March 1, 2012
A Bridge Between Nations on Sesame Street ("Begin with the children: What research on Sesame Street's international coproductions reveals about using media to promote a new more peaceful world" by Charlotte F. Cole, Daniel B. Labin and Maria del Rocio Galarza) [*]
The television series Sesame Street has come a long way since its inception around forty years ago, as many countries around the world have their own localized versions. There are some versions that are in particularly unique situations, given the political climate of the nations in which they are based. Shows based in countries such as Israel, Palestine, Jordan and Kosovo have taken up the dual responsibility of educating local children and encouraging peace and toleration of difference.
The approach taken by these localized versions of Sesame Street may not be surprising, as any local version would insert their cultural values by default. However, the goal of peace seems harder and harder to attain each day, and so children's television is doing its best to facilitate some progress.
The television series Sesame Street has come a long way since its inception around forty years ago, as many countries around the world have their own localized versions. There are some versions that are in particularly unique situations, given the political climate of the nations in which they are based. Shows based in countries such as Israel, Palestine, Jordan and Kosovo have taken up the dual responsibility of educating local children and encouraging peace and toleration of difference.
The approach taken by these localized versions of Sesame Street may not be surprising, as any local version would insert their cultural values by default. However, the goal of peace seems harder and harder to attain each day, and so children's television is doing its best to facilitate some progress.
March 8, 2012
Freedom and Social Behaviour ("Children, Youth, and Mobile Communication" by Rich Ling) [*]
Mobile devices have become increasing popular with the teen demographic. There is a certain emancipatory element to being lost in their devices, as it can help them worry less about the stress of daily life and more about social status among friends. Mobile communication can also help to get out of unfavourable situations or to deal with boredom. What's more, the individual is assumed to be available all the time, once they are with their device.
The idea of "freedom" in technology creates a vision of connection between people, while at the same time creating an isolationist attitude, thus affecting more intimate face-to-face relationships (Turkle, 2011) [*]. As a result, teens may actually become more distant in their act of coming together.
Mobile devices have become increasing popular with the teen demographic. There is a certain emancipatory element to being lost in their devices, as it can help them worry less about the stress of daily life and more about social status among friends. Mobile communication can also help to get out of unfavourable situations or to deal with boredom. What's more, the individual is assumed to be available all the time, once they are with their device.
The idea of "freedom" in technology creates a vision of connection between people, while at the same time creating an isolationist attitude, thus affecting more intimate face-to-face relationships (Turkle, 2011) [*]. As a result, teens may actually become more distant in their act of coming together.
March 15, 2012
Shaping Your Own Place ("Imagination and the Cognitive Tools of Place-Making" by Mark Fettes and Gillian Judson) [*]
In many different disciplines, including ecological studies, heavy emphasis is put on place, something that is shaped by our own perceptions. There are various cognitive actions that go into understanding place, including using the senses for discovery, recalling attributes about the place and relating the place to other familiar places.
Place is always significant in that we can always relate to it, regardless of where that specific place may be. Children can certainly relate to various places as well; places such as the homely place, the social place and the educational place come to mind. How they develop relations to these places (through a person, an event, or a similar-looking place, for example) would possibly cause them to remember it for a long time.
In many different disciplines, including ecological studies, heavy emphasis is put on place, something that is shaped by our own perceptions. There are various cognitive actions that go into understanding place, including using the senses for discovery, recalling attributes about the place and relating the place to other familiar places.
Place is always significant in that we can always relate to it, regardless of where that specific place may be. Children can certainly relate to various places as well; places such as the homely place, the social place and the educational place come to mind. How they develop relations to these places (through a person, an event, or a similar-looking place, for example) would possibly cause them to remember it for a long time.
March 22, 2012
Knowing Your Rights ("Media Literacy and Communication Rights: Ethical Individualism in the New Media Environment" by Brian O'Neill) [*]
Nowadays, young people are given responsibilities for media use through media literacy projects. They are encouraged to think about what types of media they consume. However, O'Neill decides to go further, declaring media literacy a human right, on the same level as any other type of literacy. Policies such as UNESCO's Declaration on Media Education of 1982 and the recent digital media education policy in the European Union look like a step in the right direction, but still fail to address the notion of the rights of the individual media consumer.
Now that younger people are more and more aware about their media, they also need to know their rights to learn more so that they may use media more responsibly. Hopefully, this would allow them to pass on their knowledge of media to others, until newer media technology is introduced.
Nowadays, young people are given responsibilities for media use through media literacy projects. They are encouraged to think about what types of media they consume. However, O'Neill decides to go further, declaring media literacy a human right, on the same level as any other type of literacy. Policies such as UNESCO's Declaration on Media Education of 1982 and the recent digital media education policy in the European Union look like a step in the right direction, but still fail to address the notion of the rights of the individual media consumer.
Now that younger people are more and more aware about their media, they also need to know their rights to learn more so that they may use media more responsibly. Hopefully, this would allow them to pass on their knowledge of media to others, until newer media technology is introduced.