With the recent launch of Nintendo’s Xbox and Sony’s PlayStation 3, the digital world of video gaming is a growing medium of youth entertainment. The violent nature of the top games leaves much to be desired in terms of peaceful entertainment.
Surrounded by the youth of today’s “information generation”, I decided to take the opportunity and immerse myself in their experience of video games.
I was surprised to discover that very few of them acknowledge that violent games can translate into violent actions in the real world. For those who do see the potential consequences of violent games, this violence is the element they most enjoy. “The violence can lead children to do what they see in the games” said 14-year-old Phila Simelane, from Gauteng, just after informing me that Doom is her favourite game because of the scary dimension and control that it offers her.
Many children also struggle to see any problem with the excessive amount of time they spend playing games. Razy Makavker,16, from Palestine spends three to four hours a day playing video games and sees nothing wrong with this.
Many of today’s top video games centre on the variety of available weapons and advanced fighting techniques, rehashing images of soldiers at war and struggles for power that are made more real through advanced special effects and powerful graphics in vivid scenes of bloodshed and death.
The mounting concern does not seem to match the already-in-excess violence in video games that are so easily accessible to children. In fact, I’m increasingly horrified that not more is being done to curb the availability of such games by such a supposedly ‘advanced society’.
It is without a doubt that the violent nature of video games provides justification to our youth that real violence is also just a game. The reality is that the violence in this medium is playing out in the real world, on our playgrounds, in our classrooms and on the battlefields that are our living rooms. Not least is my concern that games expose and even encourage violent acts through their plots of aggression, gender bias and excessive killing. In so many games, violence is equated to winning and in the real world, where it’s all about the competition, the same control is fast becoming a must have for survival.
Yes, the positives are there. Games introduce children to the world of IT and computer technology, they provide opportunity for problem solving and logic, assist in developing hand-eye coordination and for today’s technology immersed youth, are an important source of entertainment. But do these positives need to manifest in the excessive violence games like Tekken and Mortal Kombat.
I believe that many young people play these violent games as an outlet for their unvoiced frustrations, using them as a platform for expression. It is here that they get to have control; because it is so seldom that they have the opportunity to execute power in the real world.
YouthSpeaK wants to hear your views on violence in video games. Email Siobhan Louw (siobhan.louw@gmail.com) or Chris Kabwato (c.kabwato@ru.ac.za).
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Violent games – detrimental in Africa
Information is at our fingertips and in the world where media is only a click away, Ashraf Patel calls for a research agenda for (South) Africa to accompany the fast changing digital media world of violent video games.
In the advent of children multitasking with multimedia, Patel advances that it is important that we see and use the opportunity that these media platforms have to offer. Of course, although it is not uncommon to see a child in front of a television, playing an interactive game while simultaneously downloading and listening to music via their iPod, this situation is not without its challenges / disadvantages.
In Africa, a continent where the majority of youth are growing up in “adverse conditions of hopelessness” where there is vast conflict occurring in terms of youth proximity, Patel describes how many youth, who are absorbed in virtual worlds, are taking on roles of characters they see in the digital worlds and play out the characteristics in the real world. The virtual world of representation of the youth in Africa is increasingly linking with the conflict in reality.
It is in this context that Patel suggests a move towards peace-building through technology, highlighting the importance of using new media as a platform. Patel describes new media as “a golden window of opportunity for media and education practitioners” in the promotion of peace building and education.
Research shows that video games, as a fast emerging technology, have adverse impacts. Antisocial behaviour, violent content, safety issues and aggression generation as only a few concerns facing society with regard to the video games being played by the youth on a daily basis.
“Playing violent video games increases aggressive thoughts and actions. Aggressive kids seek out violent media which contributes to making them more aggressive,” said Patel.
In his proposal for an African research agenda in line with violent video games, Patel is concerned about the impact of violent games on “vulnerable states where war prevails”.
His recommendations with regard to his proposed research suggest that Africa should be working within the international gaming industry and entering into dialogue about content in video games moving towards conflict resolution, to create valued “peaceful education in all of CyberSpace”.
