engleski

The Impact of Contemporary Media on Children and Youth- Implications for the Formal and Informal Acquisition of Media Competence

The focus of this paper is the empowerment of students' media competence between the effects of the media and school influences. The importance of gaining media competence is emphasized in regards to the opportunities, either with institutional support or through the informal channels. The first part of the paper describes the impact of mass media on the generations that grew up using modern technology. With the help of media perceptions, the propaganda industry aims to influence the perceptual, moral and affective development of the young people. Here are also listed the recent research on exposure of children and youth to the media. The second part of the paper critically examines the different means where different types of media influence the cognitive processes in students' school and out-of-the-school environment. Listed are the features of traditional and seemingly linear media versus the modern and interactive displays conveyed by the digital technologies. Accordingly, the psychological and sociological paradigm of the media audience are contrasted, where the student is referred to as a passive recipient of information in a transmission teaching style, while the transactional learning model portrays the student as competent to construct his / her own learning process, or to analyze it himself/herself. Emphasized are the implications for the acquisition of media competence, where students could be assisted by teachers and parents, either institutionally or informally. It is concluded that the implementation of the critical thinking in the concept of media competence can reduce the adverse impact of the contemporary media on young people. Media competence can be developed successfully both formally and informally. It is also necessary to institutionalize the media education in schools and to educate both teachers and students, as well as the parents.

media influence, media competence, transactional didactics, informal learning, media socialization

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