The Institute for Research on Digital Literacies has for two decades brought together scholars, teachers, learners, tech industry experts, school boards, and feminist gaming pioneers from around the world to understand the transformative power and consequences of emerging digital technologies.
It is my honor to join this community and to launch a new phase of IRDL’s proud story by welcoming a community of researchers whose interests extend our mandate to include digital cultures related to youth, social media, surveillance, and privacy issues, AI, generational analysis, diverse literacies, and ongoing innovations in learning technologies.
Our work at IRDL is supported by York University’s research excellence mandate, our award-winning faculty, and our dedicated post-doctoral fellows, graduate students, undergraduates, and staff.
In a rapidly changing digital world, the Institute for Research on Digital Literacies looks optimistically toward a future of discovery, collaboration, mentorship, and innovation.
On a personal note, in the past few months it has become clear that the digital world is radically shaping the way we live our lives. Like many of you, my whole world has moved into digital spaces – my family life, my work life, my social life. And, there are many others for whom this isn’t possible, who aren’t able to access these spaces easily.
It is with this in mind that I approach this new academic year both excited and daunted by the challenging work ahead to understand the complexities of 2021’s digital experience as our lives weave in and through digital spaces.
Sincerely,
Dr. Natalie Coulter
Director of IRDL