In the advent of children multitasking with multimedia, Patel advances that it is important that we see and use the opportunity that these media platforms have to offer. Of course, although it is not uncommon to see a child in front of a television, playing an interactive game while simultaneously downloading and listening to music via their iPod, this situation is not without its challenges / disadvantages.
In Africa, a continent where the majority of youth are growing up in “adverse conditions of hopelessness” where there is vast conflict occurring in terms of youth proximity, Patel describes how many youth, who are absorbed in virtual worlds, are taking on roles of characters they see in the digital worlds and play out the characteristics in the real world. The virtual world of representation of the youth in Africa is increasingly linking with the conflict in reality.
It is in this context that Patel suggests a move towards peace-building through technology, highlighting the importance of using new media as a platform. Patel describes new media as “a golden window of opportunity for media and education practitioners” in the promotion of peace building and education.
Research shows that video games, as a fast emerging technology, have adverse impacts. Antisocial behaviour, violent content, safety issues and aggression generation as only a few concerns facing society with regard to the video games being played by the youth on a daily basis.
“Playing violent video games increases aggressive thoughts and actions. Aggressive kids seek out violent media which contributes to making them more aggressive,” said Patel.
In his proposal for an African research agenda in line with violent video games, Patel is concerned about the impact of violent games on “vulnerable states where war prevails”.
His recommendations with regard to his proposed research suggest that Africa should be working within the international gaming industry and entering into dialogue about content in video games moving towards conflict resolution, to create valued “peaceful education in all of CyberSpace”.
They’ve come, they’re seeing, they’re hearing and now they’re making media
The plan was to let the kids involved in our project create and produce their own media, here’s my editorial piece that accompanied their stories.
It’s been a long journey. They’ve travelled far in distance, and even further in their media capabilities. Our aim to put media in the hands and mouths of the youth is fast becoming a reality.
YouthSpeaK’s team of aspiring media workers, after brief workshops on basic journalism, received there first brief as young journalists. With less than a day to produce a story, from beginning to end, we set them loose on the hotels, streets, boardrooms and conference sessions of the 5th World Summit on the Media and Children.
Twenty four hours later, back in the newsroom, the learners touched base with the editorial team. In true media style with a few logistically-missed deadlines, the learners pitched their stories to the team, consolidated their facts, angled their stories and got typing.
Abuzz with the life blood that makes a newsroom tick, the children produced their first stories for the Summit. Here are the voices we’ve accessed…
It’s been a long journey. They’ve travelled far in distance, and even further in their media capabilities. Our aim to put media in the hands and mouths of the youth is fast becoming a reality.
YouthSpeaK’s team of aspiring media workers, after brief workshops on basic journalism, received there first brief as young journalists. With less than a day to produce a story, from beginning to end, we set them loose on the hotels, streets, boardrooms and conference sessions of the 5th World Summit on the Media and Children.
Twenty four hours later, back in the newsroom, the learners touched base with the editorial team. In true media style with a few logistically-missed deadlines, the learners pitched their stories to the team, consolidated their facts, angled their stories and got typing.
Abuzz with the life blood that makes a newsroom tick, the children produced their first stories for the Summit. Here are the voices we’ve accessed…
Bridging the digital divide:Educational value of new media in Africa?
In the age of wireless media, Bluetooth downloads, blogging and pod-casting, new media innovations are a daily necessity for many who feel lost without high speed internet connections at their finger tips.
These digital innovations are overflowing into the classrooms in many schools world-wide, giving a new dimension to the term “educational media”.
In a workshop yesterday, presented by Milton Chen of the George Lucas Educational Foundation (GLEF), discussions centered on the use of video media accessed from online platforms. Websites like MySpace and YouTube are increasingly being used as resources to provide a variety of rich content for use in schools and classrooms. The broadcasting media, made available over the internet, have added a new dimension to educational video media. The ability to produce high-quality video programming on demand is allowing for more interactive educational content to be delivered to the masses.
