About the Digital Media Essay Contest (DMEC)
On a typical day, more than half of US teenagers use a computer while more than 40% play a video game. Meanwhile, more than 60% have downloaded music or used instant messages.
What does this mean?
DMEC Award Ceremony in Second Life.
It might mean that students are learning things from games that no one can teach them in school. It might mean they depend on Internet chats to express certain aspects of their personalities. It might mean that they are finding powerful tools for getting informed, connecting with others, and making a difference in the world.
Why is this important?
It means that this generation is the first to learn and be shaped to such an extent by the new digital media... about which adults understand so little. The MacArthur Foundation, which is supporting the essay contest, wants to better understand how digital media like games, web sites and text messaging is preparing youth for the world. With this understanding, it becomes possible to find ways that these digital media can support powerful and engaged ways of learning.
The first contest ended in March 2006 and produced 14 winning essays out of 133 submissions.
