The Digital Youth Network: Cultivating Digital Media Citizenship in Urban Communities

Abstract

Book Reviews 153 The Digital Youth Network: Cultivating Digital Media Citizenship in Urban Communities Brigid Barron, Kimberley Gomez, Nichole Pinkard and Caitlin K. Martin (2014) Cambridge, Massachusetts - London, England: The MIT Press, 332 pages Hardcover $34.00; ISBN 978-0-262-02703-8 The Digital Youth Network expands on the importance of equitable digital education in the classroom as an inherent aspect of students becoming effective members of contemporary society. The book intends to inspire designers of learning environments, educators and policy makers to incorporate this truism into their work. The reality of education today is that digital literacy is integral to academic success, but there are still many classrooms without computers. Beyond the integration of computers in the classroom, the book states that there should also be an awareness of the importance of students learning through their own social networks. This takes place when students have access to computers at home as well in the classroom because digital learning is also an aspect of identity development. Unlike other books with a similar focus, The Digital Youth Network moves beyond simple solutions to identify tools and processes to bridge this serious educational chasm. Strategies include ways students can become well versed in visualization technologies, and the importance of being digital media citizens: critiquing media versus passively consuming it. Digital media citizenship is discussed in relation to the importance of digital fluency as a means with which to engage society: to share “complex ideas across diverse communities” and to “produce creative expression of issues of concern.” The aspect of the book that I felt the most qualified to assess was Chapter 3: “Professional Development Remixed: Engaging Artists as Mentors and Teachers.” I am an artist with a deep background in digital media education. In New York City over a period of 10 years, I had several positions in the field: Education Director at Harvestworks Digital Media Arts, Media Education Coordinator at the New Museum and Associate Professor at the New School University where I taught a course I designed entitled “Interdisciplinary Media and Contemporary Society.” In learning more about The Digital Youth Network process of working with artist mentors, I was impressed with the professional expectations placed on the mentors. The philosophy reflects a shift in perspective in education towards a multilevel focus, an expanded way to teach students that mirrors our more complicated society. Artist mentors had to wear many hats; they had to be technically proficient, have their own artist portfolio, have cultural capital specific to community relationships and have the pedagogical knowledge to best share their expertise. I agree with the Digital Youth Network philosophy but I had questions about several practical aspects of artist mentors working in the classroom. Book Reviews 154 It was stated at the beginning of this chapter that it was better for the mentors to be considered by the students as artist mentors versus as teachers. It is an important distinction. Being an artist mentor creates a new space for the educational relationship with students. It is a space that can feel safer to students as the level of authority is shifted. This space is where the cultural capital of the artist mentor is most important. Also in this chapter, there was a focus on the importance of artist mentors having the pedagogical knowledge to effectively communicate their expertise and have impact. I agree with this premise but I have questions about the time commitment this would take, and if artist mentors were paid for this time. My experience with community organizations that focus on youth education is that there is a tremendous lack of monetary resources. As a working artist hired as an educator by both community groups and schools, there is a woeful lack of financial support for this work. Even if artist mentors are paid adequately, it is a lot to ask of them to also to obtain the pedagogical background to be an effective teacher. In several of my own art education situations, I was given the classes with the brightest students as well as the classes with students with special issues such as behavior problems, mental and physical disabilities. It seemed as though the thinking was that art...