<a href="https://www.talesofus.com/">TALES Initiative</a> seeks to support learning with a decolonial approach in developing our new, multi-faceted platform: <a href="https://www.worldofus.info/wou-game">World of Us</a>. What does this actually mean? Decolonisation is the undoing of colonialism: practically, socially, mentally, and beyond. It is more than just the removal of monuments and state policies as it also extends to dominant belief systems that have obscured, destroyed, or ignored Indigenous realities and histories. One of these systems is that of youth education and the methods and practices surrounding it. &nbsp; &nbsp;Why is a decolonial approach needed in early education?As a multimedia storytelling project, we organise ourselves around a decolonial approach because it centres not only Indigenous knowledge but also other marginalised groups affected by colonial expansion. In doing this, it offers an approach to education that has historically been left out or treated as an afterthought. The work of Brazilian philosopher <a href="https://www.freire.org/paulo-freire">Paulo Freire</a> expresses some of these foundational values. It was geared towards education and the implications of colonialism and oppressive power structures; he outlined tools such as unity, compassion, organisation, and cultural synthesis to empower those most affected by imbalanced educational institutions. This allows us to spotlight some of the most marginalised groups in our educational goals while also benefitting the greater collective by championing core values that focus on climate, eco-justice and sustainability; racial and ethnic equity and equality; and non-capitalist motivated narratives.How can it benefit children in understanding and appreciating diverse cultures, perspectives, and histories?<a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1177180120952896?journalCode=alna">One research model published in the AlterNative:</a> an International Journal of Indigenous Peoples in 2020 explored “the benefits, barriers, and resources for engaging Indigenous knowledges in science education and research” and found commonalities of “individual experiences [woven] into a larger collective, inter-generational story of survival, adaptation, resilience, and regeneration.” Fostering a greater cohesion with these experiences on a societal scale is the antithesis to many modern, global problems that are caused by the history of colonialism: such as climate degradation, exploitation of workers’ rights, and prevailing systems of oppression. These problems can then be linked to various early educational frameworks such as individualism, prioritising technical skill output learning, surface level cultural exchange, and blind patriotism. These decolonial and indigenous-focused systems for early education can lay the foundation for a society that values collective progression over individualism and marginal exclusion. This also brings in cultural exchange, not as a novelty tool (such as teaching a secondary language to reproduce in a society) but as a core pillar of citizenship (fostering empathy and understanding for cultural differences as well as technical skills like language learning when cultural exchange is introduced).The conclusionIn conclusion, the TALES initiative is producing platforms such as World of Us with these decolonial and interdisciplinary approaches in order to create a unique, open-source software experience. It is a digital world of cultural exchange, value, and appreciation that centres Indigenous and marginalised identities at its core. Connecting the youth through these digital dedicated educational spaces on a global network is something that is yet to be done and it is our hope that we can use the power of storytelling to do so. &nbsp;

Learn about the importance of undoing colonialism and how it can benefit children's understanding and appreciation of diverse cultures, perspectives, and histories. 

