Growth Of Mass Media And Technology In Learning Process Growth Of Mass Media And Technology In Learning Pr | Page 8

• appreciate that children have a new learning power through technology but they have to be taught how to use the computer and other media to their greatest advantage • undertake teacher training to provide students with support to direct their boundless creativity through new media • become parental activists, demanding better quality media programs designed specifically for Australian children, protesting about their commercial exploitation, demanding better regulation of all media, including computer games that are designed with educational purposes and consider children’s interests. FINDING A systematic program in media literacy and media education should be developed and made available to parents, child careers, pre-school teachers and other adults to increase their awareness of the positive potential for children to learn and develop healthily through the use of media and digital technology. The digital divide

DISCUSSION Whether or not parents can see the potential learning value of media exposure, and what is called the digital divide are the main barriers to children’s media use, apart from television which is universal. Technology puts a lot of pressure on today’s families. It is costly to be connected, to have mobile phones, cable access and the latest iPod. The digital divide is exacerbating inequalities in access to good schooling and other children’s services. Many parents are pulled in two ways by the new technology – they fear its negative impacts: passivity, physical inactivity, pornography and cyber-bullying. But they sense that without adequate exposure and skill acquisition their children will be disadvantaged.