The Bible in the Digital Space - Mark Brown
(Source: Bible Society of New Zealand. July 2009.)

Confronting the Challenges of Participatory Culture: Media Education for the 21st Century - Henry Jenkins, et al. 
A central goal of this report is to shift the focus of the conversation about the digital divide from questions of technological access to those of opportunities to participate and to develop the cultural competencies and social skills needed for full involvement. Schools as institutions have been slow to react to the emergence of this new participatory culture; the greatest opportunity for change is currently found in afterschool programs and informal learning communities. Schools and afterschool programs must devote more attention to fostering what we call the new media literacies: a set of cultural competencies and social skills that young people need in the new media landscape. Participatory culture shifts the focus of literacy from one of individual expression to community involvement. The new literacies almost all involve social skills developed through collaboration and networking. These skills build on the foundation of traditional literacy, research skills, technical skills, and critical analysis skills taught in the classroom.
(The John T. and Catherine MacArthur Foundation, www.macfound.org)
(Source: http://digitallearning.macfound.org/atf/cf/%7B7E45C7E0-A3E0-4B89-AC9C-E807E1B0AE4E%7D/JENKINS_WHITE_ PAPER.PDF)

The Future of Learning Institutions in a Digital Age - Cathy N. Davidson and David Theo Goldberg
In this report, Cathy Davidson and David Theo Goldberg focus on the potential for shared and interactive learning made possible by the Internet. They argue that the single most important characteristic of the Internet is its capacity for world-wide community and the limitless exchange of ideas. The Internet brings about a way of learning that is not new or revolutionary but is now the norm for today’s graduating high school and college classes. It is for this reason that Davidson and Goldberg call on us to examine potential new models of digital learning and rethink our virtually enabled and enhanced learning institutions.
[Free E-Book: http://mitpress.mit.edu/books/full_pdfs/Future_of_Learning.pdf]
(Source: MIT Press, http://mitpress.mit.edu/books/chapters/Future_of_Learning.pdf)

The Future of Thinking: Learning Institutions in a Digital Age - Cathy N. Davidson and David Theo Goldberg 
Over the past two decades, the way we learn has changed dramatically. We have new sources of information and new ways to exchange and to interact with information. But our schools and the way we teach have remained largely the same for years, even centuries. What happens to traditional educational institutions when learning also takes place on a vast range of Internet sites, from Pokemon Web pages to Wikipedia? This report investigates how traditional learning institutions can become as innovative, flexible, robust, and collaborative as the best social networking sites. The authors propose an alternative definition of "institution" as a "mobilizing network"—emphasizing its flexibility, the permeability of its boundaries, its interactive productivity, and its potential as a catalyst for change—and explore the implications for higher education.
[Free E-Book: http://mitpress.mit.edu/books/full_pdfs/Future_of_Thinking.pdf]
(Source: MIT Press, http://mitpress.mit.edu/catalog/item/default.asp?ttype=2&tid=12181)

Imaging, Keyboarding, and Posting Identities: Young People and the New Media Technologies - Sandra Weber and Claudia Mitchell
Youth, Identity, and Digital Media. Edited by David Buckingham. The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Series on Digital Media and Learning.
(MIT Press, 2008) (Source: MIT Press, http://mitpress.mit.edu/catalog/item/default.asp?t&tid=11394)

• Free e-book: http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/dmal.9780262524834.025
  

Faith Formation in a Media World - Mary Hess
This article presents a conceptual framework by which to develop and assess faith formation within a media culture.
(Source: Lifelong Faith Journal, www.LifelongFaith.com)

Meeting of Minds: Cross-Generational Dialogue on the Ethics of Digital Life - Global Kids, The GoodPlay Project at Harvard University, and Common Sense Media (October 2009)
Today’s youth inhabit new digital social spaces foreign to most adults. These spaces offer unprecedented opportunities for connection, creativity, and community. At the same time they present challenges that are often either invisible to adults or exaggerated beyond reason. It can be difficult for parents, educators, and other adults to talk about these challenges with young people, especially if they feel intimidated by youth who navigate sites like Facebook or master video games effortlessly. This report aims to document what we learned through the Focus Dialogues, the first cross-generational online conversation on digital media and ethics. It will highlight how adults and youth think about ethical issues online through the use of direct quotes and information from the Dialogues and provide context around what we believe is the first step towards addressing issues relating to ethics in the digital age. 
(Source: www.macfound.org/atf/cf/%7Bb0386ce3-8b29-4162-8098-e466fb856794%7D/DML-FOCUS-DIALOGUE-REPORT-0910.PDF)

Minds on Fire: Open Education, the Long Tail, and Learning 2.0 - John Seely Brown
The latest evolution of the Internet, the so-called Web 2.0, has blurred the line between producers and consumers of content and has shifted attention from access to information toward access to other people. New kinds of online resources—such as social networking sites, blogs, wikis, and virtual communities—have allowed people with common interests to meet, share ideas, and collaborate in innovative ways. Indeed, the Web 2.0 is creating a new kind of participatory medium that is ideal for supporting multiple modes of learning.
Educause Review, January/February 2008
(Source: http://www.johnseelybrown.com/mindsonfire.pdf)