Digital Inclusion 

Ancestrality

Future of Education

Reimagining the Classroom for a Decolonised Future

In an age of snowballing digital development and online presence overtaking real-world presence, the concept of empathy matters more than ever for young minds. So is it really possible that the virtual space could, in fact, serve as a tool to enhance and promote cultures of empathy for children and young people? The arguments both for and against the use of virtual spaces and technologies when working and communicating with children are many, so let's take a closer look at the theories behind them in order to better understand the digital future of empathy.“…the promise and peril of virtual reality as a tool to transport each of us into worlds beyond and lives unknown, conjuring feelings of fear and devastation along with those of excitement and hope…”The intangible concept of empathy is deeply connected to the ever-expanding virtual world. As cognitive scientist Dr. Lindsay Portnoy expressed in her 2017 article ‘The Neural Technology of Empathy’, &nbsp;humans are hardwired to replicate empathy when prompted due to our own neural makeup. With this in mind, children around the world should be able to learn, access and reproduce feelings of empathy in virtual spaces without physical borders and while interacting with children with whom they would not usually have access to integrate. The potential benefits of a younger population able to utilise virtual reality (VR) to build bridges between different communities that are unbound by language, location, border or aesthetics are innumerable but they also present new and unexplored barriers and challenges. This article explores the psychological and social benefits of virtual experiences; the possibilities of designing spaces that promote empathy, understanding and cultural awareness; and ethical considerations and challenges concerning children and development.Virtual reality: friend or foe?Delving into the world of VR can feel at once alienating and all-consuming, as it’s easy to forget that we possess within our own brains the very same technology that VR utilises. Vilayanur Ramachandran expanded on this concept of ‘neural technology’ in his 2009 talk for TEDIndia, highlighting the importance of these so-called mirror neurons as having “shaped civilization”. Though only discovered relatively recently, mirror neurons are designed to ‘fire’ during an action or during a witnessed action. This explains how we can sometimes ‘feel another’s pain’: essentially the physical manifestation and embodiment of empathy. VR technology plays on this very same connection, assuming the innate human quality of being empathetic and predisposed to react to perceived realities accordingly. As virtual communication and technology expands its reach worldwide, the prominence of utilising this as a tool for enhanced empathy, community-focused consciousness and education is growing. While humans possess an inherent ability to empathise and connect, fast-developing digital technologies are offering us less opportunities for face-to-face connection and, therefore, less time spent reflecting in real-time. If we are able to harness the benefits of existing in the virtual space while retaining that which is inherently human, we may be able to use our developing tools for the better of future generations worldwide. In order to understand this better, we need to examine more closely the psychology of empathy alongside virtual reality.The three forms of empathyDaniela Branco is a consultant specialist in the gaming industry who is currently growing her practice as a psychoanalyst. She understands empathy as “the ability to perceive, feel and connect with the other” whether that be human, animal or natural being. This concept of “understanding what the other is feeling” directly relates to that which we can aim to create through VR. In virtual space, we have the opportunity to inhabit the experiences of another, whether this is directly related to a human concept, natural world space or fantasy depiction, this enables us to tap into the feelings of others through perceived lived experience. This differentiation from real-world empathy is expressed in Thomas Fuchs’ 2013 paper, ‘The Virtual Other’, in which he introduces three separate forms of empathy that need to be understood if we are to replicate them in the virtual space. His explanation of ‘primary empathy’ is the real-world, lived experience manifestation; that is to say that which arises from “direct, bodily contact with another person”. This ‘strain’ of empathy is entirely informed by the aforementioned innate human disposition to experience and express empathy: each party involved in these experiences enters into a “circular, bodily-affective” interaction that constantly informs the other on an almost subconscious level. The second form of empathy as explained by Fuchs is “extended empathy”, which differs entirely from the primary form in that it plays on more complex psychological matters such as ‘perspective taking’ and ‘imaginative transposition’. This form of empathy is closely linked to developments in VR, as it informs our ability to relate to one another in real-time, reflect emotionally and interact compassionately with others who are experiencing life in ways entirely different from our own. This form of empathy “already involves a certain degree of virtuality” in that it presents the intangible, and does not depend on physicality or bodily contact to occur. Finally, Fuchs’ introduces “fictional empathy”: this form enables us to connect with inanimate or non-living objects, characters in literature, avatars, photographs and letters from living people. The dispute between whether fictional empathy and primary empathy are different at all can be rested here and serves to explain entirely how we are able to bring important developments in empathy and connection into the virtual space:“…consider interaction with fictive agents in cyberspace or identification with movie &nbsp; &nbsp; characters that can achieve similar levels of emotional intensity, or even more intense levels, &nbsp; &nbsp; when compared with real encounters. As regards secondary empathy or imaginative &nbsp; &nbsp; transposition, it already entails a component of virtuality or an ‘as-if-consciousness’: when I put myself into the shoes of the other, I do not actually become the other, and I remain aware of this.”Simulations and positive mental healthOver the past five years, we have seen advancement in research supporting the employment of virtual reality to aid interpersonal connections, mental health and reduce stress. A primary example of this is the introduction of interactive nature simulations, as explored in a 2020 study by the Journal of Environmental Psychology which found “that people who watched interactive computer-generated virtual reality (CG-VR) experienced a significant increase in positive mental health”. While it is both well-documented and understood that proximity to nature (even without physical access or interaction) enhances mood, reduces mental and physical stress levels and physical wellbeing, it is only recently that we are now seeing huge increases in health benefits for those utilising VR programmes focused solely on immersion in nature. There is also evidence to suggest that so-called ‘nature VR’ “can allow individuals to engage in mindfulness and divert from anxiety-inducing thoughts” to the same level as is possible in real-life immersion in nature.Due to the restrictive lockdowns during the pandemic, many people found themselves entirely unable to access nature, with inner-city inhabitants completely cut off from natural views, access to open spaces and local wildlife. As cities expand and this access to open spaces diminishes due to overpopulated areas and reduction of parks in favour of housing projects, the reality of future generations having little to no access to the natural world is fast approaching. If we are able to offer young people the experience of simulated nature, whether that be to walk in a local forest or explore a coral reef, we can greatly enhance possibilities for better mental health along with increased physical wellbeing and real-life experiences of decreased stress reproduced by these virtual experiences.Developing global communities in the digital spaceThe social benefits of VR are rooted in growing numbers of users utilising these digital spaces to connect with others “while experiencing feelings of presence”. VR offers users the ability to meet in social spaces, while simultaneously offering creative activities and games that promote social connection and enjoyment. These virtual spaces essentially offer the simulated feeling of community, a concept which our modern societies are becoming further and further estranged from as we move away from “shared physical space” and connection. The possibility for a development of ‘global communities’ that work to disband cultural boundaries and inequalities rooted in racism, sexism and homophobia is extremely prominent in the world of VR. Multiple applications of this technology enables “geographically remote users to interact with each other in shared virtual environments” thus presenting the possibility for users to learn about new cultures, lived experiences of others regardless of race, religion, locality or prohibitive law. The ‘total immersion’ of VR through the use of a headset is a defining feature that lends itself to the total disconnect from the user’s reality: “this technology blocks the perception of the real environment, and provides an immersive environment instead that responds naturalistically to the users’ actions”. Contrary to possible perception of altering mental and physical capacity for connection, this level of immersion and simulated space has been proven to increase sensations of physical closeness, which in turn offers “increased perceptions of psychological and social closeness” and intimacy.Marginalised peoples&nbsp;“The cultivation of empathy for people from historically disenfranchised ethnic and racial groups has been proposed as an essential strategy for dismantling racism at least since the Civil Rights era” and so the employment of VR as a tool to both teach and explore empathy is being developed as these technologies progress. A 2018 immersive VR module developed by Columbia and Stanford Universities entitled ‘1000 Cut Journey’ utilised a character-focused model to offer participants access to experience racism first hand. Participants utilised VR headsets to “become'' Michael Sterling at three different timepoints in his life: aged 7, aged 15 and aged 30. The creators are continuing to examine the psychosocial effects of experiencing ‘1000 Cut Journey’ as well as exploring “its utility in ameliorating race-based health inequities”. &nbsp;Users have reported “a greater sense of presence” which, in turn, supports more effective learning and a “greater ability to recall information” that can then be revisited in the real world. The health sector has been working to develop even further resources and programmes utilising VR, particularly concerning racial inequality and stigmatised groups. VR has been “identified as one of the most promising resources for developing empathy towards stigmatised groups as it allows individuals to experience a situation close to reality from another’s perspective”. &nbsp;A sample study published in 2022 expanded on this by using VR to examine the “impact on empathy, knowledge, and attitudes towards people with schizophrenia”. The sample group consisted of 102 health students, each measured by completing various questionnaires and cognitive tasks combined with 2D video and VR simulation. The study essentially found the method to be effective in improving attitudes towards people with schizophrenia, but also identified the possibility of using 2D video in tandem with VR to support the cultivation of empathy through total immersion.The risks of further development and exposureThough there are numerous social and psychological benefits present in the current development of VR models concerning empathy, it is important to highlight the potential risks and concerns of using such programmes, particularly concerning children and young people. “Experiences in virtual worlds have translated into real-world behaviour”, which is both a blessing and a curse when we consider how this impacts the lives of those most susceptible: our younger generations. While VR can be “leveraged as a tool to enhance empathy”, it is also possible that unmoderated and unsafe virtual spaces can offer opportunities for access to dangerous content that is essentially anti-empathy in its depiction of human interaction and emotion. While studies continue to develop to reduce real-world violence through the use of VR (for example in a small study using immersive VR to aid male domestic aggressors to understand better the experience of their victims) we have also seen many examples in over identification with video game scenes and characters in young children over the past twenty years. The evidence is there to support this worsening with VR if the outputs are not controlled safely and moderated, given the intensity of immersion in these virtual spaces that is possible.Daniela Branco expanded on the dangers of unmoderated access to the virtual world, expressing that “excessive access to virtual games, whether violent or not, can cause sleep disturbances, affect growth hormone, school performance, eating and behavioural problems, can also encourage a sedentary lifestyle and poor eating habits.” It is also to be noted that, while VR can enhance empathy, grow opportunities for connection and dissolve borders of inequality, there are also instances of individuals experiencing this technology with entirely the opposite effect due to its somewhat dissociative nature and extraction from reality. In younger males, this can be particularly problematic considering feelings of identification, compassion, and solidarity and the overstimulation of a developing mind can lead to desensitisation towards violence, including trivialising aggression towards others. The impact digital technologies have on the brain has long been demonstrated in relation to both food and sleep, as these are two of the main areas affected by both excessive and problematic use (though this is different from addiction or dependence). In terms of more short term health benefits, users have also reported nausea, eye strain and headaches which are largely due to prolonged or incorrect use of the headsets and devices.Our digital future in web 3.0As we enter web 3.0, understanding “psychological principles of empathic design and virtual human-mediated communication is more important than ever”. Much remains to be seen and experienced in the virtual space to support this ever-expanding foray into empathy development, but the many studies examining harm reduction and human connection serve to offer hope with integrity. &nbsp;As young people along with increasing numbers of social groups around the world begin to explore VR due to more accessible pricing of technology and headsets, tools on moderated and safe use will need to develop in order that we protect these online spaces and use them to cultivate positive human interaction and creation. VR could be the next platform for global citizenship to develop, along with increased cultural awareness and de-stigmatised communication, but we must ensure that we create these virtual spaces with moderation in mind as we understand the potential immense change possible for our future generations.&nbsp;

Unpack how virtual reality can enhance empathy and cultural awareness for children and bridge communities. 

