Teaching youth about marketing and consumerism focus of Media Literacy Week 2013

Ottawa (March, 2013) MediaSmarts and the Canadian Teachers’ Federation (CTF) are pleased to announce that marketing and consumerism will be the focus of Canada’s eighth annual Media Literacy Week, to be held November 4-8, 2013.

The official theme of the week: “What’s Being Sold: Helping Kids Make Sense of Marketing Messages” , will encourage educators and parents to talk to children and teens about the marketing they encounter on a daily basis.  

Raising a Digital Generation: Media Awareness Network Launches New Tutorial for Parents

October 29, 2010 (Ottawa) – Media Awareness Network (MNet) today released e-Parenting Tutorial: Keeping up with your kids’ online activities, an online resource to help parents better understand and become actively involved in their children’s online lives.

CIRA and Media Awareness Network help build kids' cyber security smarts

October 28, 2011 (Ottawa) – To mark Cyber Security Awareness Month, the Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) and Media Awareness Network (MNet) launched a new teaching unit to help students develop safe and secure online practices.

While studies show Canadian youth are more tech savvy than older Internet users, they are also more likely to take security risks online. Winning the Cyber Security Game aims to give students in grades 5-8 tools and strategies to mitigate and prevent negative online experiences.

From stovepipe hats to Spider-Man: The U.S. presidential inauguration as a media event

As media outlets continue to close and advertising budgets shrink, the once-mighty Super Bowl is receiving much less buzz than usual. A number of major advertisers, such as Federal Express and troubled automaker General Motors, have decided not to run Super Bowl ads at all this year. Another January event, though, is attracting a surprising amount of media attention: the U.S. presidential inauguration.

Quebec Competencies Chart - Understanding the Internet Lesson 4: Communication and Social Media

Quebec Competencies Chart - Understanding the Internet Lesson 4: Communication and Social Media

How Social Media Helps Teens Cope With Anxiety, Depression, and Self-Harm

By Dr. Sameer Hinduja of the Cyberbullying Research Centre
Content reposted with permission – original article from Cyberbullying.org

It is easy for many adults – whether educators or parents – to focus on the negatives of social media in the lives of teens today. This is understandable, because they are the ones who have to deal with the fallout when adolescents make mistakes online (cyberbullying incidents, sexting cases, electronic dating violence, digital reputation drama, and similar forms of wrongdoing).

Quebec Competencies Chart - Understanding the Internet Lesson 4: Communication and Social Media

Quebec Competencies Chart - Understanding the Internet Lesson 4: Communication and Social Media

How young people engage with news

While young people use and engage with news differently from older generations, they continue to value concepts such as trustworthiness and fairness.

Teens learn new digital skills for making and creating at Media Literacy Week launch

OTTAWA…. The 11^th annual Media Literacy Week kicked off today in Ottawa with students from across Canada coming together to learn new digital media production skills. The event, held at the Canadian Museum of Nature, was hosted by MediaSmarts and the Canadian Teachers’ Federation (CTF), with opening comments by the Honourable Patty Hajdu. Minister of Status of Women.