21C: Getting Global With It: Youth Global Participation in the Digital Age

With an internationally interdependent economy, unprecedented migration, and information continuously circulating the planet, children are growing up in a globalized world. In this 21st century world, children need to learn about international issues, develop intercultural understanding, 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.

 

Kori Inkpen is a Principal Researcher on cutting-edge technologies at Microsoft that enable children from different cultures to interact in new ways. Video Playdate allows children in different countries to play together virtually, and IllumniShare allows them to share physical or digital objects virtually as they play. VideoPal supports asynchronous video conversations, facilitating exchanges among children in different time zones.

 

Chris Plutte is the Executive Director of Global Nomads Group (GNG), an international NGO that harnesses telecommunications technologies to foster dialogue and understanding among the world’s youth. GNG leads a variety of curriculum-based programs, such as yearlong international programs that use social networking and interactive videoconferences to connect youth from across the globe, and virtual town hall meetings in which youth discuss international issues.

 

Juan Rubio is an expert on the Online Leadership Program at Global Kids, a top nonprofit educational organization for global learning. The Online Leadership Program uses a wide variety of digital media, such as video games, virtual worlds, and social media, to give students a voice about global issues. The program’s initiatives range from youth designing video games for social impact to creating animated movies about global issues. 

 

Barbara Cervone is the founder of What Kids Can Do (WKCD), a nonprofit that uses media to support the voices of youth from disadvantaged backgrounds. Barbara will discuss the Global Village Project. In this project, children from all around the world create photo essay books about life in their village, which appear as flip books on the WKCD website so that they can be read by children around the globe. 

 

Each panelist will have 12 minutes to address the following questions:

 

• How do your digital initiatives support youth’s global understanding, intercultural competence, and participation in the global society?

• In your expert opinion, what are the most promising ways to use technology to help children ages 7 – 11 build global competencies and participate in the global society? 

 

In the remaining 40 minutes of the session, moderators Honor Moorman (Asia Society) and Christina Hinton (Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop) will engage panelists with audience members in a conversation about 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.