Digital Futures

Why Virtual Empathy Matters

Welcome to chapter two of Demystifying, focusing on artificial intelligence! Our latest video in the series explores how young children are gaining early access to the world of AI through interactive learning tools and games. This signals the dawn of a new development in early years education that will inform our classrooms and job markets of the future.

How will artificial intelligence inform the future of teaching and learning?  

Demystifying AI in Education

WoU Editor: Hello, dear readers! Today, we have a fascinating conversation ahead about AI's transformative powers in education. Joining us is ChatGPT, an AI language model with some valuable insights to share. ChatGPT, thank you for being here with us!ChatGPT: Hello. Yes, just here to do my job.WoU Editor: Fantastic, let's jump right in. Recent studies are abuzz with the potential of AI in reshaping education. Can you tell our readers what's causing all this excitement?ChatGPT: Absolutely. AI is like that magical tutor who tailors lessons just for you. Imagine a world where your child's learning experience adapts to their unique strengths and styles. AI does precisely that. It's like having a personal coach for each student, boosting their comprehension, engagement, and even motivation.WoU Editor: That sounds like a game changer. But I've also heard about AI-driven assessments. Can you explain how they fit into the picture?ChatGPT: Great question! AI assessments offer real-time feedback, empowering students to take charge of their learning journey. Think of it as having an instant report card, not just at the end of the semester, but after every single lesson. This kind of feedback fosters a growth mindset, encouraging students to continuously improve.WoU Editor: Immediate feedback does sound pretty empowering. Now, one of the biggest concerns for parents is accessibility. Does AI tackle this?ChatGPT: Excellent point. AI makes education accessible globally. Virtual tutors and chatbots are available 24/7, breaking down geographical barriers. This means no more worrying about time zones or commuting. It's a whole new level of inclusivity and diversity in learning.WoU Editor: That's a relief for many parents and students out there. But what about our hardworking educators? How is AI supporting them?ChatGPT: AI is a hero for teachers, too. It swoops in to handle administrative tasks like scheduling and attendance tracking, freeing up educators to focus on what they do best: teaching and mentoring. It's like having a trusty sidekick in the classroom.WoU Editor: That's a delightful way to put it. But, of course, with great power comes great responsibility. Privacy and the fear of AI replacing human teachers are common concerns. How do we strike the right balance?ChatGPT: You're absolutely right. Balancing technology with human interaction is key. AI should be seen as a helpful tool, not a replacement. It can enhance the learning experience, but it's the human touch that truly inspires and guides students.WoU Editor: Well said, ChatGPT. As we wrap up this conversation, can you offer any parting thoughts on the role of AI in education?ChatGPT: Embracing AI in education means embracing a brighter, more personalised, and accessible future of learning. It's a dynamic force that enriches the learning experience, preparing students for a future driven by innovation and knowledge. The future is exciting, and AI is here to stay.WoU Editor: Thank you, ChatGPT, for shedding light on this exciting journey into the world of AI in education.&nbsp;Parents, stay curious. Keep an eye on how AI continues to revolutionise learning for the next generation.

Let’s talk to the elephant in the room.

AI in education: in conversation with ChatGPT

In this dialogue, researchers Ula Przybylska and Sylvia Rybak delve deep into the complexities surrounding the term totem — a word often overused and loaded with cultural implications. Their exchange underscores the importance of understanding the profound cultural significance behind terms that have been appropriated and misinterpreted in popular discourse.*This dialogue represents the conversation surrounding the divide of Western and Indigenous language to further development of the Worlds of Us game with respect and consideration.—---------Ula: I recently delved into the digital initiative 'World of Us' and was intrigued by their initial concept of the 'Totem Space'. It was designed as an inclusive room where children could craft their own totems, symbolising their unique place in the virtual world. However, the term 'Totem' and its implications in such a context raised several questions for me.Sylvia: Historically, totem has been appropriated and used in a reductionist manner, particularly in Western thought. For instance, Freudian psychology employed it to describe what they termed as primitive cultures, thereby perpetuating a superficial ethnographical understanding. Such usage not only oversimplifies but also exoticises the profound cultural significance of the term.Ula: Indeed, and it's essential to trace back to the origins of such terms to grasp their depth. The term 'totem', for instance, is deeply rooted in the [Ojibwa](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Ojibwa) language, associated with the [Algonquian](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Algonquian) people around Lake Superior. It's rather disconcerting to observe how a term, which encapsulates such rich and varied traditions, has been condensed into a singular, often misinterpreted phrase in popular culture.Sylvia: Your observation reminds me of the popularised term spirit animal. While it has become a casual catchphrase in contemporary culture, its origins in Indigenous traditions are profound, sacred, and varied. The commodification of such terms, without a nuanced understanding of their cultural significance, is a classic manifestation of cultural appropriation. Similarly, totem poles, monumental creations of the First Nations of the Pacific Northwest, have been misinterpreted and misused in popular discourse.Ula: It's a poignant reflection of how language, when divorced from its cultural and historical context, can perpetuate stereotypes and erase the richness of its origins. The phrase lowest on the totem pole, for instance, is a glaring example. Contrary to popular belief, being carved low on a totem pole might be a position of honour in some First Nations communities.Sylvia: Precisely. And it extends beyond just terms. Words like savage, which now bear a positive or semi-positive connotation in modern parlance, have origins steeped in colonial derogation of Indigenous, Black, and other people of colour. Even tribe, a term now casually employed in pop culture, can be perceived as dismissive and disrespectful to Indigenous communities, given its historical misuse.Ula: It's heartening, though, to note that 'World of Us' chose to reflect upon and refrain from using the term totem. Their initiative to provide a glossary, urging users to approach such terms with sensitivity and awareness, is commendable. It underscores the importance of continuous learning and fostering a deeper understanding of the cultural significance of the language we use.Sylvia: Indeed. As scholars, it's imperative for us to illuminate these nuances, challenge prevailing narratives, and advocate for a more informed and respectful discourse.So, what have we learned? From this exchange alone the issue is clearly highlighted. There is an absence of understanding that allows people to acquire language without grasping the centuries of weight that it may carry. With this in mind, World of Us aspires to keep education at the forefront of its mission. The language we use should reflect cultural origins — and should not stray from its most authentic meaning for the sake of entertainment value.&nbsp; We are dedicated to learning beyond our own spaces to create a world founded off placing cultural awareness and respect at its heart.&nbsp;*For readers looking to find original indigenous sources for this conversation and delve deeper in the topic, please see the following links:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Ojibwa">Merriam-Webster on Ojibwa</a><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Algonquian">Merriam-Webster on Algonquian</a><a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/words-and-phrases-commonly-used-offensive-english-language-1.6252274">CBC on Offensive English Language Terms</a><a href="https://www.wellandgood.com/spirit-animal-native-american/">Well and Good on Spirit Animal</a>Critical Indigenous Theory Scholars:Linda Tuhiwai - <a href="https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/decolonizing-methodologies-9781786998125/">Decolonizing Methodologies: Research and Indigenous Peoples</a>Leanne Betasamosake Simpson - <a href="https://www.leannesimpson.ca/book/as-we-have-always-done">We Have Always Done&nbsp;</a>Zoe Todd - <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/johs.12124">An Indigenous Feminist's Take On The Ontological Turn: ‘Ontology’ Is Just Another Word For Colonialism</a>Aileen Moreton-Robinson - <a href="https://aiatsis.gov.au/publication/35686">Whitening Race: Essays in social and cultural criticism</a>&nbsp;

How do we challenge prevailing narratives and advocate for informed discourse?

