This
letter is intended for the members of the Utah State Board of Education.
Hello,
My name is Kaitlyn Day and I am a student at Brigham
Young University. One of my classes this school semester is on the effects of
media on children and adolescents. This class has made me more aware than I
have ever been before of not only the negative effects of media but also the
positive impact media can have on children and teens. Media can be a powerful
tool in encouraging prosocial attitudes and behavior in society, but it can
also be used in ways that promote inappropriate and harmful thoughts and
behavior. My most important take away from this course is that I have the responsibility
to be an active user of media. I need to be aware of not only the content of
the media I am consuming but also the research behind the impact of that
content.
I believe that each child and adolescent has the right to
an education in media literacy. I am aware that many schools have curriculum in
place to help their students learn how to use technology. I am suggesting that an
education in the effects of media could prove to be even more beneficial than
simply learning how to use technology. As someone that works in a school with elementary
and middle school aged children every day, I can confidently say that a large
amount of the behavioral issues I navigate with students are impacted, to some
extent, by their media habits. These children and teens need an education in
media literacy.
I propose that Media Literacy become a required subject
for all school students to cover. I think that this could take the form of a
class that every student is required to take before they graduation high school,
but I think it would be even better to make Media Literacy a part of the curriculum
in every grade. This may require that time be taken away from typing practice
to teach 3rd graders about the possible effects of violent video
games. This could mean that an 8th grade science class may do an
experiment regarding mood and different types of music instead of an experiment
regarding throwing paper airplanes.
Each
grade level will be ready for a different amount of information about the media,
presented in different ways. Curriculum should be developmentally appropriate for
each student. I really do believe that talking about what these kids are seeing
in movies, video games and on YouTube would go a very long way in helping them
form better media habits and helping them navigate the media world more effectively.
An 11-year-old may not realize that the amount of time she is spending on
social media may have an impact on her anxiety and depression levels in the future,
but we have a responsibility to teach her so she can make an educated and
intentional decision.
Thank
you for the time you have taken to read this letter. I hope you will consider
the things I have mentioned, and they will lead you to research this topic
further.
Thank you for all you are
already doing,
Kaitlyn Day
