It's been a long time since I have blogged, but it's time to get back to it again.
I recently attended the Screen Futures Summit in Melbourne in July, and thoroughly enjoyed it. Hosted by the Australian Teachers of Media Victoria, it was a diverse and interesting conference. There was so much to hear and learn and I had a wonderful time!
There are so many topics that I could talk about here, but one that struck my interest in regard to my own children, was the session on the ABC TV series My Place.
"My Place, written by Nadia Wheatly and illustrated by Donna Rawlins, was Children's Book Council Book of the Year for Younger Readers in 1988, and also YABBA children's choice award. Constantly in print for more than 20 years, this groundbreaking blend of history and imaginative fiction has been read in schools and homes around the country, and is now delighting a second generation of readers." ABC TV - My Place Website.
I have been aware of the series for some time and of its multi platform content, but it was fantastic to hear Deborah Cohen, who manages the education unit of the Australian Children's Television Foundation, speak and describe the success of this series and how it can be a valuable classroom media text for English, History and of course Media Studies. It is also genuinely wonderful entertainment for kids. Set over 200 years, it looks at many different children's lives as they play by the tree that is their "place". What I particularly loved about this series, in relation to the Internet content, is how my own children can explore the house and garden of each child's era when they click on each story link. The house changes to match the era and so much care has been taken with the historical detail. A fantastically well designed website.
So, worth a look if you haven't checked it out already. So many ways to engage children in the stories.
There is also a great website for teachers attached the main My Place site.
This week we moved into a new house and 1.5 acres of gorgeous land. Still within our comfort zone of previous surburbia, but far enough out to escape from the world for a bit.
Moving house is a funny thing. You certainly realise how much you miss being connected to technology when your phone and internet have to be connected at the new property. Sure, the first day offline is kind of novel, but after that, you feel out of the loop. Such is the enticement of social and digital media.
One of the first things our son said was, "when we get to the new house, can I play Club Penguin?". Of course we had to explain to him that the internet will have to be connected when we move in, and that may take some time. He was generally cool with that and it did not tend to bother him greatly. He can entertain himself quite well in other ways. But it was funny.
Of course I had to get on my iPhone. It was still a vague attachment to the "world". It filled the void (in fact, it's keeping me online now. Hate to see the bill though! Telstra has knocked off for the mammoth long Easter weekend. We'll be back online properly after that I would hope). But part of moving to acreage was to enjoy country life. We enjoy and thrive on our online connections, but feeding chickens and ducks and roaming around on 1.5 acres is bliss. The kids can ride their scooters up the drive way, and we don't have to pack them in the car to find a bike track anymore.
The kids have loved the change of scenery and have played and explored non-stop. After all the unpacking, I am already starting to feel relaxed. Still two more rooms to go. But so far so good...
Well, it's about time I returned to blogging. I have been so caught up Tweeting...There were quite a few things I have thought about talking about these past few weeks; from Barbie to YouTube, but have returned to the iPod topic.
It was my daughter's birthday yesterday, and she scored an iPod Touch. It was a dilemma over whether to choose the Nintendo DS or an iPod Touch.
It's all about the Nintendo DS at school, but after careful consideration, we thought we'd jump straight to the iPod Touch. As popular as the Nintendo is, I am really not wrapped in cartridges and the stylus. The iPhone has got me thinking beyond that. Clever Mr Jobs. He's got me hook, line and sinker. My husband, the one who works in IT, has been more cynical about it, which is rather interesting. The things these kids have today! But needless to say, he has been suitably impressed.
Already she has embraced it! She was up last night playing, reading books on it and listening to music. It's like a little activity station in her pocket. She has taken video of her new Sylvanian Family caravan play set and photos of her own decorated birthday cake. She has taken to it like a duck to water. Of course, she did that with my iPhone too....
As my son plays his umpteenth round of Club Penguin or watches YouTube to go through Club Penguin "walkthroughs", I can see him so involved in yet another media related activity. Given popular opinion in parenting circles, should the parental guilt be kicking in? Sometimes it does when I am in a conversation about television and media with other parents, even though I know the literature is diverse on this topic. At 5, he is so mad keen on this, that is dominating his play. But then, when he was 3-4 years old, it was all about Thomas the Tank Engine day in and day out; in all its forms (books, toys & the television series in particular). It was so interesting then, that I used this play and digital media use in a small case study last year. He seemed "one track minded" (pardon the pun), but his play was far more layered than first met the eye. What he was learning and how he played was fascinating.
There has been a lot of literature, that is heavily promoted, about the negative impact of children's media use, with prominent critics such as psychologist Aric Sigman. Sigman is very vocal about young children and screen use. But opinion seems so utterly divided and scholars Catharine Lumby and Duncan Fine, here in Australia, have written Why TV Is Good for Kids: Raising 21st Century Children, which puts the issue into perspective. As Lumby and Fine (2006) comment;
"It's quite natural, of course, to be concerned about the effect of different media on children. Children are vulnerable. They need adult love and guidance. But rational concern is one thing, blind fear and unthinking prejudice is another. And unfortunately it's the latter which too often dominates debates about children's media consumption" (p. 57).
