Digital media is increasingly present in children’s educational settings, becoming as common as pencils and notebooks were to their parents. Yet in many American classrooms and homes, these high-tech tools are severely limited or forbidden. Teachers and parents wonder: What are students doing with these technologies?
Digital Media: New Learners of the 21st Century addresses this vital question, taking viewers to the front lines of what is rapidly becoming an education revolution. The film, targeted at parents, teachers, and anyone concerned about education in America, explores how exceptional educators are increasingly using digital media and interactive practices to ignite their students’ curiosity and ingenuity, help them become engaged, allow them to collaborate with peers worldwide, and empower them to direct their own learning.
Stories highlighted in this program include:
- a Manhattan public school using game design to help students explore academic subjects,
- a Wisconsin classroom using mobile devices to model civic activity,
- a Philadelphia magnet school integrating digital practices,
- a Washington D.C. museum partnership offering middle school students a Smithsonian scavenger hunt.
The program originally aired on Sunday, February 13. If you missed it, watch the full show on PBS Video.