Digital Youth Seattle Think Tank: White Paper

Abstract

Every generation faces a world different from previous ones because that world is the culmination of all that came before. However, the pace of human discovery, invention, and innovation has accelerated exponentially over millennia. Today — in the early 21st century — we live in an increasingly digital environment. This environment is characterized by instant and continual access to information of all kinds, improved tools for creating, processing, and making sense of information, and new capabilities for communicating and sharing information with anyone, anywhere, at any time. For those of us concerned about the lives, education, and aspirations of young people, understanding the nature and scope of these revolutionary developments and their impact on every aspect of life is crucial.

Igniting ideas, sharing contexts, and sparking change were the driving motivations for the Digital Youth Seattle Think Tank (DYSTT). On October 16–17, 2014, the Information School (iSchool) at the University of Washington hosted an invitation-only event, bringing together thought leaders in the areas of policy, research, and practice to exchange ideas and experiences, brainstorm research agendas, and confront obstacles in the practice of study and learning from digital youth. Funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), with additional support from Facebook, King County Library System, Microsoft Research, and Seattle Public Library, supported this event.

It is not easy for youth today to grow up in an increasingly digital environment that is constantly changing (Gardner & Davis, 2013). The study and reflection of scholars and practitioners on the nature and scope of digital advances is crucial to understanding the impact of the digital world on young people, and necessary to providing better learning opportunities and support services to young people for learning and living in the digital age. Over the course of a day and a half, the DYSTT attendees engaged in highly interactive formal and informal sessions including a keynote, a youth panel, featured speakers’ panels, and discussion breakouts.

Keywords: digital youth, informal learning, libraries