Digital Play for Global Citizens

"When young people have opportunities to explore otherness in a guided way, with a teacher or a mentor who models a respectful curiosity, they learn not only the value of being macro-minded, but also, they come to see the Internet as a portal to faraway cultures. Exposure and access to otherness becomes meaningful and constructive."

From the Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop, this resource introduces educators, youth development leaders, and parents to innovative technology tools that can help children learn about, understand, and engage with our increasingly interconnected world. Divided into three parts, the guide introduces tools to 1) help students build awareness of themselves and the world around them, 2) recognise and investigate the history, as well as the complex, systemic causes of, contemporary issues - ranging from economic inequality to global conflict to cultural diversity and inclusion, and 3) use digital play to explore the natural world. The idea is to educate students to become "macro-minded" global citizens, empowering them to investigate the world, acknowledge different perspectives, communicate ideas, and take action - in a manner that is fun, engaging, and synchronised with a fast-paced, technologically advanced reality.

The guide introduces practical, ready-to-use resources and techniques for using digital play to promote global citizenship. Most of the resources in this guide are suggested for children ages 8 and older. In some cases, they may only be appropriate for older children. Usually, it is not the game that is problematic but, rather, the uncomfortable subject matter. For example, if an adult thinks a child is not ready to think about the realities of human trafficking, that child is also not ready to play a game about it. Whenever possible, the guide provides suggested websites and apps for younger (5+) and the youngest (preschool) children in sidebars throughout. It also linked directly to the resources mentioned; most are free, but those that are not are marked with ($).