New classroom resources on media and global development

Much of what we believe about the world comes from the media products we see and hear. This is especially true of places and things we might not have actually experienced, such as developing nations and global development efforts. Beyond Media Messages: Media Portrayal of Global Development looks at how the media influences our views of developing nations and global development efforts, how we can learn to read or view media portrayals critically and how we can become media authors to promote democratic citizenship.

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.

Beyond Media Messages: Media Portrayal of Global Development

In this three-day unit, students assess media coverage of natural disasters and their aftermath. Students explore how sensationalism plays a role in determining what is newsworthy, and how that can distort our perception of issues in developing nations.

Celebrities and World Issues - Lesson

In this four-day unit, students will examine the role of popular culture celebrities in creating awareness of world issues.

Global Development Classroom Resources - Portal Page

Lessons on Media and Global Development for Grades 7-12

The Medium is the Message

As a family, we’re watching a lot less advertising these days – at least, I thought we were. That’s because most of our family watching is on Netflix, which has no commercials, and the few shows we watch on regular TV are recorded in advance and ads are skipped over. I can easily go months without being aware of what new movies are coming up, which new developments have occurred in the world of toothpaste, and what new packaging strides Coke and Pepsi have made.

The Spotify Problem

We have a few smartphone rules in our house: no phones after 9:30 p.m., no phones at the dinner table or other family events, and no phones in bedrooms.

Helping kids stay in touch while social distancing

It’s looking more and more like social distancing could go on for several months. Our school board has announced that computer-based learning from home will be introduced shortly; other provinces have announced school closures running through to the end of the year and we expect ours to follow suit soon.

Texting, and communication, has changed

There is one place getting more attention lately for increasing the quality of conversations: in-person.

When is texting more than just texting?

If you have children who have access to a phone and the ability to text, you may be venturing into a completely new area of communication with them. Have you noticed emoji replies? Or abbreviated statements? GIF-only responses or memes that you have to Google to understand? You aren’t alone.

So what should parents make of this?