Media in the Lives of 8-18 Year-Olds, Essay Example

While reading the resources this week, I was struck by the massive divide which exists between young people and the adults who educate them/care for them.  I believe that it’s impossible for young people to critically evaluate the information that they encounter in the media if the adults in their lives are unfamiliar/uncomfortable with using new technologies.  This means that educators and parents need to become as media literate as their students/children, especially because young people are increasingly accessing these medias in the privacy of their bedrooms without adult supervision (Roberts et al., 2005).  Thus, adults need to find new avenues to discuss media literacy and critical thinking skills with young people–which can be something of a balancing act.  I’ve found that teenagers are especially reluctant to share their ‘world’ with outsiders (i.e. Adults).  In my classroom, I’ve found it helpful to discuss the Internet in more general terms (such as bringing in articles that I’ve found about online learning, new technologies, etc.) and then letting the students bring in their own specific, personal examples in relation to the article we’re discussing.  My students have a lot to say about their own digital literacy and their belief that parents and educators are severely behind the times.  However, they see this as quite empowering, because they know more than us, and draw power from this fact (regardless of how true it may be).  I worry, though, because while my students may feel that they are digitally savvy, they seem to have much different ideas about privacy, confidentiality, and safety than I do.  It is commonplace for them to put very personal information on social media sites such as Facebook, often with very little thought about who can view them and how long their images/blogs/etc remain accessible to family members, friends, teachers, and future employers.

Analysis of a Media Diary

Day 1:

• Music — 2 hrs listening to Sirius Radio in car during commute
• Entertainment — 1 hour of TV before bed; 1 hour web surfing before work
• Work/School — 2 hours spent doing research/email/etc online

Day 2:

• Music — 2 hrs listening to Sirius Radio in car during commute
• Entertainment — 3  hour web surfing before and after work
• Work/School — 3 hours spent doing research/email/etc online

Day 3:

• Music — 2 hrs listening to Sirius Radio in car during commute
• Entertainment — 1 hour web surfing before work; watched 2 hr movie online
• Work/School — 1 hour spent doing research/email/etc online

Day 4:

• Music — 2 hrs listening to Sirius Radio in car during commute
• Entertainment — 1 hour of TV before bed; 2.5 hour web surfing before work
• Work/School — 1 hour spent doing research/email/etc online

Day 5:

• Music — 2 hrs listening to Sirius Radio in car during commute
• Entertainment — 1.5 hour web surfing before work; 1 hour TV before bed
• Work/School — 2 hours spent doing research/email/etc online

My media diary illustrates that I use various media throughout the course of my day, but tend to do the same things with these technologies (TV, digital radio, computer) day in and day out.  I was surprised to find how much time I spend (waste?) watching television to unwind after work.  I also have a cellphone, but I didn’t include it in the diary because I only use it for emergencies and don’t have internet access on it.  Although I sometimes use the Internet to access movies/television, I still tend to be old-fashioned in my media practices, such as mainly accessing entertainment through the television.  I feel rather hypocritical about lecturing my students about using the Internet too much when it is now apparent that I spend a good chunk of each day checking email, watching viral videos, and conducting research for school and work.  Although I often begin my online sessions with the best of intentions (to work and only work), I find it very easy to get distracted and go off on an online tangent.

Important Terminology

Outcome Based Education — Developing a curriculum to meet specific results.

Values Clarification — Assisting students in communicating and clarifying their values and beliefs.

Critical Thinking — Teaching students to think for themselves.

Emergent Literacy — Teaching a child to read.

Accessing Skills — Teaching children how to learn.

References

Roberts, D.F., Foehr, U.G., & Rideout, V. (2005). Generation M: Media in the lives of 8-  18 year-olds. The Kaiser Foundation. Retrieved from   http://www.kff.org/entmedia/upload/Generation-M-Media-in-the-Lives-of-8-18-Year-olds-Report.pdf