Have you ever wondered why Canadian private broadcasting networks such as CTV and CanWest air certain television programs over others? Why, for instance, does CanWest air House, or CTV air Grey’s Anatomy, over other television programs?
A recent issue of Entertainment Weekly was devoted to a list of so-called “new classics,” a top one-hundred list of the best movies, books, TV shows, and so on, published since 1983. The lists themselves are liable to provoke discussion (Die Hard is #9, ahead of Goodfellas, Schindler's List and Unforgiven?) but perhaps a more interesting question is whether, in the Media Age, the very idea of a “classic” still means anything.
On March 17th (in most markets) PBS's Frontline will feature The Secret History of the Credit Card, a documentary that looks at how credit cards came to be a nearly ubiquitous part of our lives.
“Students require an understanding of self as the basis for making healthy choices, having healthy interactions with others and using resources wisely, as well as for lifelong career development. They also require information, planning tools and processes to make decisions and develop action plans for effective life management.” Career and Life Management
Many curricular expectations in B.C. Physical and Health Education courses relate to media and digital literacy. Media and digital literacy skills and concepts can be found in many of the Big Ideas, Curricular Competencies and specific course content.
Media components are included in the Northwest Territories Social Studies curriculum in the Managing Information and Ideas strand. The document Social Studies in the Northwest Territories – A Kindergarten to Grade 4 Overview includes the following among key social studies skills:
“The use of information technology will help enable all students to solve problems, improve their personal performance, and gain the critical and abstract thinking skills necessary to become lifelong learners and contributing members of their communities” (Manitoba Education and Training, Technology As a Foundation Skill Area).
In this lesson, students look at the different ways in which we spend our free time and learn to find balance between active, learning and media activities. They begin by distinguishing between Active, Learning and Screen time, learn how activities can fall into more than one category; and reflect on their lives to see how well screen time is balanced by other types of activities. Finally, students consider how they might improve how their time is balanced.
Career and Technology Studies (CTS) is a complementary program designed for Alberta's secondary school students.