In an ideal world, this sort of media would be available to all of us, educators and learners alike, the world over. Of course the reality of these digital classrooms is still a foreign concept for many who teach and learn in the educational systems on the African continent. Sitting in a newsroom with learners who have never used computers gives an honest indication of the challenges Africa faces in bringing the likes of YouTube and MySpace media into our schools.
Many schools in South Africa are still without basic computer labs, let alone dedicated Internet lines that can feed web content into our classrooms. Even basic education in Africa is a far cry from the innovative measures being advanced on other continents.
African challenges are still rooted in financial constraints and the lack of infrastructure. In many classrooms we do not even have textbooks in fundamental learning areas like technology and English.
Where the “more developed Western countries” are facing challenges regarding the ethical use of digital media in relation to children, Africa sadly remains many steps behind.
The one thing that is on Africa’s side is the increase in dedicated educators entering the education system. It is in the hands of these educators that reasonable innovation must originate and flow into the minds and knowledge bases of our learners. Indeed, video conferencing and the creation of multimedia packages maybe a reality far from practice on our continent, but the resources at hand, even those as simple as pictures in magazines, still have tremendous value in African classrooms.
At the forefront of the Summit is the challenge to bridge the gap between adult and child delegates. Perhaps, as pressing, should be the bridging of the digital divide that continues to exist, and grow, between Africa and the rest of the world.
YouthSpeaK want to hear your comments and ideas on new media, ICTs and education in Africa. How big is the digital divide and where do the solutions lie. E-mail Chris (c.kabwato@ru.ac.za) or Siobhan (siobhan.louw@gmail.com).
These digital innovations are overflowing into the classrooms in many schools world-wide, giving a new dimension to the term “educational media”.
In a workshop yesterday, presented by Milton Chen of the George Lucas Educational Foundation (GLEF), discussions centered on the use of video media accessed from online platforms. Websites like MySpace and YouTube are increasingly being used as resources to provide a variety of rich content for use in schools and classrooms. The broadcasting media, made available over the internet, have added a new dimension to educational video media. The ability to produce high-quality video programming on demand is allowing for more interactive educational content to be delivered to the masses.
In an ideal world, this sort of media would be available to all of us, educators and learners alike, the world over. Of course the reality of these digital classrooms is still a foreign concept for many who teach and learn in the educational systems on the African continent. Sitting in a newsroom with learners who have never used computers gives an honest indication of the challenges Africa faces in bringing the likes of YouTube and MySpace media into our schools.
Many schools in South Africa are still without basic computer labs, let alone dedicated Internet lines that can feed web content into our classrooms. Even basic education in Africa is a far cry from the innovative measures being advanced on other continents.
African challenges are still rooted in financial constraints and the lack of infrastructure. In many classrooms we do not even have textbooks in fundamental learning areas like technology and English.
Where the “more developed Western countries” are facing challenges regarding the ethical use of digital media in relation to children, Africa sadly remains many steps behind.
The one thing that is on Africa’s side is the increase in dedicated educators entering the education system. It is in the hands of these educators that reasonable innovation must originate and flow into the minds and knowledge bases of our learners. Indeed, video conferencing and the creation of multimedia packages maybe a reality far from practice on our continent, but the resources at hand, even those as simple as pictures in magazines, still have tremendous value in African classrooms.
At the forefront of the Summit is the challenge to bridge the gap between adult and child delegates. Perhaps, as pressing, should be the bridging of the digital divide that continues to exist, and grow, between Africa and the rest of the world.
YouthSpeaK want to hear your comments and ideas on new media, ICTs and education in Africa. How big is the digital divide and where do the solutions lie. E-mail Chris (c.kabwato@ru.ac.za) or Siobhan (siobhan.louw@gmail.com).
The HANA Guide to Four Days of Children’s Media
More than 300 young people have invaded the streets, boardrooms and auditoriums of Sandton. In bright green t-shirts, and with eager minds and enlightened perspectives, young representatives from 88 nations converse in excited voices. This is the heart of strong talk; the site where the youth discuss, analyse and produce journalism. As the 5th World Summit of Children and Media gets underway, we’re putting media in the hands and minds of young, global citizens.
