This work explores ideas, case studies and suggestions for how young people can flourish in our networked world. Youth interests including, games, dress, real and imagined activities reflect their values and are examined in this book as a means of offering advice for educators. 

The meaning of society is explored including the separation of nature from increasingly urban cultures. How the emerging self is influenced by traditional values of family and culture within contested social spaces creates moral and ethical dilemmas. Questions raised provide a basis for developing a pedagogical model which is dynamic, interactive with youth voices and a constructive method for reforms. Chapters open new dimensions of youth experience including past, present, and projected futures. 

Young people rely on their peers, families, mentors and institutions for their moral virtue and life values. Home, place, culture, media tools and global influences all contribute to their emerging self. However, technology advances (AI) are opportunities for young people to bypass traditions and forge new futures. The affordances are infinite and so are the perils. Whilst we may think that generations are custodians of past values and customs the idea that history encourages inertia is contested. Societal advances rely on questioning insight and young people are the carriers into the future of new ideas. Arguably, the global landscape of digital tools is levelling the field of opportunities for upcoming generations. Their skills and actions can be used to positive effect. At the same time, the powers of the tools are also a source of destructive outcomes and widespread misery. Nevertheless, connectivity can result in ground-breaking movements for positive good. Civil society can be the beneficiary provided there is leadership well-grounded in moral and ethical values. Within this field of contradictions and reference systems this book argues that education is always a community responsibility with suggestions for how the profession might respond.

Margaret Robertson is Emeritus Professor of Education at La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia. Mainly focussed on youth studies, research interests and related publications investigate such topics as pedagogical renewal, e-learning, geographical education, and sustainable development. Other interests relate to place and space constructs in urban renewal, schooling (notably vertical schools), and pedagogical responses within non-traditional physical space. Publications promote advocacy for conceptual thinking in teaching and learning that contributes to knowledge enhancement within contemporary contexts. Numerous research and international leadership projects have long been associated with the International Geographical Union (IGU), including Steering Committee membership of the International Year of Global Understanding Project (IGYU, 2015-18); Executive Secretary of the IGU’s Commission for Geographical Education; Member of the IGU’s Cultural Studies Commission and Project Leader of two ICSU (International Council of Science) funded international projects (both supported and promoted by The Australian Academy of Science).