Although this book is a few years old now, it does make interesting points on these issues and it does relate to screen use, other than television. Additionally, digital media is emerging as a very valuable learning tool in the classroom and at home. From a media education perspective, such media and technology can be taught critically, and children can discern what they watch. They are already active in their media viewing.
When I observe my children's media use and play, it is multi levelled. They do not simply sit in front of a screen and passively watch it at all. They never have. We have had numerous Puffle parties, Club Penguin missions and so forth. Not merely copying either. They really think about it, and these offline Club Penguin missions are well thought out and are like problem solving role play. Also, my 6 year old daughter is so interested in ballet that she has been finding Nutcracker ballet videos on YouTube. We went to a local ballet company's performance of The Nutcracker over Christmas, and she has been enamored with it ever since. She enjoys watching the same scene performed by ballet companies from all over the world; Dance of the Dolls or The Snowflakes by The Bolshoi Ballet, the San Francisco City Ballet and so forth. Then she dances in the kitchen with what she sees on the videos and can identify the exact track to play on the iPod.
She has learnt that there are many different versions of the same ballet, and that it is a ballet that has been performed all over the world. She knows all of the music and can identify what dance belongs to what orchestral piece. The YouTube access has fuelled her learning on this topic, and she enjoys analysing, in her own 6 year old way, the variations in the same scenes between ballet companies.
From my experience, children do use media in a balanced environment and combined with their interests, it seems to work pretty well. Whether it creates an interest or enhances a current one.
References:
Lumby, C. & Fine, D. (2006). TV villains: media panics. In C. Lumby & D. Fine (Eds.), Why TV is good for kids: raising 21st century children (pp. 55-96). Sydney: MacMillan
Sigman, A. (2005) Remotely Controlled: How television is damaging our lives. Ebury Publishing: London.
I caught this via Twitter and checked it out on YouTube and I love it! Created by Ilan and Sipo, experimental musicians from Israel, it is just so well done. Not only is it a very funky track, but to think this music has been made on iPhones and iPads makes it even more impressive. I have seen the guys on the subway do their bit, and that was also rather inventive, but having the music on the iPhone recorded in a studio setting is thinking even further outside the box!
Introducing the kids to musical instruments has been on my mind for a while now, as they approach the age of interest. My daughter is keen to play the violin, and has been eying up my own half size student fiddle downstairs for a while. But seeing this work here, it has got me thinking. Maybe it could be worthwhile introducing the kids to music via the iPhone. Maybe just to play around, experiment and create... Maybe they could produce their own little mix!
Ref:
O'Neill, M. (2011) First Ever Studio-Produced iPhone Track Hits YouTube.
Our daughter's birthday is coming up soon, and she is finally in the age bracket to nag for a Nintendo DS (and she certainly has been). But is it really the way to go for a hand held game? Is cartridge technology a thing of the past? If I am going to spend about $200 plus on a hand held game console, do I want to then buy $30-$40 game cartridges on top of that? Then there is storage. You need a case to put them in, you cannot share your game with a sibling etc. The cases may be trendy, but that's yet another thing to buy. Even the Doctor Who TARDIS case almost converted me, but.....
Whilst investigating this on the Internet, I came across a short article addressing this very dilemma. Although the article is now 12 months old and admittedly from an Apple promoting site, it still makes a good case. Cohen (2010) discusses the very reasons why the iPod Touch seems like a more ideal hand held game investment in a busy household with children. It also resonates with the argument my husband's old university friend (who works in IT) gave us a year ago when we were weighing up the pros and cons. A huge selling point was that an iPod touch was much cheaper to run. You can't beat downloadable technology. Cartridges just seem so 1990s. "It's all going to be about touch technology and downloads with these things" my husband's mate preached to us at the kitchen table. He doesn't work for Apple.
Also, it is interesting to note, that Sony is now on the bandwagon, with the new version of their handheld game device. It will be interesting to see what the future of the Nintendo DS will be once this comes onto the shelves and how accessible the games will be to download and afford.
So, now what? Given that I have to pry my children off the iPhone, the iPod Touch is certainly very appealing. They can play all their favourite apps, play and download music etc and I can make phone calls without an argument or debate over a time share arrangement.
There's a big thing amongst kids at the moment. Well, it has been around since 2005, but after Disney bought it in 2007, it has really taken off. This "thing" is what is commonly known around our house as "Clubby" or Club Penguin.
Club Penguin seems to become popular through word of mouth. I ask many parents if their kids play it, and 80% of the time I get "Club What?". When the other 20% react it's met with "oh yes! Club Penguin! I can't pull my kids away from it!". Our neighbour's children introduced us to it, and they too, are very keen players.