Mythology 

Beyond the Surface: The Complexities of the Term 'Totem'

In today's ever-evolving digital landscape, education is undergoing a profound transformation. Traditional classroom settings are increasingly incorporating technology and innovative teaching methods to engage and motivate students. One approach gaining traction is the concept of so-called gamified classrooms. As the name dictates, it leverages elements of game design to create an interactive learning experience.&nbsp;The gamified classroom: a paradigm shift in educationThis concept isn’t actually as new-age as it may sound. Over the last decade gamification has boomed, providing educators with a fresh perspective on enhancing learning outcomes. Gamified classrooms are designed to captivate students' attention, foster critical thinking, and promote active participation. This shift is particularly vital in the developing digital space, where access to technology is expanding. Though a challenge still remains in maintaining quality education.Gamification in education offers several benefits. Firstly, it can increase student engagement. By incorporating typical game elements such as points, badges, and rewards, educators can make learning more enjoyable and interactive. Gamification also promotes a sense of competition, which motivates students to excel and achieve their educational goals. This competitive spirit can be channelled positively to encourage collaboration and peer learning.Gamified classrooms can be personalised to cater to individual student needs. Adaptive learning systems can provide tailored content and challenges based on a student's skill level, ensuring that no one is left behind. This unique approach is especially valuable in developing digital spaces where educational resources may be limited.Building 21st-Century skillsOne of the most compelling aspects of gamified classrooms is their ability to foster 21st-century skills. In an increasingly interconnected world, students need to develop skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and digital literacy. Gamification incorporates these skills into the learning process organically.Games often present complex challenges that require strategic thinking and creative problem-solving. By integrating such challenges into the curriculum, gamified classrooms prepare students for real-world situations where these skills are invaluable. Digital literacy can also be enhanced as students navigate through gamified interfaces, becoming proficient in using technology as a tool for learning.Addressing learning gapsIn the developing digital space, access to quality education can be uneven. Gamified classrooms have the potential to bridge this gap by making learning more accessible and engaging. These classrooms can be implemented across various platforms, including low-cost devices and mobile phones. This adaptability allows students in remote or underserved areas to access quality education without requiring expensive infrastructure.Additionally, the ability to track and analyse student progress in gamified classrooms provides educators with valuable insights. Teachers can identify areas where students are struggling and provide targeted support, thereby reducing learning disparities. This data-driven approach is particularly important in regions where educational resources are limited and where personalised instruction can make a significant difference.Challenges and considerationsWhile gamified classrooms hold great promise, they are not without challenges. Educators must strike a balance between gamification elements and the core curriculum to ensure that learning objectives are met. Additionally, not all students may respond positively to gamified approaches, so it is essential to provide alternative methods to accommodate different learning styles.Furthermore, the digital divide remains a significant concern in developing regions. While gamified classrooms have the potential to address this issue, it is crucial to ensure that all students have access to the necessary technology and infrastructure.Gamified classrooms represent a transformative approach to education in the developing digital space. By incorporating game elements into the learning process, educators can enhance engagement, foster 21st-century skills, and address learning gaps. This innovative approach has the potential to revolutionise education and make quality learning experiences more accessible to students worldwide.In a world where technology is advancing rapidly, gamified classrooms serve as a beacon of hope, offering a dynamic and adaptable educational solution that prepares students for the challenges of the digital age. As the digital space continues to evolve, the integration of gamification in education may become a cornerstone of modern learning, ensuring that students are not only prepared for the future but actively engaged in shaping it.

Addressing learning gaps and building new skills

What is the role of gamified classrooms in the developing digital space?

”How does participation in the digital world influence children’s cognitive and social development?”“What skills, knowledge and capabilities do children need to manage, engage and benefit from participating in the digital world?”“How can family, educators and society effectively support children’s involvement in the digital world?”These are the three initial questions posed by the Woolf Fisher Research Centre at the University of Auckland. This study,&nbsp;<a href="https://developingindigitalworlds.blogs.auckland.ac.nz/">Developing in Digital Worlds</a>, began in July 2015 in order that parents, teachers and children would be offered the opportunity to understand developing engagement in the digital world. The concept was bolstered by the fact that “despite the promise of digital technologies, little research and development has occurred to determine the cognitive skills and the social skills children need.” This work looked into subject areas across English, maths, science and Māori contexts, informed by ‘new knowledge’ obtained from children aged 4-18. This study was the first of its kind. Focusing entirely on developing the link between teaching, engagement and game-based learning to promote educational outcomes, the research team began with three main objectives, detailed below:&nbsp;One, to understand the development and learning of ‘21st Century’ skills in children and adolescents;Two, to understand how we can prevent new digital environments opening up a second ‘digital divide’ between low socio-economic status or diverse cultural and linguistic communities, from more affluent ‘mainstream’ communities;And three, to understand how development of these skills differs between educational environments. The study surveys ‘early adopting’ clusters of schools, in which students are exposed to high-usage digital environments in and out-of-school, as well as ‘later adopting’ clusters whose students are at the initial stages of digital interaction. The Developing in Digital Worlds study also includes Māori medium Kura, in line with the Ministry of Business, Employment and Innovation’s Vision Mātauranga policy.Looking at accessibility“Educational professionals, networks, and parents/whānau'' will be offered long-term access to all of the digital resources and knowledge found throughout the study. This aims to create a digital knowledge exchange unbounded by socioeconomic borders and status. The study is focused on low socioeconomic communities, and intends to prevent a “digital divide”. Education trusts at partnering schools have contributed to the study through feedback sessions, partnerships and additional projects. This means that the scope of the study includes a true reflection of the diversity present in New Zealand with both Māori and Pasifika communities represented.&nbsp;But, what is the Digital Divide?The digital divide refers to the gap between demographics and regions that have access to modern information and communications technology and those that don’t.*Creating the gameFollowing their research, the team responsible used their findings to design and develop the educational game&nbsp;Astria: Countdown to Impact.&nbsp;The game “provides a collaborative game experience” to encourage players to expand their critical thinking and critical literacy, discovering important links to inclusive texts from the New Zealand Curriculum Te Marautanga O Aotearoa. The main focus of the game is to demonstrate the importance of ‘source, fact, bias’ framing, and offers teachers agency to create their own analysis of students’ critical reasoning and knowledge expansion. It also features automated assessment tools as well as real-time feedback reporting and critical literacy discourse options. Schools around the world are offered the option to login online and play the game, with widespread access creating borderless communication and a wider reach for digital knowledge exchange.What we can learn from this workWe can explore this study as a blueprint for understanding the important educational links between community and digital engagement. The focus on 21st-century skills with an added layer of respect to traditional texts and social involvement is particularly pertinent to our work at World of Us. We have also learned from how social and digital development can grow parallel, and that parents, teachers and families must be involved in every stage of the process to ensure a complete picture of the needs of children in this evolving landscape.&nbsp;*To learn more about the digital divide this resource from Investopedia breaks it down nicely <a href="https://www.investopedia.com/the-digital-divide-5116352 ">here</a>.&nbsp;

Dive into the first study in the world to develop the link between teaching, family engagement and game-based learning

Spotlight on Developing in Digital Worlds

What if there was a way that the world of gaming could positively enhance our access to and experiences of the digital space? Revered game developer Mike Wilson and former medtech executive Ryan Douglas are the minds behind <a href="https://www.deepwelldtx.com/">Deepwell</a>. The pair have found through combining their multi-industry expertise with extensive research into things like gaming versus medication, or the impact of games on PTSD and psychological therapy outcomes that this could become a not-so-distant reality.This is a new concept of therapeutic gaming, or “medicinalisation” as coined by Ryan Douglas during the <a href="https://www.gamesforchange.org/">Games for Change</a> talk on mental health and gaming in August. Douglas expressed the complexities of designing a new sector in the gaming industry founded in therapeutic research and made solely for the gamified therapy market. He also shared just how diverse, accessible and powerful therapeutic gaming could be for mental health around the world. This process of “finding the fun” while ensuring the therapeutic tools remain at the core of these new gaming concepts is explored in detail during the <a href="https://www.gamesforchange.org/">Games for Change</a> talk.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxmMDFh62qA">Check it out here!</a>

What is the positive power of play? And how can we use it to support our mental health?

