Vol. 1, No. 1 | Spring 2002
Welcome to the UC Links newsletter, a newsletter for children, undergraduate students, parents, teachers, university researchers, community organization staff and volunteers, policy makers, and other friends. UC Links—University-Community Links—depends on the efforts of diverse people who share the goal of improving educational opportunities for learners both young and old. Each of us contributes unique talents and perspectives in support of this goal.
You'll find evidence in this newsletter of how these talents work together to help create the variety of programs that connect communities and universities in the UC Links network. Most UC Links sites offer after-school learning activities for children and youth from kindergarten to high school. Most sites involve university undergraduates as partners for younger learners. And most sites offer youth access to computer technology and a variety of guided technology-based activities that support the development of literacy, math, and critical thinking skills. Each site is different, with its own name and way of doing things; nevertheless, all sites provide an environment where learning is playful and collaborative play leads to learning. Although many sites in the UC Links network have been operating for a number of years, this first issue of the UC Links newsletter highlights the development of several new sites and programs.
UC Links sites in California are supported by the University of California and are part of the university's Educational Outreach and School/University Partnership efforts. UC Links also shares resources and information with similar programs throughout the United States and the world.
We invite you to share your experience with others through this newsletter. We welcome stories related to UC Links programs, including research reports, news items, interviews, book or software reviews, and photo essays. We also encourage you to respond to what you read here. (Note that authors have used pseudonyms when writing about the children who participate in UC Links programs.) Please send comments and submissions to Editor, UC Links, 615C University Hall #1040, Berkeley, CA 94720-1040 or uclinks@socrates.berkeley.edu.
Chalon Emmons
Editor, UC Links Newsletter
WELCOME
La Clase Mágica: New Communities of Learners
HumaniFest Online: Linking Humanities Out There and the Whittier Fifth Dimension
The Magical Web Fifth Dimension
Digital Storytelling in West Oakland
Brianna Guillermo-Newton, Miranda Cheang, and Robyn Rachac
Links for Kids
How to Make Links: Social Capital and Community-University Collaboration