Over the next four days, young people will interact with media and deliberate its role as a tool for global peace. The spotlight is on them as they grapple with issues surrounding media access and production, and the opportunity to answer one simple question, “What do you think?”
Your daily fixes: new media and innovation
Aside from the riveting plenary sessions and workshops that will comprise each day’s programme, there are two must-catch sessions that run on each day of the conference.
The daily workshops on new technology and ICT’s promise to look at the relationship between children and new media in relation to content design, the impact of computer games on young people and the peace-building possibilities of new media.
Daily evening sessions on innovation and special projects will give all delegates the opportunity to experience various projects undertaken across the globe bringing media closer to children.
And we have lift off…
Day one of the summit will focus on providing an overview of children’s media and look at issues pertaining to accessibility, production and policy surrounding youth media. Central to these themes is the keynote address, presented by Roy Disney, which will open the morning plenary session. Following this is a presentation outlining global children’s media, facilitated by Prof. Norma Percora (USA) and Hala Atassa (Syria).
The workshop focusing on policy and regulation, entitled Policy, Regulation, Commercial Broadcasters and the Public Service Mandate, will be presented by Zolisa Masiza. This workshop will look at considerations around child-participation in the development of content for children.
Two other must-catch workshops are the ABC of Starting a Youth Media Project, a seminar which looks to integrate young people and media in a more practical manner; and the workshop on Media Literacy, which will look at the influence of media on our national school curriculum.
Day two – keeping the peace
Under the theme of “Peace Building”, day two of the summit will focus on the role of media in encouraging, developing and sustaining peace. Discussions for the day will centre on media as a tool for promoting peace and cultural sensitivity, looking at ways to report on peace, the production of quality news programming for children, and sport as a peace builder.
A must-attend workshop, Research and Productions on Children Watching War, will give delegates the opportunity to discuss conflict and violence in relation to youth media.
Other workshops will focus attention on issues around indigenous media and its implications for cultural identity as well as developing the documentary and drama genres for children.
Medicated media:
The theme for day three is “Media and Children’s Health and Wellness”. Under this banner, the summit will focus on the threat of HIV/AIDS to global peace and role of the media in accessing common ground with regard to HIV/AIDS conspiracy and stigma.
The morning plenary sessions will include a presentation on Health, Wellness and HIV/AIDS. Key sessions and workshops pertaining to the day’s theme will include an address by Jeff McIntyre of the World Health Organisation, media literacy and HIV/AIDS in school outreach, living positively with HIV/AIDS and producing HIV/AIDS programming for children.
Other key workshops include those that will focus on media as a tool for democracy, health awareness programmes and cultural diversity, religion and animation.
A round of applause
The final day will acknowledge and celebrate the success stories and achievements of models of excellence in children’s media. Children attending the conference will consider the media as a tool for advancing international peace and enhancing democracy, reconfiguring the new parameters of our global citizenship.
Over the next four days, young people will interact with media and deliberate its role as a tool for global peace. The spotlight is on them as they grapple with issues surrounding media access and production, and the opportunity to answer one simple question, “What do you think?”
Your daily fixes: new media and innovation
Aside from the riveting plenary sessions and workshops that will comprise each day’s programme, there are two must-catch sessions that run on each day of the conference.
The daily workshops on new technology and ICT’s promise to look at the relationship between children and new media in relation to content design, the impact of computer games on young people and the peace-building possibilities of new media.
Daily evening sessions on innovation and special projects will give all delegates the opportunity to experience various projects undertaken across the globe bringing media closer to children.
And we have lift off…
Day one of the summit will focus on providing an overview of children’s media and look at issues pertaining to accessibility, production and policy surrounding youth media. Central to these themes is the keynote address, presented by Roy Disney, which will open the morning plenary session. Following this is a presentation outlining global children’s media, facilitated by Prof. Norma Percora (USA) and Hala Atassa (Syria).
