معرفی
Mimi Ito serves as Professor in Residence and John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Chair in Digital Media and Learning at the University of California, Irvine, where she directs the Connected Learning Lab (CLL). The CLL stewards the Connected Learning Alliance—a global network mobilizing technology for youth equity—and she co-founded Connected Camps, a nonprofit providing inclusive online learning experiences for children.
Her research pioneers connected learning frameworks that bridge youth interests, social networks, and equity-focused design. Key domains include:
- Digital youth culture decoding for parents/educators
- Algorithmic rights and AI impacts on children
- Social media’s relationship with adolescent wellbeing
- Affinity space learning (gaming, fandom, anime)
- Equity-by-design in educational technologies
- Neurodiversity-informed learning approaches
Media coverage of her research spans The New York Times, Wired, The Atlantic, and CNN, with recent focus on AI’s role in youth development (2024–2025). She leads high-impact projects including Youth Connections for Wellbeing, Equitable Futures Innovation Network, and Capturing Connected Learning in Libraries.
Ito actively shapes policy through speaking engagements with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and advisory roles for organizations like Raising Good Gamers. Her approach integrates cultural anthropology with learning science to transform digital environments into supportive learning ecosystems.