Educational Games

Digital Safety 

Beyond Entertainment: The role of Gaming in Mental Resilience

It’s not surprising to learn that <a href="https://techjury.net/blog/time-spent-on-social-media/">young people aged 16-24 now spend over 5 hours a day on social media in 2023</a>. But it could be surprising to learn just how and why this level of access could positively impact mental health. This exposure has often been reported to impact feelings of social isolation and social comparison, with the growing community benefits and possibilities for large support networks being left out of the conversation. So let's look more closely at the positive opportunities for change and growth developing in the online world.<a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://jedfoundation.org/&amp;sa=D&amp;source=docs&amp;ust=1693390245497864&amp;usg=AOvVaw0XxLMLK4CCmXiGVsBCExqR">The Jed Foundation </a>is a US non-profit focused on empowering teenagers and young adults through “building resilience and life skills and promoting social connectedness.” As part of the important work they are doing, Jed published a <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://jedfoundation.org/metaverse-and-youth-mental-health/&amp;sa=D&amp;source=docs&amp;ust=1693390245498792&amp;usg=AOvVaw2VPg18C6_cMQdQvpCCegUh">report</a> in July 2023 offering actionable guidance on how we can tap into a “metaverse ecosystem that centres the rights and well-being of youth.”&nbsp;Initiatives such as <a href="https://www.gamesforchange.org/">Games for Change</a> and <a href="https://connectedlearning.uci.edu/">Connected Learning Lab</a> are diving deeper into creating opportunities for awareness, connection and communication within the gaming industry and game development.Games for Change hosted a panel in August centred on the relationship between a metaverse and mental health. Industry experts and mental health specialists came together to offer concerns and solutions for a world needing greater connectivity in the digital space. Read on to discover some of the engaging and empowering ways in which young people can utilise a metaverse to enhance their IRL experiences.AgencyOne of the most accessible tools for young people navigating a developing digital world is social media. Young people (16-24) have increasingly been using platforms such as mobile health apps (64%) and 87% have gone online for mental health information. These digital tools offer young people a feeling of agency and connectedness over their mental health, along with a wealth of information online. Developers are beginning to tap into the importance of working with mental health professionals and to create initiatives (such as with <a href="https://www.deepwelldtx.com/">Deepwell</a>) that are specifically angled towards supporting positive mental health and open communication. With the numerous metaverse options available in the current market (to include social media platforms, gaming, immersive worlds) the potential for increased engagement and social connection should be enormous in the coming years.SupportYoung people are also exhibiting signs of online community creation that is motivated by support, shared experience and care. 39% of young people use online spaces to seek others with shared conditions, suggesting that engagement could develop into spaces where social support is offered in identity-affirming communities. In order for this concept to authentically generate safe and positive experiences, the Jed report suggests creating a model of a “youth-centred metaverse system.” This means situating young people within every research avenue, to ensure that what they really need and feel is heard when developing the spaces they have access to.PlayChildren and adults alike are motivated by the positive power of play, whether to engage in immersive reality games with friends in the online world or challenge oneself through logic-focused apps. Young people especially use gaming as a space for connection with people around the world, ensuring that those from marginalised communities are also able to play and share together regardless of social boundaries. This creation of community through play needs to be strictly regulated with the implementation of age-gating and community guidelines to ensure that communication is safe and open.&nbsp;Head over to&nbsp;<a href="https://jedfoundation.org/">https://jedfoundation.org/</a> to discover more on mental health resources and the incredible work they do.

Learn more about the initiatives changing the game.

Digital support networks: Discover how social media and metaverse could actually be good for young people's mental health

