media and your kids presentation clinton school for writers and artists wednesday, january 28th...
TRANSCRIPT
National Association for Media Literacy Education
The National Association for Media Literacy Education (NAMLE) is a professional association for educators, academics, activists, and students with a passion for understanding how the media we use and create affect our lives and the lives of others in our
communities and in the world. The NAMLE vision is to help individuals of all ages develop the habits of inquiry and skills of
expression that they need to be critical thinkers, effective communicators and active citizens in today’s world.
What is Media?
The means of communication, as radio and television, internet, newspapers, and magazines that reach or influence people widely.
What is Media Literacy?
The ability to ACCESS, ANALYZE, EVALUATE, CREATE and COMMUNICATE information.
Why is Media Literacy important?
Your beliefs become your thoughts, Your thoughts become your words, Your words become your actions, Your actions become your habits, Your habits become your values, Your values become your destiny.
― Mahatma Gandhi
Where do we get our beliefs?
What are the messages we are getting?
The media have become the mainstream
culture in children’s lives. Parents have
become the alternative. Americans once
expected parents to raise their children in
accordance with the dominant cultural
messages. Today they are expected to raise
their children in opposition to it. - Ellen Goodman
The average American child age 8 or older spends more than seven hours a day with screen media. (Kaiser Family Foundation,
2010)
FACEBOOK TWITTER EMOTICONS INSTAGRAM YIKYAKSNAPCHAT HANDLE POST HASHTAG TEXT LOL ASK FM POS LMFAO DISCUSSION BOARDS BRB WIKIPEDIA APPS
JK BLOGSINSTANT MESSAGE
IPADS SMART PHONES
MAIN MEDIA CHALLENGES FOR PARENTS(adapted from commonsensemedia.org)
• Media is personal, private and portable – We have no control!– Everything happens so fast!
• Children’s exposure to inappropriate content– Violence – Adult behavior; sex, smoking, drinking– Body image/consumerism
• How to teach your child online ethics– Social media consequences– Credibility of information– Safety Concerns
What the drive-in was to teens in the 1950s and the mall in the
1980s, Facebook, texting, Twitter, instant messaging, and other social media are to teens
now. *danah boyd
The difference from when we were growing up…
PersistenceVisibility
SpreadabilitySearchability
*danah boyd
IN DEFENSE OF TEENAGERS Elizabeth Gilbert
Today's American teenagers are the most sensitive, least violent, least bullying, least
racist, least homophobic, most globally-minded, most compassionate, most environmentally-
conscious, least dogmatic, and overall kindest group of young people this country has ever
known.
Adolescents/ Teenagers Today and Always
• Finding their identity• Want privacy and separation • Brain is developing• Risk takers, boundary pushers• Less freedom to wander• More scheduled• More parental involvement• Academic pressure
Why do adolescents and teens love social media so much?
• Social lives, friends
• Public places are off limits, inaccessible to teens
• They seek youth centric community
THE MYTH OF THE DIGITAL NATIVEDO OUR KIDS REALLY KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING?
Kids are often technical savvy but that does not mean they are
media literate.
THE MYTH OF THE DIGITAL NATIVEDO OUR KIDS REALLY KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING?
• Kids don’t always pay attention to their digital footprint.
• Kids don’t understand that what they put online can remain online for a long, long time.
• Kids don’t realize that once something is posted on the Internet it can come back to haunt them.
• Kids don’t realize that what they post sets their reputation.
Explain
• Outline your expectations• Discuss the technology• Overview the etiquette• Talk about technology before you purchase it• Set guidelines and rules before usage• Be proactive not reactive
Engage• Get to know the social media apps• Talk about the media they use• Discuss movies, TV programs, You Tube videos• Make sure your conversations aren’t only
about what they shouldn’t be doing• Tell them about the media you like• Ask questions
Empathize
Kids are growing up in a public space. We made mistakes in private.
Kids today don’t have that luxury. Consequences are far greater.
Educate
• Prepare vs protect• Teach vs tell• Explore the subject• Learn how to have media literacy
conversations in the home
Empower
• Encourage their media creation• Tell them about new apps, new sites• Sign them up for classes• Teach them new skills• Trust them
Helping young people navigate public life safely should be of significant public concern.
But it’s critical to recognize that technology does not create these problems,
even if it makes them more visible and even if news media relishes using technology
as a hook to tell salacious stories about youth.
*danah boyd