The contemporary media environment provides students with an unlimited amount of resources that are often portraying a message that is quite believable to its audience. However, since the internet is a free medium that can be used by any individual, any and all information can be true or false, and very little emphasis is made on the information used to back up such claims. Younger groups of students often copy paste the information gathered, and spend little to no time evaluating where such information originates from.

There is presently a dearth of enquiries which explores how children perceive and recognize information they’ve gathered online. One can perhaps parallel the experiences of children’s lack of understanding of advertisements in the media with the way they process online information. This may provide some insight into how children have a distorted perception on media credibility which simply highlights the need for new media literacy.

The web environment is complex and difficult to navigate through. The vast amount of information and ease at which one can post often poses many tribulations, especially to those who are still contemporary internet users. The consequent difficulties one has simply demonstrates why media literacy education programs are crucial to the development of critical and analytical thinkers.

Media literacy concerns not only educational purposes, but life purposes as well. Newscasts and updates are often first posted on the internet before they appear in print. It is therefore imperative that today’s media audience is well erudite and judicious. The war in Iraq is a prime example which demonstrates the media’s power over its audience. The media is such a powerful and influential tool that can be put to good or bad use. In the case of the Iraqi war, many individuals abused their positions of power and used the media to create propaganda in an attempt to further their own agendas. Critical and investigative thinking must therefore be used in order to prevent such mass forms of misinformation. Through media literacy programs that begin at early ages, our future generations can regain control over political and social issues. This gain in hegemony will in turn improve the current media’s credibility.

When individuals use mediums like online dating, do they accurately represent themselves? The media has allowed us to transform ourselves into ideals, through the use of photoshop and just plain lying. Even if individuals speak the truth, does their behaviour remain constant outside of the media and in the real world?

Social networking and other online communities have opened the doors for many young people to discuss social and political issues without the fear of being ridiculed. It has created an open forum for all to participate. Digital media has also sparked the interest of younger generations and provided them with creative ways of self expression, giving them a public voice that allows them to be a part of civic engagement. Through the use of blogs, wikis, virtual communities and political posts on facebook and myspace, younger generations are not able to participate in 21st century civic discussion.

Social Networking

Does posting on such forums constitute as real discussion? If an individual is able to express and defend their opinions online, does this necessarily mean that they will be able to do the same in another type of medium? Does it really matter? Many individuals will argue that the internet is a gateway for people who are too introvert to withdraw from society while maintaining an appearance of participation. However, an opinion expressed remains an opinion no matter what form the individual uses to express it. Granted, there may be more anonymity however, anyone can respond and a dialogue will undoubtedly ensue. Therefore the argument that online discussion is not real discussion is false.

Teaching young individuals how to cultivate a public voice through the media will help expand young adults’ ability to engage in civic discussion. This new medium allows them to link their own personal interests with public issues and creates an unlimited amount of possibilities which allow them to make a difference. Simply look at facebook. The “causes” button allows individuals to support various causes such as cancer research, animal rights and gay rights. The donations link allows members to make a contribution to various fundraisers. There are countless links that connect the individual to related material, providing them with information, resources and images to better understand whatever topic is being covered. Individuals are given an active voice to speak.

The media can be provide its audience with a wide range of tools that can help encourage civic engagement. The fear that the media isolates individuals is false and is a way of diminishing the value of online discussion. By securing anonymity, many individuals feel a sense of freedom and are able to better express themselves. This freedom of expression will eventually translate into real life as individuals practice stating their opinions.

The media creates a sense of confidence and anonymity which provide many individuals with the ability to freely express themselves. It can be used to interact with their peers as well as other unknown and potentially dangerous audiences which is why it is so crucial that adolescents become aware of the risks and consequences of the internet as well as know the proper safety measures that must be made. The internet can also provide an outlet for individuals to share their ideas and creative productions, just as it can allow them to participate in social networks that can be large or small, local or global, anonymous or intimate. Various social networking sites like myspace, facebook and eblog all allow individuals to communicate and express themselves.

To what extent do the media help young adults interact and communicate with each other? Do individuals really have access to genuine interaction and communication with each other? Or does this create a false sense of intimacy which allows individuals to create their own identities that do not accurately reflect themselves? Many individuals use the media to hide who they really are, and create an ideal of themselves that is often portrayed through fake information, pictures and lifestyles. This dual identity often conflicts the individual in real life and rather than dealing with it they use the media as an outlet.