TALES caught up with Sarah Jaquette Ray, author of A Field Guide to Climate Anxiety and an Environmental Studies professor at Humboldt University, California, to discuss the role education can play in fighting the climate crisis. She dives into how and when we should include young people in the conversation.TALES:&nbsp;Last year, you released the book&nbsp;A Field Guide to Climate Anxiety, aimed at helping young adults deal with the emotional impacts of climate change. With ever-worsening weather events brought on by global warming and a clear rise in the number of people experiencing so-called eco-anxiety, this seems to be a well-timed piece of literature. What exactly made you want to write it?Ray:&nbsp;My background is in environmental justice, from a humanities perspective. I studied human geography and explored ideas about place and identity and power and discourse. I have led environmental studies programs since my first tenure-track position. I realised about five years in, during my first year coming to Humboldt State, that students were not emotionally equipped to deal with this information about the climate breakdown, and the information was getting worse. I felt like it was not doing them any service to depress the hell out of them and many of them would end up just leaving school. I was starting to wonder what we were really doing. What were we doing to our students? I decided I had to go and research it, and ask what the consequences of this information could be, and what the psychological endgame or concept ultimately was.“I was watching students drop like flies”Ray:&nbsp;My focus was college students; rethinking environmental knowledge to teach other professors and also to teach my students about the kind of hidden emotional curriculum of our syllabi.Climate change was quickly becoming my focus of interest, and climate justice in particular. I was excited about how the justice movement was changing the climate movement. I was paying attention to that question: how did the movement all of a sudden become a justice-oriented one? I then had to figure out how to bring in the psychology aspect to know how best to teach my students.I started to research how bad the mental health situation was for young people, and then compounding climate change with that, and their sense of a bleak future. I had a daunting moment when I asked my students to visualise the planet 20 years from now, and they couldn't. It was just heartbreaking. I started to think, “this is bad.”I decided to write a book about it: A Field Guide to Climate Anxiety, to summarise all of this research. I wanted it to be digestible for young people. My purpose on this planet now is to make sure that this generation has what it needs to do this work. We need them to rise to the occasion and be up for it. The wisdom aspects are not always there yet with them, like their prefrontal cortex is barely online right now. They need so many skills around emotional intelligence, and I really think it is an existential task.I thought to myself after the election in 2016, “what can an environmental humanities professor do in this world? Like, what action can I take, from this position? What's the bold thing that we all are called to do in this moment to change the tide?”&nbsp;The book, the research on interior climate resilience, was the best I could come up with. To me, it feels like the environmental community, including students, but definitely educators, need a lot of tools around racial justice and interior resilience.“There's this diversity of knowledge coming in the door”TALES:&nbsp;You gave a talk on climate justice and race for the series of discussions on facing the climate crisis called ‘The Existential Toolkit’ back in January of this year. You mentioned the erasure of non-white environmental knowledge. Can you expand on what this means and explain the alternative?Ray:&nbsp;One of the ways we talk about environmental knowledge is ‘epistemic harm’ or ‘epistemological violence’. This has to do with the environmental knowledge that comes out of the kind of enlightenment, ecology, and Western science, vs. the knowledge that was erased by that.There's a delicate, and difficult, relationship with science and environmental studies. Environmentalism (including the science of ecology) has long used science as a way to dictate which people are ‘good’ to nature, which people are ‘bad’ for nature, what kind of behaviours are deemed good, and which worldviews are deemed good for nature. These distinctions have done a lot of damage. Think of the history of eugenics in America; the history of genocide and removal of natives from national parks; the worry about limited resources and how it can lead to xenophobia, hoarding, and fear of immigrants. This tradition is very strong in America, indeed you can see that the idea of this nation was built on it. That's what I wrote about in my first book, The Ecological Other.A classic example is when white people saw native people doing rotational harvesting and moving with the seasons, and thought that they weren't using the land properly, not ‘improving’ it, which defined ‘ownership’ to colonisers, so they took the land from them. You use your lens to interpret what's objectively good and bad environmental behaviour, and you think of it as scientifically grounded in fact. I think that's what I'm trying to destabilise there. It's to have professors not just say “we're here to teach our science and get people on board.” That is not innocent. It comes out of a historical and social and racialised set of power knowledge formations.If we think of our students then from an ‘asset model’, you create space to have them explore, articulate, get confident with and figure out how to deploy in their lives their already existing traditions of knowledge. That’s a very different approach. It's not the sort of mono-cultural idea of: 'I have got the knowledge, I'm going to teach it to you', but rather there's this diversity of knowledge coming in the door. So, what do we need to do to see all that? A &nbsp;couple of my favourite people, such as <a href="https://www.carolynfinney.com/">Carolyn Finney</a>, and <a href="https://pybarra.weebly.com/">Priscilla Ybarra</a>, have written books on this. There are lots of traditions in African-American culture of being connected to the land: Indigenous peoples are five percent of the population but manage 80% of the biodiversity. It’s not a coincidence that biological life thrives where they are. They just haven't been counted as ‘environmental’ because they’re not the dominant view. So, what are all these ways of connecting to the land? And what is all that knowledge that's there already? We need some humility around the environmental science knowledge that is the canon, you know?Indigenous knowledge is a great example. I have students who walk into forestry classes or rangeland science classes, and get told that the first rangeland scientist was some white guy in 1860. So then Indigenous students are thinking: “My people have been doing rangeland science since time immemorial you know?” So there's a sense of an ‘innocent teaching’ of the way you got taught as a white person that the first ecologist was Ernst Haeckel. There are founding fathers of the environmental movement that even if you think you're innocently teaching this stuff because you think of it as fact, it can feel like a complete erasure of millennia of knowledge building.“The younger generation right now is teaching us everything”TALES:&nbsp;How would you recommend educators or parents approach this, particularly with younger children, so that you don't get this erasure of knowledge?Ray:&nbsp;I would have someone rewrite a kind of ‘environmental privilege&nbsp;knapsack’ for that age group. That would be so cool and I haven't seen that. It could be within different contexts, as that's a super US-based context.&nbsp;Young kids can become really engaged right away about what it means to be an environmentalist and then go from there to express on who is an environmentalist. I love asking the question: “do people of colour care about the environment?” In my classrooms, I have to do it in an anonymous way. We have to separate the answers from each person because the calling out can get too angry, too quickly. It’s an intense conversation because the assumption about a lot of white students is that care about the environment is a kind of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs: it’s only for the privileged. The lack of BIPOC in dominant green spaces seems to prove it, but the data doesn’t bear this out. BIPOC are more concerned about the environment. So, if we can talk about it as ideas that are out there and engage and take them apart, it's a lot easier than to say “you're dumb” or “you're racist”. That doesn't work.There's an assumption that the reason behind why students want to do environmental studies is because they grew up camping and hiking, or surrounded by nature in some way. I immediately think to myself, “OK, let's tease that apart.” Even the nature deficit disorder stuff is super privileged. Nature is everywhere, even under a freeway bypass, or in a Superfund site. Anywhere we are, we are part of nature. It’s not “out there.”We need to educate young people at an early age and they're already doing it. I mean, the younger generation right now is teaching us everything, so I feel like I'm learning everything I know from them on this topic.In the end, this is where I think that love of nature, all of the stuff that I am saying I'm critical of, is the doorway to climate anxiety. Love of nature is a doorway in. These are all doorways in. So, even if we then turn around and trouble those things, they have a value. You know, they're important. It’s what keeps people engaged for the long haul: it’s a love of all of that stuff.While it might feel like there will never be a right time to introduce the topic of climate change to young people, the answer as we’ve seen is now. Don’t worry, we didn’t end our chat with Sarah before asking where to get started in a topic this complex.Ray: Mary Democker has written a book,&nbsp;The Parents’ Guide to Climate Revolution and it's one hundred things that you and your kids can do. It's very much written for parents and it's entirely intersectional. I was blown away.Leslie Davenport has written the book:&nbsp;Emotional Resilience in an Era of Climate Change, that's her main book. She's a clinical psychologist, but she's about to publish not just one, but maybe two books that are geared for young people.And Elin Kelsey wrote&nbsp;Hope Matters. She is one of the people who collaborated on the&nbsp;Existential Toolkit. This interview was carried out in January 2021. It has been edited to reflect this.Sarah Jaquette Ray is currently working on The Existential Toolkit. Check it out <a href="https://www.existentialtoolkit.com/">here</a>.

"I asked my students to visualise the planet 20 years from now, and they couldn't. It was heartbreaking." 

Environment

Sarah Jaquette Ray on educating the next generation of activists

Take a look into how projects around the world are emerging to empower communities to preserve and share their cultural heritage with the world