The workshop focusing on policy and regulation, entitled Policy, Regulation, Commercial Broadcasters and the Public Service Mandate, will be presented by Zolisa Masiza. This workshop will look at considerations around child-participation in the development of content for children.
Two other must-catch workshops are the ABC of Starting a Youth Media Project, a seminar which looks to integrate young people and media in a more practical manner; and the workshop on Media Literacy, which will look at the influence of media on our national school curriculum.
Day two – keeping the peace
Under the theme of “Peace Building”, day two of the summit will focus on the role of media in encouraging, developing and sustaining peace. Discussions for the day will centre on media as a tool for promoting peace and cultural sensitivity, looking at ways to report on peace, the production of quality news programming for children, and sport as a peace builder.
A must-attend workshop, Research and Productions on Children Watching War, will give delegates the opportunity to discuss conflict and violence in relation to youth media.
Other workshops will focus attention on issues around indigenous media and its implications for cultural identity as well as developing the documentary and drama genres for children.
Medicated media:
The theme for day three is “Media and Children’s Health and Wellness”. Under this banner, the summit will focus on the threat of HIV/AIDS to global peace and role of the media in accessing common ground with regard to HIV/AIDS conspiracy and stigma.
The morning plenary sessions will include a presentation on Health, Wellness and HIV/AIDS. Key sessions and workshops pertaining to the day’s theme will include an address by Jeff McIntyre of the World Health Organisation, media literacy and HIV/AIDS in school outreach, living positively with HIV/AIDS and producing HIV/AIDS programming for children.
Other key workshops include those that will focus on media as a tool for democracy, health awareness programmes and cultural diversity, religion and animation.
A round of applause
The final day will acknowledge and celebrate the success stories and achievements of models of excellence in children’s media. Children attending the conference will consider the media as a tool for advancing international peace and enhancing democracy, reconfiguring the new parameters of our global citizenship.
The 5th World Summit on the Media and Children…
I know this blog potentially needs a few more background posts (even if it’s for a more personal consolidation), but I feel that what’s happening right now needs to go out there, so I’m posting this now, and will fill in the gaps in future posts.
Currently, I’m sitting in a make-shift news room at the Sandton Convention Centre in the commercial capital of South Africa – Sandton. I’m a delegate and media worker (so that journalism degree did coming handy) at the 5th World Summit on the Media and Children.
Just to contextualise click here for some background on the Summit. In my personal capacity, I’m working under the banner of ICASA – the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa, for a news agency based at Rhodes University in Grahamstown. The news agency I’m representing is Highway Africa News Agency (HANA). At this conference we’ve joined hands with ICASA to produce a publication with some of the young South Africans attending the Summit.
Our publication is called YouthSpeaK and for the past three days has been a popular media available, hot off the press for conference delegates.
I’ll post up the stories I’ve written so far, please comment if you feel you would like to have your say too. After all, that’s exactly what this conference is all about.
Currently, I’m sitting in a make-shift news room at the Sandton Convention Centre in the commercial capital of South Africa – Sandton. I’m a delegate and media worker (so that journalism degree did coming handy) at the 5th World Summit on the Media and Children.
Just to contextualise click here for some background on the Summit. In my personal capacity, I’m working under the banner of ICASA – the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa, for a news agency based at Rhodes University in Grahamstown. The news agency I’m representing is Highway Africa News Agency (HANA). At this conference we’ve joined hands with ICASA to produce a publication with some of the young South Africans attending the Summit.
Our publication is called YouthSpeaK and for the past three days has been a popular media available, hot off the press for conference delegates.
I’ll post up the stories I’ve written so far, please comment if you feel you would like to have your say too. After all, that’s exactly what this conference is all about.