Club Penguin in an online interactive game designed for children from 6-14 years of age. It is regarded as a safe social site for kids, where they can engage in a plethora of games from retro style arcade games like Thin Ice, to the funky DJ3K, where they can mix their own music. There are online stories and opportunities to meet other children (via Penguin) from all over the world. Kids earn points or rather coins with each game, and with these coins, they can then "purchase" virtual items for their penguins, their "avatar" in cyberspace. Furthermore, for kids in the know, they can purchase soft toys, books and figurines as collectibles. And, with each of those toys or books, comes a bonus coin with a special code that gives you even more coins to buy stuff in this magical cyber-world. To buy the really "cool stuff" you have to become a "team member".
Generally, the game is quite cute and harmless. But, it has been met with some criticism. Particularly in teaching young kids about consumerism. I must say that I sit on both sides of the fence with that issue. On one hand, my now 5 year old son can read numbers well into the thousands, his literacy and numeracy has increased and he is learning quite a lot through play. In regard to money, he has learnt that if you want to buy something in this world, you have to save for it. On the other hand, every trip to the shops is met by "can I buy another penguin? I need another coin!". He does use his own pocket money, and he does save for it, but still, it takes precedence on a lot of shopping trips. The team member concept is a seductive marketing ploy and it works. Guess what my son wanted for Christmas?
So, what to do? Generally, I like Club Penguin. I can see how it has engaged my children, and my son in particular. It is constantly improving his literacy and numeracy skills through play. But the marketing side of it, I am in two minds. Basically, it's a matter, like with any "new toy" to keep a balance.
Well, after quite an emotional week, I thought I would share this...
My kids love inventions and creations. Richard Hammond's Blast Lab and Scrapheap Challenge are programs of choice in this household. Two examples of entertaining presentations of Science and Engineering for kids.
My daughter discovered Wallace & Gromit via iView; the "digital view as you wish" option from the ABC here in Australia. She really appreciated the story and the animation. I often used Wallace and Gromit for teaching animation years ago and have been a big fan of Nick Park's work. It is good to see it is still well appreciated.
So, some handy holiday viewing! Educational and darn entertaining!
Floods are about to hit Brisbane, and it has been truly extraordinary to see how it unfolds. Just incredible and surreal. My parents still talk of the floods of 1974. This is said to be bigger.
Another fascinating thing about this, is how much the communication has changed since Brisbane's last major floods in 1974. I have watched the entire emergency play out through Twitter, with warnings from the Queensland Police Service, ABC news and even the social media academics at the Universities here. I get the news on Twitter, before I hear it on the television. I had managed to share footage of the devastation in a nearby regional city, to alert my friends of the magnitude of what was happening on Facebook, hours before they viewed it on the news. To know what is going on, and to receive updates as they come to hand is incredible.
I was initially cynical about Twitter, because it was often touted as a place for frivolous celebrity updates. However, I knew that I really had to get over that idea. I started my account in 2009, posted sporadically, but have not been actively involved with it until relatively recently, despite reading a lot of literature about it. For starters, I am a big fan of Henry Jenkins and his book Convergence Culture. I have read The White Paper. I have also been following prominent social media researcher danah boyd. There is some exciting and wonderful literature out there on this topic.
It is the concept of sharing that has made it quite an extraordinary resource. It is also extremely helpful in an emergency like this and to stay informed. It is also important to stay critical too. When on Twitter, stick to reliable sources such as the authorities, like the Queensland Police Service and known news sources. Watch what you retweet.
I had a grand idea about writing an elaborate and more critical entry over this rather wet and rainy holiday period, but this is it for the moment....
These Christmas holidays, my children discovered Singin' in the Rainon television and they were completely and utterly sold. My daughter started watching the film on her way to bed. She was captivated. The next thing I knew, she was giggling like crazy as Donald O'Conner sang Make em Laugh. I let her stay up to watch the whole film, as her excitement in this classic musical was gorgeous!
I then remembered that we gave their grandparents a DVD of Singin' in the Rain a couple of Christmases ago! So, after she told her little brother all about this fantastic film that she saw the night before, they then begged us to borrow it from their grandparents. I woke up this morning to find them both completely and utterly absorbed in the film. All day today my daughter has been singing "good morning, good morning, we've talked the whole night through..." and my son has been impersonating Donald O'Connor's crazy antics.
The age of this movie was of no issue to my children at all. They know a good musical when they see it.
There's something about singing and dancing in the movies or on television that is just exciting, romantic and just plain grand! That is large part of the Glee's success....
Glee just has that thing happening. There's nothing like a contemporary reworking and a homage to a classic. This particular routine did get some mixed reactions from fans, but if anything, it has a lot of people looking up the original on YouTube.
I'll have to get the kids take on this excerpt tomorrow.
My son is a huge fan of Artie's Safety Dance that he caught on YouTube a while back now... That's a whole new post.