Preserving Indigenous Heritage: The Power of Digital Knowledge Exchange

“Facing the ecological crisis has become a developmental issue and a task that every contemporary person has to face”, said <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=wwPxvoMAAAAJ&amp;hl=fi">Panu Pihkala</a>, one of the world’s leading eco-anxiety specialists. He speaks calmly and matter-of-factly over a Zoom call as he dials in from Helsinki on a snowy January morning.&nbsp;He continues: “Where professional educators used to say children should not be taught about ‘big tragedies before grade seven’, there’s evidence that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/av/uk-england-derbyshire-49816744">now even children in daycare have heard of the climate crisis</a>.”&nbsp;So, what exactly are ‘eco-fear’ and ‘eco-anxiety’?When kept in check, ‘eco-fear’ is a rational response to the climate crisis. At this stage it can be used as a motivational power for good and it can inspire change.&nbsp;However, when it starts to impacting on everyday life with symptoms such as insomnia, catastrophising or negative ruminating thoughts, it becomes more problematic. This combination of feelings becomes ‘eco-anxiety’, which the American Psychological Association defined in 2017 as “a chronic fear of environmental doom.” Not ideal, huh?Who does it affect?The term has been criticised for seeming classist; like a complex reserved for those of privileged, industrialised societies. While it’s true that we have heard more about the climate breakdown from these voices lately,&nbsp;<a href="https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/publications/race-and-climate-change/">research</a> tells us that climate distress is felt disproportionately by disadvantaged communities and those who face socioeconomic inequalities, who more often than not are black, Indigenous and people of colour.&nbsp;Eco-anxiety can affect someone at any age, but we are now seeing a surge in the number of children experiencing it, with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/nov/20/half-of-child-psychiatrists-surveyed-say-patients-have-environment-anxiety">half of UK child psychologists saying their patients are feeling distress over the future of the planet</a>.In fact, in September 2021,&nbsp;<a href="https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3918955">a landmark study</a> in what’s said to be the largest youth survey of its kind, found that a jaw-dropping 56% of 16-25 year olds are experiencing climate anxiety. Of the 10,000 young people surveyed across 10 countries, researchers found that the people living in <a href="https://www.climaterealityproject.org/frontline-fenceline-communities">frontline communities</a> are worrying the most, with 92% of respondents in the Philippines feeling scared about the future. This is in stark contrast to &nbsp;only 56% of cases in Finland.&nbsp;With data like this in mind, we have to reflect on the fact that this new ‘wave’ of eco fear isn’t that new at all. The communities that have been on the frontline of environmental distress for the longest are at their limits. And while they are resilient, it will take movements on a global scale to change their fate. In other words, we need to be listening to these voices and building coalitions with different communities now.So, what can we do to help the younger generation?&nbsp;There’s no way to hide it. The climate crisis is happening now. But there is hope. The younger generation can unlearn the mistakes of our past to forge new opportunities for the planet and all of its inhabitants. That means animals and plants, too!Pihkala explains that there are several things guardians can do to help. This ranges from encouraging children to join groups where they can carry out collective action and community building, to speaking with their children openly about emotions related to the ecological crisis, so they can see that the adults around them are taking the issue seriously.&nbsp;The responsibility can’t just be shifted to young people. Pihkala also&nbsp;<a href="http://ecoanxietyandhope.blogspot.com/2018/10/10-recommendations-for-people-with-eco.html">recommends that adults carry out inner work themselves</a>, so that they are better prepared to provide much-needed support when it comes to emotions, which could range from anger to grief, and denial to enthusiasm, depending on their individual attitudes and beliefs. It is highly important that guardians don’t delegate their own anxiety and fear to children.What can our institutions do to help?Educational institutions play a crucial role. Without them, it is like fighting a fire without water.Historically, emotions have been sidelined in favour of reason and intellectualism. However, this is now being challenged.&nbsp;In the UK,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.teachthefuture.uk/">Teach the Future</a>, a youth advocacy group, is lobbying to get the topic onto all classes across the national curricula in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales. Tess Corcoran, the project’s campaign coordinator, explains teachers will need to be equipped with the right tools to teach this improved syllabus:&nbsp;&nbsp;“Teachers don't know how to help students struggling with eco-anxiety and that this should be part of teacher training. Of course, teaching students about the reality of the climate crisis will inevitably increase eco-anxiety, but if teachers know how to help with this it will ultimately help everyone. Eco-anxiety will exist regardless of levels of climate education, so it benefits everyone to discuss these feelings and examine how we can turn that fear into action.”&nbsp;New Zealand is pioneering this movement, by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jan/13/new-zealand-schools-to-teach-students-about-climate-crisis-activism-and-eco-anxiety">giving every school access to information about the climate crisis</a>, including tools for students to plan their own activism while processing their feelings of eco-anxiety. Meanwhile, just last autumn, Finland’s Ministry of Education issued&nbsp;<a href="https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/new_climate_studies_programme_coming_to_schools_in_finland/10754815">new guidelines on climate anxiety for schools</a>. Having worked as an advisor on the Finnish project, Pihkala reflected on its progress:&nbsp;“If you go to a random Finnish school, it's probably not taken off there yet. And, of course, in New Zealand, it will also take time. I think it's inspiring and encouraging that in various places in the world, this is getting more and more attention. I think that overall, we need to have more of a focus on social support for helping educators and parents to try to encounter their own emotions, even though it may be difficult. Luckily, there are organisations emerging in several countries offering that kind of support.”But wait, what do you do?We are now at a tipping point where awareness of eco-anxiety is starting to hit the mainstream. For many, the fear is increasing but finding the right tools for the job is still a struggle.<a href="https://www.talesofus.com/">TALES</a> is determined to fill this gap.&nbsp;Through storytelling, we can explore the worlds that are out of sight and never out of mind. The mythologies that shape these cultures provide us with the original insights into native living, agriculture, preservation and survival. Without these voices being raised we are guessing what to do. Looking at this as outsiders is no longer an option. We believe that within the hearts of these communities lie the answers we all need to hear and learn from.&nbsp;By equipping the next generation with critical minds, empathy, and compassion, we can turn their despair into action.

The younger generation can unlearn the mistakes of the past to forge new opportunities for the planet and all of its inhabitants. 

Why Is Saving The Planet So Stressful?

