Educating for Democracy in the Digital Age (EDDA)
Project Description
Educating for Democracy in the Digital Age (EDDA) was a partnership between University of California, Riverside, Oakland Unified School District (OUSD), and the National Writing Project. The purpose of the initiative was to leverage web 2.0 tools and best practices in civic education to provide all high school students in Oakland with opportunities that will prepare and motivate them to work for positive change in their communities. In other words, we aimed to prepare students to be community ready.
By providing civic learning opportunities through the standard curriculum that include academic skill development, exposure to models of civic engagement, and opportunities for youth to work on issues that are relevant to them we aimed to reach all OUSD students and support the development of empowered civic and political actors.
By strengthening pathways for students to develop digital media literacies around online research and digital production that enable them to successfully research, analyze, and act on civic issues, EDDA provided OUSD students an increasingly essential civic competency.
For more info visit: EDDA
Funding
John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
Project Team
Chris Evans
Ellen Middaugh
Publications/Resources
Featured on the Teaching Channel is an overview of the Educating for Democracy in the Digital Age Initiative, and lesson videos from OUSD classrooms: Encouraging Students to Take Action and Infographics For Change.
How Civic Engagement Helps Students See Their Capacity to Make Change, KQED Mind/Shift, October 17, 2016
Why getting kids ‘college and career ready’ isn’t enough, Washington Post Answer Sheet blog post by Joe Kahne, October 20, 2014.
Report: California Schools Fall Short on Civics Education, Forum with Michael Krasny, Host Mina Kim with guests Young Whan Choi, David Gordon, Joe Kahne, Robin Mencher. August 7, 2014.
Op-Ed Oakland Tribune, August 27, 2013 Technology can help get kids "community ready" by EDDA Researchers Ellen Middaugh and Joseph Kahne