Media and Digital Literacy
Top 10 Skills in Digital Literacy
1. Critical thinking
2. Communication
3. Analyze and evaluate
4. Create and collaborate
5. Reflective thinking
6. Compose and brainstorm
7. Being able to use the various modes
8. Demonstrate social responsibility
9. Respect legal rights
10. Listening and reading
Blog Response 2 EDUC 4000 Bailey Bergman
To Buy or Not to Be- The Power of Children Advertising
It was like every other Tuesday. I was babysitting a three-year-old. We were playing with his building blocks, similar to Lego, only too big to choke on. I was building and he was breaking, that was his favourite game. The background noise was the television playing a children’s show about puppies that save people. He looked up at me and said, “Becca, can we play Wii?”
He would consistently mistake me for his other babysitter (we don’t look a thing a like). I looked back at Sam and said, “Sure, why not? Just don’t tell your parents.”
He was only allowed to play once a night for 10 minutes before bed. I turned the Wii on and went to the get T.V. controller to change the input and I heard Sam squeel, “I want that! Can I have it? Will Mommy get it for me?”
To my surprise it was a Barbie commercial. He became zombie-like watching the girly advertisement. I’m not against boys playing with girl toys, but he didn’t have a Barbie or anything remotely girly in his house.
Either he all of a sudden took an interest in toys for girls or the commercial did an extremely good job at luring him in. My guess is that the commercial was so attractively put together that it grabbed the interest of its ‘unintended’ audience.
I thought to myself, what was so good about this commercial that Sam wanted the Barbie doll so bad that he had to scream about it? Was it the lighting, or the song or the music it played? It is difficult to distinguish what exactly he liked about it.
Children as consumers has sky rocketed in the 21st century. Television, radio, Internet, and social networking have used children as one of their main targets for consuming toys, movies, games, cell phones, computers, etc. Brandishing the First Amendment by Tamara Piety focuses on the issues the media has brought to not only children but America as a whole. “If you don’t realize your child is a consumer by three-years-old, you don’t realize the impact the media are having. Advertising is a potent source of the socialization of children into society generally, but particularly with respect to socializing them to be consumers.”
One proposal I find quite intriguing is using schools as agents of media literacy. Why don’t we start early and teach children about media and its affects on the global population, while focusing on children? It’s hard to believe that media literacy has a small section in the Ontario Language Curriculum. It should have its own curriculum and be integrated into all the required subject areas. Lets empower students to become media literate and to gain control of their own consumer habits.
Sandbox Activity #3
Edmodo
Access, Use and Share
Terms of Service
Effective: January 4, 2013
The word “services” means not only the website but all other websites, products, services and applications made available by Edmodo. If you have any questions, comments or concerns regarding these Terms of the Services please contact info@edmodo.com, (605)513-2735, or 1200 Park Place, Suite 350, San Mateo, Ca 94403.
Acceptable Use Policy:
Effective: January 4, 2013
You represent, warrant and agree that you will not contribute any Content or User Submission or otherwise use the Services or interact with the Services in a manner that:
- Infringes or violates the intellectual property rights or any other rights of anyone else
- Violates any law or regulation
- Jeopardizes the security of your Edmodo account or anyone else’s
- Attempts, in any manner to obtain the password, account or other security information from any other user
- You will not use an Access Code that you’re not authorized to use
- You will keep your Access Code private and not disclose any Access Code to any individual not authorized to receive it
Privacy Policy
- The privacy policy explains how Edmodo collects and uses information from its Services users, including their treatment of personally identifiable information
- This policy does not apply to websites or practices of companies that Edmodo does not own or control, or to individuals that Edmodo does not employ or manage, including providers of Publisher Software
Create and Collaborate
What is Edmodo?
Edmodo is an online ‘classroom’ website for students and teachers to connect and collaborate safely. A powerful network that can connect students, administrators, parents and publishers to share, review and create. All of the information uploaded and downloaded is saved on the website.
How does it help students?
Students are able to connect and review classroom discussions, take quizzes, look over assignments, and post discussions. Everything is stored in one spot and is easily accessible. Edmodo supports collaboration between the students because it allows them to have online discussions about assignments, quizzes, class discussions etc. Some children do not feel comfortable talking in front of the class. This tool allows everyone to have a say in classroom discussions, especially the students who get nervous talking publicly.
Analyze & Reflect
How does it help teachers?
As a teacher you can upload your entire class and create a page for everyone to be able to access from a mobile phone/computer/I pad, etc. There is an area to type alerts or important messages for the students, upload assignments and quizzes, and a place to put poll questions in order to gain feedback from students.
Along the side there is a planner by date where important assignments or notes can be posted. This can help students go back and double check due dates. There is also an Apps Launcher where Apps can be easily displayed, a managed apps button and then a store where apps can be downloaded.
The App Store is displayed very similar to the Apple Apps store. There are free Apps as well as ones that cost money. Included is a description of each App, pictures and similar Apps. Lastly, on the left side there is an area to search by subject. This allows quick searching for teachers who need to filter results in order to find a specific App.
What grade does Edmodo apply too?
After being in a grade 1/2 classroom for 5 weeks I am confident to say that Edmodo should be implemented in the junior grades. Most students in these grades are at an appropriate reading level for their age. Students in the primary grades would have a reading barrier for this site. It would take a primary student longer to read and figure out where to go than a junior student. I believe that integrating Edmodo at the beginning of the year would be most appropriate. It would start slow by showing the site on the Smart Board or projection screen in order for everyone to see it. I would then do a step-by-step lesson on how to access certain things such as quizzes and then let the students explore. To make it fun a teacher could incorporate a scavenger hunt for where certain areas are. This will allow the students a chance to explore the site.
Practice Social Responsibility
Edmodo would best be used for professional use such as in the classroom. The purpose would be to create an online classroom environment for students to go to at any time. On the site there is an App store that provides extra resources and supports for teachers lesson plans and games and aids for students. All of the Apps are for educational purposes only.
Currently I have a profile. In Social Studies last semester the class was asked to sign up for an Edmodo account. It was very easy to sign up and to get started. I do not use it but I would like to try to use it for a class. It is difficult because I would need my own classroom and students for an extended period of time in order to incorporate it.
Edmodo logo & screen shot of my Edmodo account