Joan Ganz Cooney Center Foreducational Media And Research Inc

OUR MISSION IS TO CATALYZE & SUPPORT RESEARCH IN DIGITAL MEDIA TO ADVANCE CHILDREN'S LEARNING.

IN FY22, THE JOAN GANZ COONEY CENTER FOCUSED A UNIFYING THEME FOR THEIR WORK, DESIGNING WITH AND FOR KIDS TO PRIORITIZE CHILDREN'S BEST INTEREST IN THE DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE TECHNOLOGY AND MEDIA PRODUCTS THEY USE, TO MOBILIZE RESEARCH AND RESEARCH-BASED APPROACHES TO DESIGN, AND TO INCLUDE CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE AS CO-DESIGNERS IN THE INNOVATION PROCESS. THIS FOCUS ADDRESSES AN IDENTIFIED GAP IN THE MARKET AND AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT SERVICES AND COMMUNITY-BUILDING ACTIVITIES ACROSS INITIATIVES: PUBLIC MEDIA INNOVATION, CHILD-CENTERED DESIGN FOR INNOVATORS, AND DIGITAL WELLBEING. (SEE SCHEDULE O)PUBLIC MEDIA INNOVATIONFUNDED BY THE CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING, THE CENTER'S "NEXT GEN PUBLIC MEDIA" INITIATIVE WORKS TO ADVANCE THE FUTURE OF PUBLIC MEDIA BY EXPANDING AUDIENCES, EMBRACING NEW PLATFORMS, AND SUPPORTING COLLABORATION ACROSS THE SYSTEM. PHASE 1 FOCUSED ON YOUTH MEDIA RESEARCH AND INSIGHT GATHERING FROM STATIONS. PHASE 2 ACTIVITIES INCLUDE CONDUCTING RESEARCH ON YOUTH-ADULT COLLABORATION, DEVELOPING A STATION TOOLKIT, AND LEADING A NETWORK EVALUATION, WORKSHOPS, WEBINARS, AND A GROWING PEER LEARNING COMMUNITY (PLC). THE PROJECT HAS ALSO SUPPORTED A SERIES OF RESEARCH PRACTICE BRIEFS, A YOUTH FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM, AND CATALYTIC FUNDING FOR 12 STATIONS PARTICIPATING IN THE NEXT GEN PUBLIC MEDIA ACCELERATOR.CHILD-CENTERED DESIGN FOR INNOVATORSTHE COONEY CENTER LEVERAGES CHILD-CENTERED DESIGN PRACTICES AND RESEARCH EXPERTISE TO HELP DIGITAL DESIGNERS (1) BUILD BETTER DIGITAL MEDIA PRODUCTS THAT LEAD TO POSITIVE OUTCOMES FOR KIDS, (2) ACQUIRE A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF HOW RESEARCH AND PARTICIPATORY METHODS CAN LEAD TO PRODUCTS THAT BETTER ENGAGE KIDS AND ACHIEVE THEIR INTENDED IMPACT, AND (3) ENGAGE KIDS IN PRODUCT IDEATION, INCLUDING THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN SYSTEMICALLY UNDER-REPRESENTED IN DESIGN. WITH FUNDING FROM THE WALTON FAMILY FOUNDATION, THE CENTER LAUNCHED A NEW "LEARNING LAB" INITIATIVE TO TARGET ENTREPRENEURS AND EARLY-STAGE DEVELOPERS. THE EFFORT SERVES THREE COMMUNITIES: CHILDREN, PRODUCT DEVELOPERS, AND RESEARCHERS. WORKING WITH THE NYC-BASED CREATIVE LEARNING COMPANY THE GIANT ROOM AS IMPLEMENTATION PARTNER, THE TEAM PLANS TO CONDUCT R&D SESSIONS AT THEIR FACILITY IN CHELSEA AND AT NYC PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THE TEAM ALSO LAUNCHED A FREE WEB-BASED RESOURCE FOR DEVELOPERS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN CONDUCTING PRODUCT TESTING WITH YOUNG CHILDREN. ENTITLED "PLAYTEST WITH KIDS," THE WEBSITE FEATURES PRACTICAL TIPS THAT HELP DESIGNERS MAKE THE MOST OF THEIR USABILITY TESTING SESSIONS, AS WELL AS CASE STUDIES ABOUT HOW GETTING FEEDBACK FROM CHILDREN CAN HELP INFORM A PRODUCT'S FINAL DESIGN. DIGITAL WELLBEINGTHE COONEY CENTER DEVELOPED PLANS WITH INDUSTRY PARTNERS AND CONSORTIA TO SUPPORT THE ADOPTION OF "DIGITAL WELLBEING" AS A TARGET FOR PRODUCT DEVELOPERS. IN MARCH 2022, THE CENTER LAUNCHED A NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH THE LEGO GROUP AND UNICEF CALLED "RESPONSIBLE INNOVATION OF TECHNOLOGY FOR CHILDREN" (RITEC). FUNDED BY THE LEGO FOUNDATION, RITEC IS A GLOBAL EFFORT TO DEFINE WELLBEING OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN AND SPECIFY A METHOD FOR DEVELOPERS TO ATTAIN THEM. THE COONEY CENTER'S ROLE IS TO LEAD A MULTI-SECTOR ADVOCACY CAMPAIGN IN THE US AND TO COORDINATE SIMILAR EFFORTS IN OTHER COUNTRIES. THE CENTER ALSO INITIATED A "DIGITAL THRIVING" INITIATIVE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE FAIR PLAY ALLIANCE, SUPPORTED BY THE RIOT GAMES SOCIAL IMPACT FUND, TO DEVELOP A PLAYBOOK FOR THE DESIGNERS OF ONLINE GAMES TO PROMOTE POSITIVE OUTCOMES FOR INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES. COMMUNICATIONS HIGHLIGHTSTHE COONEY CENTER TEAM PRESENTED THEIR WORK AT ANNUAL CONFERENCES INCLUDING THE CONNECTED LEARNING SUMMIT, THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MEDIA LITERACY EDUCATION ANNUAL CONFERENCE, THE AUGMENTED AND VIRTUAL REALITY POLICY CONFERENCE, AND THE ASU + GSV SUMMIT. THEY ALSO HOSTED A WEBINAR ENTITLED "LEARNING AT HOME WHILE UNDER-CONNECTED + HOW PUBLIC MEDIA CAN HELP," FOCUSED ON DIGITAL EQUITY AND LEARNING. THEY ALSO PARTNERED WITH THE XR ASSOCIATION TO HOST A ONE-DAY VIRTUAL FORUM ON IMMERSIVE MEDIA AND EDUCATION.THE CENTER LAUNCHED THEIR FIRST PODCAST, "INTO THE DIGITAL FUTURE," A SERIES OF CONVERSATIONS HOSTED BY COONEY CENTER SENIOR FELLOW JORDAN SHAPIRO AND ROBLOX'S DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY SAFETY AND CIVILITY LAURA HIGGINS. GUESTS INCLUDED LEADERS IN THE FIELDS OF CHILDREN'S MEDIA, TECH, HEALTH, AND RESEARCH WHO THINK DEEPLY ABOUT THE ROLE THAT TECH PLAYS IN MODERN FAMILY LIFE. EACH EPISODE OFFERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE THE BIG ISSUES THAT AFFECT CHILDREN AND THEIR DIGITAL LIVES.