There are several obstacles that must be overcome even when the media is used in a constructive and honest manner. Full participation in the media can create several issues that individuals must deal with. First, is the media really a harmless and innocent tool used to express oneself? There are several cases of stolen identity, material reproduction and backlash from previous posts that individuals must deal with. Second, does representing ourselves in an ideal manner really have such negative consequences? Many individuals are unable to express themselves in person, and this medium creates a sense of security that allows them to speak their mind. It also fosters higher levels of confidence that can later be imparted in real life.

Media such as the internet, radio and television all have strong effects on an individual’s development of identity. It is crucial that individuals remain aware of the messages they perceive and make a conscious effort to accurately represent themselves through whatever medium they choose.

With a lowered sense of inhibition and an increase in confidence, many people often act outside their normal behaviour. In fact, the internet still provides individuals with an anonymous outlet, that is, individuals are still able to communicate ideas without a sense of consequence or moral implication. Their audience and they themselves however, no longer remain unidentified. This helps increase the mediums in which hate speech can occur and also aids in dividing society through race and ethnic identities.

Post 9/11 created a surge of online hate speech practices through blogs, videos and audio streaming. Rather than uniting individuals, internet users were divided by race and ethnicity. The media was used to foster hate towards several minority groups, diminishing intelligent individuals to mindless fools simply by creating an anonymous forum. Society can also be divided by groups and forums such as: The Asian Forum, The Black Club, and many others where outsiders are forbidden and excluded.

The internet can initiate a tribal perspective and attitude, where hate speech and colonial legacy is often argued for white supremacy. Digital technology gives access to racism and needs to be monitored closely in order to avoid society backtracking to our old ways. Online social networks must be socially conscious and create a sort of digital democracy, where each post, picture, etc. are closely monitored in order to minimize discrimination and racism.

The internet can also be used to greatly benefit minority groups. It creates an untraditional learning environment where both critical discourse and active learning can occur. Whereas it can spread lies and hate, it can also increase and promote digital democracy through public spheres which advocate for minority groups. It can give access to a wider range of material and information which can often be difficult to access from traditional classrooms.

Race and ethnicity are two critical issues that must be considered when examining the internet and the public and anonymous forums it provides. Despite the many advances our society has made in order to achieve democracy and equality, hate speech and racialized online communities continue to exist. Asian-Avenue.com, Blackplanet.com, and Miguente.com, all continue to exist and it is important to understand the reasons why. The internet should be used to unify society, rather than segregate.

There are several new issues that teachers must deal with when it comes to technology: limiting and controlling access, preventing students from coming into contact with dangerous material, inhibiting plagiarism, and many more. However, one of the most important issues teachers and administrators must deal with is very basic and involves how to integrate technology in schools. Even if given the proper funding and tools, teachers are at a loss on how they can incorporate the vast and powerful world of technology into their current traditional curriculums. How does one move from the conventional chalk board to the savvy computer? There needs to be preparation for teachers to not only know how to use the technology themselves, but to demonstrate how technology really can be useful in the education of their students. Individuals can talk about the benefits of technology all they want, but if teachers remain unaware of how to use it to its maximum potential, than the advantages of technology will be lost.

Teachers must adopt a leadership attitude when addressing the issue of technology. It is important for administrators to recognize, support and compensate teachers on their efforts to plan, implement and enact technology into the current curriculum. In order to maximize the integration of technology into curriculums, teachers must:

1. Identify a common goal: which should be to enhance or increase the level of literacy among grade eight students in the area of technology.
2. Identify the resources: what equipment and hardware are available, can the students access them?
3. Gain support from administrators, other teachers, principals, parents, etc.
4. Have clear standards and tools for assessment (the National Test)

It is crucial that teachers be given the proper tools if students are expected to learn the appropriate material. Through the previously mentioned steps above combined with proper training for teachers, the task of ensuring that all students become technologically literate will be simple and straightforward. Teachers needn’t fear technology, they simply need to inform themselves and gain a better understanding of it before they can begin to teach it.

