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Many teens today who use the Internet are actively involved in
participatory cultures -- joining online communities (Facebook, message boards, game
clans), producing creative work in new forms (digital sampling, modding, fan
videomaking, fan fiction), working in teams to complete tasks and develop new
knowledge (as in Wikipedia), and shaping the flow of media (as in blogging or
podcasting). A growing body of scholarship suggests potential benefits of these
activities, including opportunities for peer-to-peer learning, development of skills
useful in the modern workplace, and a more empowered conception of citizenship. Some
argue that young people pick up these key skills and competencies on their own by
interacting with popular culture; but the problems of unequal access, lack of media
transparency, and the breakdown of traditional forms of socialization and
professional training suggest a role for policy and pedagogical intervention.This
report aims to shift the conversation about the "digital divide" from questions
about access to technology to questions about access to opportunities for
involvement in participatory culture and how to provide all young people with the
chance to develop the cultural competencies and social skills needed. Fostering
these skills, the authors argue, requires a systemic approach to media education;
schools, afterschool programs, and parents all have distinctive roles to play.The
John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Reports on Digital Media and
Learning
