connected Learning

Whatemergedfromthisworkwasanewframeworkforthinkingaboutlearningthat,whiledrawingonsuccessfulapproachesofthepast,isbasedonevidenceofwhatworksbestinthecontemporarycontext,andisdesignedforthedigitalage.Thisframework,calledconnectedlearning,isasetofeducationalanddesignvaluesandprinciplesthatcan

beadaptedandappliedinanycontext.Itre­imaginesthelearningexperienceofyoungpeopletoconnectthethreespheresoftheirlivesthatmattermosttothem—peerculture,interests,andacademics.Itensuresthatyoungpeoplelearntraditionalreading,writing,andnumeracyskills,whileenablingandinspiringthemtobecreative,analyticalproblemsolvers.Itprovidesformoreengaging,relevant,andenduringlearningexperiencesthatpreparethemforcollege,theworkforce,andcitizenshipinademocracy.

Phase 2: influence and impact, 2011-present

InPhase2,thefocusisoncreating,atsufficientscale,theconditionstocontinuallytest,refine,andexpandtheideas,practices,andpoliciesthatemergedfromPhase1andnowconstituteconnectedlearning.Thegoalistocreatemoreopportunitiesformoreyoungpeopletoachievethetime­honoredoutcomesofagoodeducation—career,academic,and

DigitalMediaandLearning

civicsuccess—throughtheadoptionanduseofasimplesetofprinciplesthatre­imagineshowyoungpeoplelearn,andhowthatlearningissupported.

Grantmaking Priorities

research.Foundation­fundedresearchiscontributingtoagrowingbodyofevidenceabouthowyoungpeoplelearntoday.Ethnographicstudies,surveys,interdisciplinaryresearchnetworks—oneonyouthandparticipatorypoliticsand

anotheronconnectedlearning—andotherprojectsareexaminingwhatyoungpeoplearedoingonline,theirviewsonsuchactivities,andtheknowledge,skills,andcompetenciestheyaregaining.

Practice.Grantsalsosupporteffortstodevelopnewlearningenvironmentstounderstandhowschools,libraries,museums,andotherformalandinformalinstitutionsneedtoadapt,change,andcollaboratetomeettheneedsofyouthin

the21stcentury.Projectsarelookingatlearninginvirtualworlds,throughgamedesign,withmobiledevices,andthroughtheinteractionsinsocialnetworks—inandoutofschool.Resourcessupportnewschooldesign,includingamodelinoperationinChicagoandNewYorkbasedontheprinciplesofgamedesignthatshapesandinformsallaspectsofteachingandlearning.WesupportHivelearningnetworksinChicagoandNewYorkCity,inwhichcollaborationsofcivic

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andculturalinstitutionsareworkingtogethertohelpyoungpeopleintegratelearningacrossformalandinformal,virtual,andphysicalenvironments.

Field Building.Tohelpbuildtheemergingdigitalmediaandlearningfield,theportfolioincludestheMacArthurFoundationSeriesonDigitalMediaandLearningandtheMacArthurFoundationReportsonDigitalMediaandLearning.Awebsitewithresourcesandresearch

relatedtoconnectedlearning—www.connectedlearning.tv—andtheDigitalMediaandLearningResearchHub,aninternationalresearchcenterattheUniversityofCalifornia,Irvine,areadditionalresourcesforthefield.

Digital Media and Learning Competition.Toencourageinnovationandprovideresourcesfornewlearningenvironments,theFoundationfundstheDigitalMediaandLearningCompetition.

Thisannualendeavor,administeredbyHASTAC,invitesU.S.andinternationalparticipantstocompetefor$2millioningrantawardsfordomesticandinternationalprojectsthatusedigitalornewmediaasplatformsforparticipatorylearning.Themostrecentcompetitionissupporting30teamsofpractitionersanddesignerstodevelopdigitalbadgesystems,analter­nativeassessmentandcredentialingmechanismhousedandmanagedonline.Moreinformationatwww.dmlcompetition.net.

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rEPrESENTATiVE GrANTS

research

HARVARDLAWSCHOOL,BERKMANCENTERFORINTERNETANDSOCIETYCambridge, MA$500,000toresearch,evaluate,developcurriculum,andconductyouthoutreachtoaddressonlinemeannessandbullying. 

HARVARDUNIVERSITY,GRADUATESCHOOLOFEDUCATIONCambridge, MA$900,000insupportforastudyoftheeffectofdigitalmediaonyoungpeople’sethicaldevelopmentandthecreationofcurriculaforparentsandteachers.

MILLSCOLLEGEOakland, CA$4,500,000insupportoftheMacArthurResearchNetworkonYouthandParticipatoryPolitics.

UNIVERSITYOFCALIFORNIA,IRVINEIrvine, CA$4,500,000insupportoftheMacArthurResearchNetworkonConnectedLearning.

DEMONSTrATiON SiTES

MacArthurhassupportedexperimentationinseveraltypesofinstitutions—libraries,museums,schools,communitycenters,afterschoolprograms—todemonstratewhatconnectedlearningcouldlooklikeinaction.Theyinclude:

YOUmedia and Learning Labs www.youmedia.orgYOUmedia—whichfirstopenedattheChicagoPublicLibrary’sdowntownHaroldWashingtonLibraryCenterin2009—isaninnovativelearningspaceforteens.BasedonresearchsupportedbyMacArthur,YOUmediawasdesignedtorespondtotheinterestsofyoungpeople,whileconnectingthemtobooks,media,andinstitutionsaroundChicagotoencouragecollaborationandcreativity.YOUmediahassinceexpandedtothreebranchlocationsinChicagoandhasbecomethemodelforanumberofYOUmedia­liketeenlearningspacesinothermuseumsandlibraries.TheMacArthurFoundation,inpartnershipwiththeInstituteforMuseumandLibraryServices,alsoissupportingplanninggrantsforupto30additionalYOUmedia­inspiredteenlearninglabsacrossthecountry.