There are several advantages of using technology in the classroom. The internet has provided a great medium for classroom discussion, through the use of discussion boards like Blackboard, Webct and Moodle to programs like powerpoint, iMovie and SuperCard. Discussion boards can be controlled by the teacher, and provide an open forum for students to discuss the topics taught in the classroom. This can, however, put a pressure on students to emphasize the quantity of posts, rather than the quality. This dilemma can be mended simply by teachers highlighting what they want and expect from the students. This allows learning to now occur through various mediums, adapting to each student’s learning styles.

Technology can also prove to be very difficult to control, creating various opportunities to cheat and plagiarize. The ease at which students can purchase pre written reports is astounding, and it is incredibly difficult for a teacher to monitor all documents written on the internet to verify whether or not the text is really the students’ own words. It also can be used to access social networking sites by students instead of using it for educational purposes.

The use of the media has also created several issues for school administrators. The internet is an entirely different world which can contain several tools either aid or thwart educational instructors. The internet is a gateway for dangers such as pedophiles, porn, and bullying. It creates an anonymous medium that provides unscrupulous individuals with power.

I personally believe that technology can be a useful and practical tool that can work to both students’ and teachers’ advantage, if used properly. I think that the benefits of technology far outweigh the damages it may cause. There are also several ways in which administrators and teachers can minimize the disadvantages of the internet. First, it is very easy to block and limit which internet sites can be publically accessed inside schools. Also, there are various programs that have been created that help teachers identify plagiarism. Teachers should not only be teaching their students traditional curriculum, but also teach them about ethics, promoting honest and honorable work.

Any invention can be used for good or bad. Intelligence, especially when it produces something great, can have strong implications and effects that individuals cannot even begin to consider. The most crucial thing for educators to do is not to attempt to prevent change, but to adapt with it. Technology can be used to help educators, to further their message and reach more students. Traditional forms of teaching have not always met the standards of various learning styles, so the use of technology may be able to repair that gap.

Democratic media would be atypical from the dominant media in two ways: structurally and functionally. Firstly, ordinary citizens would be the ones to organize and control the media which is naturally guaranteed to reflect the demands of the population. Secondly, democratic media’s aim would be to serve informational, cultural and other communications needs of the public. It would recognize and encourage diversity.

Current mainstream media attempts to assert that they are democratic, and do so by offering the public with a variety of talk shows that hold the façade of democracy. However, what many members of the audience do not realize is how controlled talk shows are, through screening and restricted discussion with public. I personally have witnessed this on shows like The Tyra Banks Show, who’s host often cuts guests off and regurgitates the message with an entirely different idea. In many of the talk shows, such as Dr. Phil, The Tyra Banks Show and even The View, there are several issues that are addressed, however, each of the particular topics are discussed within an acceptable framework and controlled by each host. If ever an audience member steps out of bounds, producers will merely edit and remove specific scenes.

In order to create a democratic media, one has the choice between two options. One can attempt to persuade or force current media to provide excluded groups and ideas a forum or private organization can take popular action through legislative action. The first seems unlikely, and is filled with flaws as a non democratic media cannot ultimately produce a democratic media. Since the commercial media sector is self serving, in majority due to advertisement, the public and civic sector must attempt to find its own finding. The democratization of the media should first attempt to enlarge the civic field, strengthen its sector through autonomy and funding and attempt to decrease the commercial sector. Government subvention is required for democratic media.

I personally do not believe that it is possible to have a truly democratic media. Just as it seems impossible and unlikely to ever have an honest and sincerely democratic government, the media cannot be contained and restricted to democracy. The first attempt to make the media democratic is structural, which in essence is the beginning of the problem. How can one expect a group of individuals to remain true to their society without allowing the power overtake them? This discrepancy would eventually leak to the function of media democracy, being that those in positions of power would dominate and change the aim to serve their own interests.

I also do not believe that the media can be democratic if government subvention is required. With any government contribution, one can expect media abuse. This may sound cynical, however, it is merely a fact.

The media is currently being abused by individuals in elite positions of power who are self serving. While I do agree that the media can be more democratic, I also believe that it is like reaching an asymptote. The media can never truly be one hundred percent democratic, however, we can always attempt to reach that level.

