Making Media for Democratic Citizenship - Lesson
In this five- or six-day unit, students create a video podcast to present balanced, unbiased perspectives on global development issues.
In this five- or six-day unit, students create a video podcast to present balanced, unbiased perspectives on global development issues.
In this lesson, students explore the verbal and visual cues that we rely on to understand how other people are feeling. They then consider the differences between online and offline communication and discuss how these differences may make it difficult to understand the effect our words and actions have on others online. Students then identify strategies for mitigating these aspects of online communication and apply those strategies to create a media product in which they are used successfully.
Because of the ways that digital media leave out many of the cues that prompt us to feel empathy, it is easy for young people to sometimes forget that real people – with real feelings – are at the heart of online conversations. In this lesson, students are provided with opportunities to explore this concept and discuss the importance of using empathy and common sense when talking to others online.
In this lesson, students learn about the difference between legitimate debate on a political issue and arguments that are based on hate.
In this lesson students learn about the inherent tension within democratic societies between freedom of expression and freedom from hatred. They also learn how Canada has addressed these issues within the Criminal Code of Canada, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and human rights legislation in Canada, then discuss different methods that platforms could use to moderate hate speech.
In this lesson, students explore issues surrounding the marketing of alcoholic beverages on the Internet.
In this lesson, students will produce a 20 minute news broadcast.
Time Management
“Digital technology can have both positive and negative effects on child well-being, depending on the activity and how much time is spent.”[1]
“Screen time” is important…but not as important as what kids do with their screens:
Recently, my nephew, age 12, received a letter in the mail. It was addressed to him personally, by name. Inside was a photocopied article about the powers of a new virility medicine, complete with the usual graphic promises for pleasuring the ladies. The article mentioned a specific “doctor” by name, but other than that, there was no contact information or order form or any other action request. It appeared to just be spam but in paper form.