Quest to Learn NewYorkCity:www.q2l.orgChicago:www.chicagoquest.orgThedesignanddevelopmentoftheQuesttoLearnmodelwassupportedbyMacArthurandfirst

launchedin2009inapublicschoolinNewYorkCity.ChicagoQuestwasopenedinthefallof2011.TheQuestmodelwasdevelopedinresponsetogrowingevidencethatdigitalmediaandgamesofferpowerfulmodelsforreconsideringhowandwhereyoungpeoplelearn.AtQuestschools,educatorspartnerwithgamedesignerstodevelopcurriculumthattrulyengagesyoungpeopleinlearningthroughaseriesofqueststhatsimulategameplay.Inpursuitofbothtraditionalskillsinreadingandmathaswellas21stcenturyskills,studentstakeontheidentitiesandbehaviorsofexplorers,mathemati­cians,historians,etc.,astheyworkthroughthechallenge­basedcurriculum.

Hive Learning Networks www.hivelearningnetwork.orgTheHiveLearningNetworkisacommunityoforganizationsthatserveyouthintheout­of­schoolspace.TheHiveiscurrentlyactiveinChicagoandNewYorkCity,withotherlocationsunderdevelopment.HiveLearningNetworksaredesignedtocreateconnectedlearningexperiencestonotonlyengageyouthandpromotelearningthatalignswiththeirinterests,buttosupportthemastheydevelopnecessary21stcenturyskills.Throughpublic­privatepartnershipsupport,HiveLearningNetworksfundinnovativeyouthprogrammingtoconnectlearningacrossthethreespheresthatmattermosttoyouth:peerculture,interests,andacademics.

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UNIVERSITYOFSOUTHERNCALIFORNIA,ANNENBERGCENTERFORCOMMUNICATIONLos Angeles, CATwograntstotaling$1,426,580inpartialsupportofamulti­siteethnographicstudyofhowandtowhateffectyoungpeopleusedigitalmedia.

Practice/Demonstration SitesTHECHICAGOCOMMUNITYFOUNDATIONChicago, IL$1,500,000insupportoftheSmartChicagoCollaborativeforactivitiesoftheChicagoHiveLearningNetwork.

COMMUNITYFUNDSNew York, NY$1,500,000insupportofafundforactivitiesoftheHiveNewYorkCityLearningNetwork

INSTITUTEOFMUSEUMANDLIBRARYSERVICESWashington, DC$1,250,000insupportofthescale­upofYOUmediateenlearningspace.

INSTITUTEOFPLAYNew York, NY$1,800,000todeveloptheQuesttoLearnschoolsinNewYorkCityandChicago.

$3,300,000tosupporttheGamesLearningandAssessmentLab.

MOZILLAFOUNDATIONMountain View, CA$1,000,000todevelopanddesignadigitalbadgesystemforaccreditationoflearningandskills

UNIVERSITYOFCALIFORNIA,IRVINEIrvine, CA$5,632,000tooperate,publicize,and

supportthewinnersofanopen­callcompetitionatHASTACtobuildthefieldofdigitalmediaandlearning.

Field Building

UNIVERSITYOFCALIFORNIA,IRVINEIrvine, CA$4,500,000insupportoftheDigitalMediaandLearningResearchHub.

$490,000tosupportthepublicationofnewmonographsinthe“MacArthurReportsonDigitalMediaandLearning”series.

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ADDiTiONAL rESOUrCES

Digital Media and Learning research Hub: www.dmlcentral.net

Connected learning: www.connectedlearning.tv

The Digital Media and Learning Competition: www.dmlcompetition.net

The International Journal of Learning and Media: www.ijlm.net

Spotlight on Digital Media and Learning: www.spotlight.macfound.org

MacArthur research Network on Youth and Participatory Politics: www.ypp.dmlcentral.net

MacArthur research Network on Connected Learning: www.clrn.dmlhub.net

DigitalMediaandLearning

John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation September 2012

About The MacArthur FoundationTheJohnD.andCatherineT.MacArthurFoundationsupportscreativepeopleandeffectiveinstitutionscommittedtobuildingamorejust,verdant,andpeacefulworld.InadditiontoselectingtheMacArthurFellows,theFoundationworkstodefendhumanrights,advanceglobalconservationandsecurity,makecitiesbetterplaces,andunderstandhowtechnologyisaffectingchildrenandsociety.

For more information or to sign-up for news and event updates, please visit www.macfound.org.

JohnD.andCatherineT.MacArthurFoundation140S.DearbornStreetChicago,IL60603­5285Phone:(312)726­8000TDD:(312)920­6285E­mail:4answers@macfound.org

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For more informationabout MacArthur’s digital media and learning initiative:

Connie YowellDirectorcyowell@macfound.org

An-Me ChungAssociateDirectorachung@macfound.org

Jennifer HumkeProgramOfficerjhumke@macfound.org

www.macfound.org/dml