The school where I teach
Before I start posting ‘real’ content and commentary, I think there is still a need for some more contextual stuff…
For the sake of those individuals I will be referring to on this blog, I do not feel it is fair to disclose the name of the school where I teach. I’ve always believed that anything without 100% transparency lacks credibility, however, in the case of this blog, I feel it could be somewhat troublesome to give too much information. For fear of offending or negatively representing anyone associated with me through my school, I will say only the following about the school at which I work:
The school is situated on the westrand on Johannesburg, in one of the poorer communities of the city. It is a public school, which relies mainly on funding from the Department of Education. The school is a primary school, which teachers from Grade R-7. The learners at the school are aged between 5 and 14, and for the most part come from the more disadvantaged communities in the area. The standard of education that the school produces is of a relatively high standard, representative of the high quality educators on the teaching staff. The school has everything a modern western school would consider necessary for a basic education. Typical of South African schools, we are lacking many facilities such as textbooks, computers, internet access, teachers, money and a reliable and stable, user-friendly education system / infrastructure in which to work.
For the past term, I have been teaching Grade 6 learners in the English and Economic and Management Sciences (EMS) learning areas. In he new term, I will be moving up to Grade 7 in the English learning area. I will continue to teach EMS to the Grade 6 year.
Anything else that you need to know about the school I teach at will be added in as I go along on my documenting process.
For the sake of those individuals I will be referring to on this blog, I do not feel it is fair to disclose the name of the school where I teach. I’ve always believed that anything without 100% transparency lacks credibility, however, in the case of this blog, I feel it could be somewhat troublesome to give too much information. For fear of offending or negatively representing anyone associated with me through my school, I will say only the following about the school at which I work:
The school is situated on the westrand on Johannesburg, in one of the poorer communities of the city. It is a public school, which relies mainly on funding from the Department of Education. The school is a primary school, which teachers from Grade R-7. The learners at the school are aged between 5 and 14, and for the most part come from the more disadvantaged communities in the area. The standard of education that the school produces is of a relatively high standard, representative of the high quality educators on the teaching staff. The school has everything a modern western school would consider necessary for a basic education. Typical of South African schools, we are lacking many facilities such as textbooks, computers, internet access, teachers, money and a reliable and stable, user-friendly education system / infrastructure in which to work.
For the past term, I have been teaching Grade 6 learners in the English and Economic and Management Sciences (EMS) learning areas. In he new term, I will be moving up to Grade 7 in the English learning area. I will continue to teach EMS to the Grade 6 year.
Anything else that you need to know about the school I teach at will be added in as I go along on my documenting process.
Education and me
Like I said in my welcoming post, this is a space that I plan to use to document things that happen in my life with regard to my position as an educator, particularly in South Africa.
In some ways I feel like I’m behind…like I said, I’ve started this so many times, but never actually got around to it. Let me try and catch up with a few posts of commentary and content. I’ll try to keep it as chronological as possible. Hopefully before long I’ll be up to date and ready to keep more of a day-to-day record.
To understand my approach and passion for education, you probably need a bit more personal information. First off, I think it’s important that I reason out my decision to become an educator. Like I said in my first post, I spent four years studying to become a journalist. There are two things that led to my deviation from media and journalism to education and teaching. During my initial studies, I was involved in a motor vehicle which saw me miss an entire term if third year tertiary study…quite chunk in the final year of a BA degree. As a result, I only managed to complete one of my third year major courses (Linguistics). The other, journalism, had to be repeated the following year. With spare time on my hands, I decided to take up so tutoring and lecturing opportunities at the university I was studying at, Rhodes University. That’s where the passion for being in education started. With my Linguistic background, and a keen sense for advancing communication, I held four ‘teaching’ posts. I tutored two subjects, Professional Communications (a communications course for undergraduate commerce students) and Journalism. I also lectured a series of classes on language, a supplementary course for second-language English speakers to help with their skills in writing in English. I also did writing respondent work for second language English speakers on their academic work.