There are various ways in which the media spins a story through the use of language. Vocabulary is fluid and susceptible to change. Through various connotations and interpretation of word meanings, reporters can vary the way individuals construe the information being presented. Vocabulary can also play an important role simply by the choice of words. Purr words are positive and have a warming overtone which can create a false feeling of integrity and virtue misrepresenting intent and yielding deception. Take for example the sentence, “Democrats Show Flexibility on Capital Gains Tax Cut”. The use of the word flexibility implies a more positive connotation, whereas if it were replaced with snarling words like cave in or weakening, it would imply a more negative undertone and induce adverse reactions. The media uses words such as extremist, terrorist, welfare, etc. to produce such effects. Put down are also used, which are words are similar with the exception that they are less aggressive forms of condemnation that reprove rather than snarl. The media uses vocabulary in an attempt to control its audience.

The media is also guilty of playing down the level of violence through the use of vocabulary (the Latinos are toughened by experience- implies a positive benefit of the violence) or through the selection of the sources of information they use. They will also facilitate innuendo through the use of phrases like: it has been linked, it is reported or official claims say that allow individuals to make connections between actions and what is being represented despite a lack of supportable evidence.

Naturally all of us would like to assume that our country has good intentions and has done no wrong. The media helps to falsely attribute benevolent motives to our country despite some of the wrong actions it may have done. It also helps personify issues through the use of collective words, once again misleading its audience. In a situation where the evidence is too great to deny, the media will use a passive voice in order to remove agency and the responsibility of its country.

It is crucial for media classes to be incorporated in the educational curriculum at both the elementary and high school levels. Teachers need to develop a sort of media literacy that allows students to critically analyze the messages being sent by the media, as well as guide them to not only question the media, but find the answers to their questions. How many of us have read something on the internet, or in the newspaper and passed the news around? Are we persuaded by an argument made simply because it lies there in print? Should we not question the bias of the writer, the newspaper, the country? Those in positions of power and those who are still naïve will undoubtedly attempt to ridicule the questioning by claiming they are too cynical however, when did the pursuit of truth become something that was contemptuous? It is the role of educators to shed students of the blindfolds that victimize them and make them susceptible to the lies and false claims of the media. It is up to parents, administrators and educators to question the media themselves.

Despite this new found desire for peace, Iraq was still invaded in 2003 with the majority of its citizens supporting the Bush administration’s decision. How? Through the use of various types of media, an ideological climate was created both internally as well as abroad which supported the idea of the U.S. as a benevolent power, allowing them to transfer billions of dollars from the poorest countries to the wealthiest officials of the richest countries. Chomsky stated it best when he said, “what right do we have to decide what should happen to other people? Is it because we are so magnificent? Did we have some God given right to determine the fate of the world?”

The most important fact to consider is the lack of public discussion regarding the pre emptive strike in 2003 on Iraq. This can be allotted to the media’s failure to further investigate the false and misguiding claims made about Iraq’s connection to al-Qaida and the possible dangers it would have to the U.S. The media is such a powerful and influential tool that can be put to good or bad use. Do CNN, FOX, MSNBC, NBC or ABC have no responsibilities? No ethics when it comes to proper journalism? As the American death toll rose, and continues to do so even now, the media is slowly backing away from the war glorification and quickly pointing the finger to the very same people they once supported. What I believe to be the most disconcerting, is that what concerns Americans is not the fact that huge amounts of people have been killed, but the fact that America is not winning.

I very much support all of Chomsky’s ideologies regarding the media and the American war, as well as support his arguments. From my very own personal experience, I have found that our own educational institutions, the very ones that are intended to foster critical thinking, perpetrate a prejudice attitude based on the preconception of the all knowing and good Western World. They cultivate these attitudes by hiding or minimizing our very own contributions to mass destruction. For example, I remember learning about the colonization of America and never once did my history teacher mention the destruction of the entire Indian nation. When it was brought up, by a student I might add, it was quickly dismissed and trivialized. Look at how the Bush administration used the media to weed out any negative opinions regarding the Iraqi war. The Dixie Chicks spoke out against the war, and immediately Bush perpetrated this idea of unity and pride, using print, radio and television media to regain control over the population and filter out the band.

The media is an incredibly potent tool that can be used for many things. It is crucial that those in controlling positions use it responsibly however, it is also critical that parents, teachers and authoritative individuals teach children how to think critically and evaluate the messages being said rather than to passively accept whatever is being said. This is what media classes are vital in any and all curriculums.