Ito, Mimi. 2017. “Kids Thrive When They Swim Among Peers and Mentors with Common Interests.” WHYY - Speak Easy, May 12.

Essay about learning heroes for WHYY's Speak Easy.

Underlying the connected-learning model is the observation that young learners thrive when they pursue projects meaningful to them with peers who have shared interests, and when they are supported by caring adults — mentors, teachers, parents, and experts. The “connected” in connected learning refers to these social relationships, as well as the role online networks can play. For the past decade, I have been investigating these socially connected dimensions of learning with a interdisciplinary team of researchers.