Ottawa (May 7, 2014) - MediaSmarts and the Canadian Teachers’ Federation (CTF) are pleased to announce that the theme for Canada’s ninth annual Media Literacy Week (November 3-7, 2014) will focus on the positive uses of social networking by young people.
Ottawa, ON (May 29, 2014) – There is little gender difference in those youth who have sent a sext of themselves – defined as “a sexy, nude or partially nude photo” – to someone, although sexts of boys are more likely to be forwarded,– according to a study of Canadian students released today by MediaSmarts. Boys are also more likely than girls to have forwarded a sext sent to them and are twice as likely to report having received a sext that was forwarded by someone other than the original creator.
The That’s Not Me tutorial focuses on the role that mainstream media play in shaping our perceptions about diversity. The tutorial explores what we see – and what we don’t see – on TV and in newspapers, video games, movies, the internet and other media. The tutorial looks at common trends in media portrayals of diversity and examines the reasons behind these trends; explores some of the factors behind media bias when covering diversity issues; and talks about the importance of media education to talking about diversity issues and empowering young people to take action.
The Facing Online Hate tutorial examines how the Internet is used to spread and incite hate – and how parents, community leaders and educators can respond. The first part of the tutorial provides an overview of hate and prejudice online and how it can radicalize young people and have a negative impact on both online and offline communities. The second part covers how teachers and parents can prepare young people to recognize online hate, to respond and to push back when they see it.
Ottawa, ON (May 29, 2014) – There is little gender difference in those youth who have sent a sext of themselves – defined as “a sexy, nude or partially nude photo” – to someone, although sexts of boys are more likely to be forwarded,– according to a study of Canadian students released today by MediaSmarts. Boys are also more likely than girls to have forwarded a sext sent to them and are twice as likely to report having received a sext that was forwarded by someone other than the original creator.
Ottawa, ON (June 19, 2014) – One third of grade 7 to 11 students report they encounter racist or sexist content online at least once a day or once a week, according to a new Canadian study from MediaSmarts. Boys encounter racist and sexist content online more frequently than girls and are also more likely to brush off discriminatory content as a joke, with girls more likely to be hurt when the joke is made at their expense. Boys are also three times more likely to make fun of someone’s race, religion, ethnicity or sexual orientation online.
Ottawa, ON (July 7, 2014) – MediaSmarts is pleased to announce that the Saskatchewan Ministry of Education has licensed its series of digital literacy resources for all teachers and classrooms in the province.
Ottawa, ON (Sept 30, 2014) – MediaSmarts is pleased to announce that the Prince Edward Island Department of Education and Early Childhood Development has licensed its series of digital literacy resources for all teachers and classrooms in the province.
Toronto, ON (November 3, 2014) High school students from the GTA – joined virtually by youth from across Canada – came together this morning to learn how to leverage the power of social media platforms for advocacy, activism and peer support.
National study highlights the important role of adults in kids’ online lives. A new report released by MediaSmarts, Canada’s centre for digital and media literacy, calls on parents, teachers and policy makers to support young Canadians in meeting the challenges of growing up in the digital age.