Marina U. Bers, PhD released her second book, Designing Digital Experiences for Positive Youth Development: From playpen to playground (Oxford University Press), in February.  Based on over a decade and a half of research, Designing Digital Experiences for Positive Youth Development guides readers in the design of digital technologies to promote positive behaviors in children and teenagers. Highlighting the positive impact of new technologies in various domains across the developmental span, from early childhood to late adolescence, the book explores how young people are using technology today, how these experiences influence different age groups and domains, and how mastering technological literacy can lead to confidence, competence, and developmental growth. Following this exploration, the Bers presents her own theoretical framework (coined Positive Technological Development, or PTD) for designing and evaluating programs to support children and teenagers’ positive uses of technology. Each chapter is supplemented with vignettes describing, from a developmental perspective, the diverse experiences of today's youth with current technology. Case studies are then presented that illustrate how PTD has effectively informed the design of educational programs. Offering a fresh perspective that bridges digital media and youth development models, this book is an important resource for educators, policy makers, and mental health professionals, as well as researchers interested in child development, psychology and learning technologies.

Marina Bers (Marina.Bers@tufts.edu)