Activity 2.4 Disinformation Debate

Preschool children who watched a few hours a week of educational programming perform better on achievement tests over time than their peers who watch more general entertainment shows, according to researchers at the University of Texas in Austin.Dr. Aletha C. Huston, of the University of Texas in Austin.

Each year, the children's reading, math and vocabulary skills were assessed. The researchers found that younger children, especially those aged 2 and 3, who watched a few hours a week of educational programs had higher scoring on academic tests 3 years later than children who did not watch the programs

The benefits of reading to children are well established, but did you know that with a little guidance, children can get similar benefits from watching television? That may seem like a lot to ask from TV viewing, but when children are stimulated to think, as opposed to watching passively, their minds are very busy. According to children's television researcher Dr. Edward Palmer, watching television is "a remarkable intellectual act. All the while kids are watching, they are making hypotheses, anticipating, generalizing, remembering, and actively relating what they see to their own lives."

English Journal pages have been filled with reports from teachers using popular films, music lyrics, advertising, magazine photographs, tabloid newspapers, cartoons, animation, and more in the process of stimulating students' speaking, writing, viewing, reasoning and critical thinking skills.

Media literacy encourages young people to question, evaluate, understand and appreciate their multimedia culture. It teaches them to become active, engaged media consumers and users.Media education brings the world into the classroom, giving immediacy and relevance to traditional subjects such as History, English, Health, Civics and the Creative Arts. It serves as a perfect bridge for subject integration and interdisciplinary studies.Media education embodies and furthers current pedagogy, which emphasizes student-centred learning, the recognition of multiple intelligences, and the analysis and management – rather than just the simple storing – of information.Media education is grounded in the sound pedagogical approach of starting learning where kids are at. The media – music, comics, television, video games, the Internet and even ads – are a part of life that all kids enjoy. Media create a shared environment and are, therefore, catalysts for learning.Media education encourages young people to use multimedia tools creatively, a strategy that contributes to "understanding by doing" and prepares them for a workforce that increasingly demands the use of sophisticated forms of communication.

In a society concerned about growing youth apathy to the political process, media education engages young people in “real-world” issues. It helps young people to see themselves as active citizens and potential contributors to public debate.In a diverse and pluralistic society, the study of media helps youth understand how media portrayals can influence how we view different groups in society: it deepens young people’s understanding of diversity, identity and difference.Media literacy helps young people's personal growth and social development by exploring the connections between popular culture – music, fashion, television programming, movies and advertising – and their attitudes, lifestyle choices and self-image.Media literacy helps children critique media representation, teaching them to distinguish between reality and fantasy as they compare media violence and real-life violence, media heroes and real-life heroes, and media role models and real-life roles and expectations.With most Canadian students turning first to the Internet for research, media education is an essential component of Information Communications Technology education, assisting young people in developing critical thinking skills and strategies for optimizing searches, evaluating and authenticating information and examining issues of plagiarism and copyright.

Children who are fluent at text messaging have better literacy skills than youngsters who do not use mobile phones, it was claimed today.Scientists discovered that rather than destroying their use of English, texting improves children's ability to recognise rhymes and speech patterns.The findings fly in the face of long-held views of parents and teachers who believe text messaging damages children's ability to write properly.

Researchers found children as young as five who used mobile phones are better at understanding rhymes and syllables in speech.

The study also showed that children were subconsciously practising their spelling by regularly sending text messages.