Social and Mobile Media

“To what degree are we preparing a diverse community of young people for the world that they’re likely to inhabit?”

Craig Watkins, University of Texas, Austin


Social and mobile media and their related technological devices are used in different ways, to different degrees, across varied youth communities: there is no singular answer regarding how to use social and mobile media for formal or informal learning.

In our interviews and discussions, we found the following major themes:

  • Social media is used in different ways, to different degrees, across youth communities. There is no single “how to” regarding using social media for formal or informal learning.
  • Technology is changing rapidly. How can educators balance their energy and time between learning core digital literacies and mastering current technology platforms?
  • Libraries and schools are using social and mobile media to engage with youth. In what ways can adults co-design social media initiatives with youth to ensure that the social media tools make sense within the local context?
  • The divide between school and community is increasingly blurry. What are effective strategies to engage parent and families, libraries and communities, in digital literacy and technological training programs?