Ministry in a Digital World: Establishing a Multidimensional Web Presence - Mark Simpson 
A multidimensional web presence is essential for a church or ministry organization in a digital world. A website alone is no longer sufficient. In addition to maintaining an online ministry identity, developing an information network, and providing places for community through social networking are also essential dimensions of a web presence. A multidimensional approach expands the opportunities for a ministry to create a dialogue with those both within and outside the faith community. Strategies are offered to help simplify the development and maintenance of a multidimensional web presence. 
(Source: Common Ground Journal. Volume 7, Number 2, Spring 2010, www.commongroundjournal.org/volnum/v07n02.pdf)

Moving Online: Faith Formation in a Digital Age - Julie Anne Lytle
This article helps “digital immigrants” (those of us born in the era of rotary telephones and manual typewriters) catch up with “digital natives” (those who have always had desktop and palm-sized computers). After briefly reflecting on the “why” and “what” of faith formation, the article explores the vast array of technological possibilities to assess their potential for faith formation. It explains the approach of Message, Method, then Media for making decisions so that digital tools are appropriately used, and offers concrete examples of ways faith communities can appropriately use digital resources to provide faith formation online.
(Source: Lifelong Faith Journal, www.LifelongFaith.com)

The Networked Congregation: Embracing the Spirit of Experimentation - Andrea Useem
Religion writer Andrea Useem offers support for congregations exploring Web 2.0 technologies. This special report aims, in Useem's words, "to take a reasoned, thoughtful look at congregational life in the digital age and ask how congregations can best navigate this new terrain."
(Congregation Resource Guide, www.congregationalresources.org)
(Source: http://www.congregationalresources.org/networked-congregation-embracing-spirit-experimentation)

Nurturing Faith Online - Lynn Baab
Websites remain essential communication tools for congregations. Email, Facebook, Twitter, and blogs are now used by congregations to supplement the website and to point people toward it. The various forms of online communication work together to direct people back and forth between them. At their best, all these forms of communication highlight the central priorities of the congregation. And one of those priorities should be lifelong faith formation. This article sketches some of the ways the various forms of online communication can work together to nurture faith.  

(Source: Lifelong Faith Journal, www.LifelongFaith.com)


Online Learning Communities: The Heart of Online Learning - Mark A. Maddix
The article explores the development of online courses and programs in Christian higher education, with specific attention given to graduate theological online education at Northwest Nazarene University. The article provides evidence, from research and experience, that online learning communities are central to learning and formation in online courses. The article also discusses the benefits of developing online learning communities as it relates to ministry and the local church.
(Source: CommonGround Journal. Volume 7, Number 2, Spring 2010, www.commongroundjournal.org/volnum/v07n02.pdf)

Pockets of Potential: Using Mobile Technologies to Promote Children’s Learning - Caroly Shuler  
Pockets of Potential argues that despite legitimate public concern about the “disruptive track record” of mobile devices in schools, there is reason to be excited about their potential. As an analysis of key industry trends, opportunities, and challenges, including small-scale studies of academic and industry projects, the paper recommends a series of urgent action steps for key sectors to consider. Of particular note are the promising innovations developed by an international group of mobile technology thought leaders—from Silicon Valley to Seoul to sub-Saharan Africa—whose pioneering work is featured in this report and its appendices.
(The Joan Ganz Gooney Center at Sesame Workshop)
(Source: www.joanganzcooneycenter.org)

Pow! Wham!: Children, Digital Media, & Our Nation’s Future - Rima Shore
Digital media powerfully affect young people of all ages, but existing research and development efforts have tended to focus on younger and older kids, leaving a gap in knowledge and programming related to children ages 6 to 12, the “middle childhood” period. It is during this stretch of time that children typically take giant steps into the world that lies beyond family and home, grapple with literacy and numeracy, and continue to build the store of words and ideas that they will need to profit from reading throughout their lives. These are also the years when children develop enduring attitudes toward learning and deep convictions about their own potential. This paper is based on interviews with 60 leaders from such fields as educational media, literacy, child development, educational and family policy, digital media production, and global knowledge and skills.
The Joan Ganz Gooney Center at Sesame Workshop 
(Source: www.joanganzcooneycenter.org)

Reimaging Learning in the 21st Century - The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
In 2006, the MacArthur Foundation launched the digital media and learning initiative to test the notion that public education would have to transform as well if it is to prepare young people for the complex and connected social, economic, and political demands of the 21st century. We began by exploring a simple question: Are young people changing as a result of digital media? Our inquiry soon expanded to include three more questions: How should young people’s learning environments change? How should institutions like schools, libraries, and museums change? Based on the answers, what fundamental principles should guide a 21st-century learning system? The articles in this publication are based on 106 grants involving more than 250 individuals and organizations that have explored these questions, as well as a synthesis of lessons to date. Professor 
(Source: MacArthur Foundation, www.macfound.org)

Teaching & Learning with the iGeneration - John Roberto
John Roberto summarizes a variety of perspectives and strategies for teaching children today-the "iGeneration” - offering practical ways that teachers and leaders can use the new Web 2.0 technologies with children in faith formation. 
(Source: LIfelong Faith Journal, www.LifelongFaith.com)