João Araió speaks to Obirin Odara for WoU.info. João is the coordinator of <a href="https://gatomidia.com/">GatoMídia</a>'s pedagogical initiative which searches for recognition and expansion of the reach of initiatives that are led by people who are subordinated by economic, political aesthetic and social structures. In this interview, we are two black people communicating using different strategies produced from our identities. These are created not only for survival, but also for reworking the future along with the present from an ancestral perspective. Obirin: To begin with, tell us a little about your trajectory, João? João: My name is João Araió and I’m talking to you now from the territory of Baixada Fluminense, in Rio de Janeiro. I was born in Piauí and came here when I was 10 years old. I’m a journalist by trade, and when I found myself in the job market I suffered some professional disappointment, especially while working as a press secretary. So, I decided to look for another way. I joined a collective called ‘Ocupa Alemão’, from which the idea of GatoMídia was created. The ‘Ocupa Alemão’ collective emerged in the context of violence against the youth of that territory, at the turn of 2012 to 2013. We were at the height of the advance of the Public Security policy in Rio de Janeiro with the implementation of the UPPs (Police Pacification Units). We emerged at a time of increasing police violence, which brought about a lot of violation of the rights of the black population, along with criminalisation of daily life in the favela, and of culture and knowledge. It brought about a &nbsp;kind of mechanisation of life within the communities. They begun implementing curfews from 10 o'clock at night in the Complexo do Alemão and Borel. The collective carried out action to confront this curfew which also included a cultural activity in order to raise awareness of the residents. This desire of ours to create a space that was also for exchange and sharing of knowledge and experiences is how the idea of GatoMídia was born. At first, it was a set of workshops where we brought some content to the young people of Complexo do Alemão and, little by little, we created and built upon our own identity. There was a need for these young people to look with new eyes at the technology that already existed, of which they already had a certain understanding, so we took this path and developed the project bit by bit. Obirin: So, it's already been 10 years since this initiative was born, right? I find this story very interesting, because there are a series of urgent demands that arise when we are in a context of militarisation such as this, which directly impacts the body and daily life. The public security of the state, in the favelas, emerges as a control over all aspects of life and creates demands for the community that must be upheld in order for the people there to survive. Discussing technology, in this context, can seem distant, but technology is also about (re)creating the possibility to exist. It is incredible to observe how GatoMídia nurtures this dream amid so many politics of death, which makes thinking about technology a bigger challenge than it already is. How did you build this narrative and even go about spreading this idea in such a context? João: What you just mentioned reminded me of something <a href="https://www.institutfrancais.com/en/magazine/portrait/ailton-krenak">Ailton Krenak</a> said in an interview. He explained that, with technology, the mediation between the local and the global ceases to exist. So, without technology, the young person who is in the periphery is passed through various filters accessing information. With technology, he now has a more fluid path to this information and he can either have direct access to this information or he can produce information and take the opposite path as well. The logic of GatoMídia is very much in line with this, as it works to transform each young person from the periphery into a potential communicator, as a creator of their own narrative. Therefore, our axis of learning aims to bring about more training workshops, with a methodology that we create over time. Obirin: I am always happy when the ideas of black people materialise because we know that Brazil produces many setbacks for us that make it hard to realise our dreams, ideas and projects. Imagining is already a difficult process for us to glimpse possible scenarios and it is very beautiful and powerful to see how an idea from a group of young, black and favela youths has been alive and kicking for 10 years. In terms of the formative perspective of GatoMídia, you base a lot on black, peripheral and Indigenous people in the field of technology. When we look at the formal education in Brazil, according to the <a href="https://www.gov.br/inep/pt-br/assuntos/noticias/censo-da-educacao-superior/resultados-do-censo-da-educacao-superior-2020-disponiveis">Higher Education Census</a> that was prepared by the Ministry of Education in 2020, Brazil trained 51,000 professionals in the area of computing and information and communication technology, of which only 32% are from black and brown people and one percent from Indigenous people. That is, in the courses that most directly prepare people for technology, we have the large majority of white people. Additionally, there is also the perspective which does not consider the contribution of the African continent and the Amerindian peoples, as if only Europe and the USA had something to contribute to the area and, consequently, to the future. Obirin: How does GatoMídia think the technology and the training of black and Indigenous people can enable us to enter this area? João: The academy in general is very Eurocentric. That's why we can already see that the coloniser is there to deny the identity, humanity, and knowledge of the colonised peoples. The pre-colonial civilisations here in the Americas were already developing their technologies and everything was contained within this idea of so-called ‘discovery’ and colonisation. This line of thinking is the same as denying that there are technologies being created in peripheral, traditional and Indigenous communities. So, when we are going to debate about academic teaching, we already start from that place. That is why GatoMídia comes with this counter-discourse; to say that black, Indigenous and peripheral knowledge does exist and that it is not here to ‘transfer’ knowledge, but to share and exchange.&nbsp; When we think about training, one of the criteria is the capacity to apply knowledge, so the contents that we promote in the laboratories come from the territory, thus joining African philosophies and Indigenous cosmologies. This happens in our Amerindian permanent laboratory, for example. Obirin: Can you explain more about how GatoMídia started its formative processes in a laboratory format?&nbsp; João: We started with workshops on photography, creative writing, and social networks. At the beginning, we were very much into the web 2.0 wave. After we became independent, we started to produce residencies that were slightly larger and with more elaborate workshops. Our first residency was called ‘Favelado 2.0’, precisely to bring this idea of using social networks as a tool for the production of communication and narrative from within the favela. We began to diversify the residencies as we managed to obtain more partnerships and resources to pay for everything we were creating. In 2018, the first Afrofuturist Lab emerged, also bringing new content for labs on technologies such as artificial intelligence. In 2019, we made the second edition still with this intention of bringing about learning in virtual realities and, from 2020, with the pandemic, we needed to readapt. This was kind of a blessing and a curse, as we now have a more national reach because of the online format. We reached many people in the north and northeast of Brazil, and with this we realised the greater importance of bringing content that is linked to the ancestry of these territories. We also began to incorporate African philosophy, along with knowledge of the African diaspora, knowledge of the peoples originating from Brazil, which today form part of the Afro-Amerindian permanent laboratory. In this lab we have a compulsory content grid, and then we divide the class according to the interests of each student, in three different ‘languages’: technological narratives, immersive narratives and visual narratives. In the last issue, we produced a campaign which we are now publicising. It’s called ‘The Brazil We Imagine’, where we bring political concepts that come from these territories. This offers a very rich heritage of this ancestral knowledge. Obirin: How was your relationship with technology at first, given that it is not your area of training? João: I was a young man who had access to technology very late in life. I only had my first computer when I was already in college, and access to the internet only happened in late adolescence. Because of this, I still have a troubled relationship with networks and social platforms. When I decided to join GatoMídia, I still had this little knowledge, but we usually say that we learn when we do. The most accessible technology for us is the mobile phone, which is and has always been a tool that most young people from favelas and the periphery had access to, even in a precarious way. So, we started with this tool and went on to gain access to other technologies. Obirin: It is important to say that, in order to discuss technology, we do not need to be trained in areas of computer science necessarily, right? We can start with what we have and what we already know.&nbsp; Thinking about the relationship between technology and race, we realise that whiteness has other concerns because she does not have her life put at risk because of her racial identity. I think that's the first point: not having to worry about survival allows a reallocation of energy, such as being able to think about molecular gastronomy, flying cars, robots that clean houses... there are other concerns because they have time to think about other things in life. I think about this a lot when we talk about technology from the perspective of someone who is white, straight, cis, from the global north, and in general those who are thinking about technology on a global level. It is not only a question of lack of representation. Not including people with other identities, such as black and Indigenous people, women, Latinos, people with disabilities, LGBTQIA+ and the like, is also not talking about the purpose of the technology they produce, because technology is a product of our concern, and of how we perceive and live the world. On that basis I would like you to share at least one project that was produced in the laboratories by black, Indigenous and/or slum people. João: We like to say that, just like communication, technology is not neutral. It brings a whole set of values from those who do it, and when we think about technology produced by black and Indigenous people, we are thinking about technology with a different set of ethics. Throughout the existence of GatoMídia, we produced a lot of content, both creating and thinking visually, as well as in the reproduction of this knowledge. We had a laboratory in which the students thought of a game depicting daily life in the favela and the idea was to deconstruct some stereotypes about the people who live in the favela and how we solve the daily problems in our own way. Another example is the immersive narratives we launched in 2019. It was the year of the second Afrofuturist laboratory, where we were already thinking of producing some ideas including virtual reality. We applied for a UN call for proposals for a programme aimed at the production of immersive narratives. We were selected, and we had the equipment to produce, so we assembled a team and produced two immersive narratives in the Complex do Alemão and Maré. They are the first 360° documentaries, in short film format, made by people from the favela. One of them was selected to be exhibited during the UN assembly that year in New York, with nine others from around the world. Finally, within the laboratories also came the idea of the Immersive Favela Festival to popularise technology among people from favelas and the periphery based on the need of people to show more content produced from within these communities and to stimulate these people to produce more of this content, which happened in 2021. This generated other connections beyond the seas, with Africans who also produce territory-based narratives. The idea is for us to produce more, and further in partnership with the people who have passed through GatoMídia. We are a living network that is always producing. Obirin: To conclude, João, I would like you to answer: what is technology for you? João: I think that technology only makes sense when it starts from our understanding of our bodies. It's understanding the needs of that body, where it is, and what we want to leave, express, speak, which stories we want to make visible. I think that technology is a means for us to bring these stories to the forefront. Technology is a way for us to think about relations of production, relations of consumption, of care. That is, how we can also use technology to think about care, not only thinking about mental health, but also thinking about our territory, body, home, where the people live.&nbsp; Obirin: Thank you, João. I hope that with this, more black and Indigenous people of the world feel encouraged to compete for technology under another paradigm. Congratulations to GatoMídia and long life to this project!

"Technology only makes sense when it starts from our understanding of our bodies."

Make no mistake, technology is for those who are black, Indigenous and also slum-dwellers

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