The other big influential event was a course I did in the final semester of my degree. The course, entitled Journalism, Democracy and Development (JDD), was a developmental (you never would have guessed right) module with focus on young people and the exposing of issues that affect them within the democratic nature of our society. The course obviously used journalism and media as a channel to expose and mediate the issues we uncovered into the public sphere. It was phenomenal. And when I return to the media industry, I hope it will be in a similar context to the JDD course. The course gave me the opportunity to interact with young South Africans, a section of our society that I have become very aware of. I was drawn into the world of young citizens of my countries…and that’s pretty much where my interest in young people started.
I suppose when it comes down to it, media and education are very closely related. Media SHOULD play an educational role in society and education, of course, is a mediated social construct. So that’s the link between me and my two areas of interest.
In some ways I feel like I’m behind…like I said, I’ve started this so many times, but never actually got around to it. Let me try and catch up with a few posts of commentary and content. I’ll try to keep it as chronological as possible. Hopefully before long I’ll be up to date and ready to keep more of a day-to-day record.
To understand my approach and passion for education, you probably need a bit more personal information. First off, I think it’s important that I reason out my decision to become an educator. Like I said in my first post, I spent four years studying to become a journalist. There are two things that led to my deviation from media and journalism to education and teaching. During my initial studies, I was involved in a motor vehicle which saw me miss an entire term if third year tertiary study…quite chunk in the final year of a BA degree. As a result, I only managed to complete one of my third year major courses (Linguistics). The other, journalism, had to be repeated the following year. With spare time on my hands, I decided to take up so tutoring and lecturing opportunities at the university I was studying at, Rhodes University. That’s where the passion for being in education started. With my Linguistic background, and a keen sense for advancing communication, I held four ‘teaching’ posts. I tutored two subjects, Professional Communications (a communications course for undergraduate commerce students) and Journalism. I also lectured a series of classes on language, a supplementary course for second-language English speakers to help with their skills in writing in English. I also did writing respondent work for second language English speakers on their academic work.
The other big influential event was a course I did in the final semester of my degree. The course, entitled Journalism, Democracy and Development (JDD), was a developmental (you never would have guessed right) module with focus on young people and the exposing of issues that affect them within the democratic nature of our society. The course obviously used journalism and media as a channel to expose and mediate the issues we uncovered into the public sphere. It was phenomenal. And when I return to the media industry, I hope it will be in a similar context to the JDD course. The course gave me the opportunity to interact with young South Africans, a section of our society that I have become very aware of. I was drawn into the world of young citizens of my countries…and that’s pretty much where my interest in young people started.
I suppose when it comes down to it, media and education are very closely related. Media SHOULD play an educational role in society and education, of course, is a mediated social construct. So that’s the link between me and my two areas of interest.
Hello and welcome
If I’ve started this blog once in my head, I’ve done it a hundred times. But it’s never materialised. I guess being a full time teacher and a part-time student means there is little time for things like diarising your day to day going-ons.
So yes, I’m an educator in South Africa, and I’ve decided to (finally) start this blog as a way of documenting my experiences as a school teacher (and maybe as a few other things as well).
Some background:
Before I just launch into recording the things that I feel strongly about, I think I need to give this space of mine some context.
I’m a 22-year-old white, female South African. Although I am not sure if I should disclose this information, for fear of giving the wrong impression, I think it may be crucial in understanding some of the views that will be expressed on this blog in the posts to come.
I’ve been a teacher for one whole term (approximately 3 months, give or take). It may seem very little, and in some sense, I’m sure it is, but seeing that it’s pretty much 50% of what constitutes my life at the moment, it seems quite significant.
The 50% of my energy (and time) is spent studying. As already mentioned, I’m a student, currently studying towards my PGCE, a post-graduate qualification in education (which makes sense seeing that I’m a teacher).
Why I think it’s so important for me to have this blog:
I guess at the root of the person I am, is a young, global citizen with a passion and growing concern for the education of the youth in her country, on her continent, and ultimately in the world.
I strongly believe that today’s world, is largely a reflection of what has gone before, and (the lack of a) quality education has largely contributed to the position we all currently find ourselves in. Problems that face me, my students, my colleagues, my friends and family here in South Africa, are fast becoming, if not already, issues for (an increasing number of) individuals the world over.
