November 23, 2006 | Read Time: 1 minute
The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, in Chicago, wants to know how video games, the Internet, instant messaging, cellphones, and other tools of the digital age are changing the way young people learn and relate to one another. And it is spending $50-million over the next five years to find out.
The foundation plans to use the money to pay for a series of projects that will research how digital technology affects the education and social development of young people. “Given how present these technologies are in their lives, do young people act, think, and learn differently today?” Jonathan Fanton, MacArthur’s president, said in announcing the program. “And what are the implications for education and for society?”
The grant program comes at a time when, according to the foundation, 83 percent of those age 8 to 18 play video games and nearly 75 percent use instant messaging. In addition, more than half of U.S. teenagers use a computer to view Web sites like MySpace and Facebook — sites that allow them to share information and opinions and meet friends online.
In light of those trends, the MacArthur Foundation plans to spend $2-million annually beginning in 2007 for competitive technology research, writing, and demonstration projects. The foundation has also started a Web site that offers information on digital media and learning.
To get there: Go to http://www.digitallearning.macfound.org.
