Sesame Workshop has always been the pioneering model for children's educational television so it makes sense that they would be leading the way in children's educational digital media. When I was at the MacArthur Forum in Los Angeles, someone asked how we could make the commercially driven virtual worlds for kids more educational vs. just focusing on entertainment. It appears that Sesame's new Joan Ganz Cooney Center (named for Sesame's founder) is leading the way. From today's New York Times, reg. required:

The Joan Ganz Cooney Center will initially focus on how computer and Internet games, cellphones and other digital devices on which children increasingly spend their time can be used to improve literacy among minority and economically disadvantaged 6- to 9-year-olds, Ms. Cooney said. In addition to producing its own new media projects, the center plans to open its work to outside companies, with which it hopes to develop educational projects. It also plans to conduct and sponsor research intended to push the industry to think more broadly about how interactive technology can be used to speed children’s learning.

They are producing research as well...Seems like they should be working together with the MacArthur Foundation if they're not already...

Posted by anastasia