I suppose I feel that what’s happening in my life, as a student and educator, here at the tip of Africa, is something worth writing about and putting “on the record” so to speak. I just want a space to rant, and somewhere to have a voice that I strongly believe should be heard, not for my sake or personal satisfaction, but rather because I believe my situation is not uncommon, and my challenges are similarly faced by others. I believe that the issues I will project here will have some resonance in other spaces and places, all over.
Writing about it…
Probably something that is also important to know about me is my training as a journalist. For the four years prior to my becoming a teacher and studying education, I studied Journalism and Media Studies. My interest to this end is primarily in development and youth media. Because of the current state of journalism in the market economy of my country, I’ve decided to put my journalistic training aside for the time being. But at heart, I’m still the writer with an interest in current affairs and the world around me. So maybe more than ‘just a blog’ this is like my own little publication, and instead of having stories, it’s all editorial and opinion…
Whatever it is, and whatever the reason you’re here, welcome! The content contained on this blog is true to my experiences. Please feel free to use or reproduce content, and for what it’s worth in this day and ages of too much media, please reference anything using my name and the blog’s URL.
Please feel free to comment on my bolg, I’m interested to have your feedback and interact around the issues I will voice on this blog.
In the name of good education and good journalism
Siobhan LouwGauteng, South Africa
So yes, I’m an educator in South Africa, and I’ve decided to (finally) start this blog as a way of documenting my experiences as a school teacher (and maybe as a few other things as well).
Some background:
Before I just launch into recording the things that I feel strongly about, I think I need to give this space of mine some context.
I’m a 22-year-old white, female South African. Although I am not sure if I should disclose this information, for fear of giving the wrong impression, I think it may be crucial in understanding some of the views that will be expressed on this blog in the posts to come.
I’ve been a teacher for one whole term (approximately 3 months, give or take). It may seem very little, and in some sense, I’m sure it is, but seeing that it’s pretty much 50% of what constitutes my life at the moment, it seems quite significant.
The 50% of my energy (and time) is spent studying. As already mentioned, I’m a student, currently studying towards my PGCE, a post-graduate qualification in education (which makes sense seeing that I’m a teacher).
Why I think it’s so important for me to have this blog:
I guess at the root of the person I am, is a young, global citizen with a passion and growing concern for the education of the youth in her country, on her continent, and ultimately in the world.
I strongly believe that today’s world, is largely a reflection of what has gone before, and (the lack of a) quality education has largely contributed to the position we all currently find ourselves in. Problems that face me, my students, my colleagues, my friends and family here in South Africa, are fast becoming, if not already, issues for (an increasing number of) individuals the world over.
I suppose I feel that what’s happening in my life, as a student and educator, here at the tip of Africa, is something worth writing about and putting “on the record” so to speak. I just want a space to rant, and somewhere to have a voice that I strongly believe should be heard, not for my sake or personal satisfaction, but rather because I believe my situation is not uncommon, and my challenges are similarly faced by others. I believe that the issues I will project here will have some resonance in other spaces and places, all over.
Writing about it…
Probably something that is also important to know about me is my training as a journalist. For the four years prior to my becoming a teacher and studying education, I studied Journalism and Media Studies. My interest to this end is primarily in development and youth media. Because of the current state of journalism in the market economy of my country, I’ve decided to put my journalistic training aside for the time being. But at heart, I’m still the writer with an interest in current affairs and the world around me. So maybe more than ‘just a blog’ this is like my own little publication, and instead of having stories, it’s all editorial and opinion…
Whatever it is, and whatever the reason you’re here, welcome! The content contained on this blog is true to my experiences. Please feel free to use or reproduce content, and for what it’s worth in this day and ages of too much media, please reference anything using my name and the blog’s URL.
Please feel free to comment on my bolg, I’m interested to have your feedback and interact around the issues I will voice on this blog.
In the name of good education and good journalism
Siobhan LouwGauteng, South Africa
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