Media plays an ever present role in the everyday lives of modern people. While in the past it may have been possible to avoid some of media’s influence, that is simply not an option in the world we live in. Even people who do not have direct access to a wide range of the advanced technology that is used to spread media are still indirectly affected by media’s use.
One of the most notable ways that media is having an affect on our lives was illustrated in the article” Media Literacy: A national priority in a changing world” The article emphasizes the need for educators to expose their students to a variety of media. What I found most interesting was the idea that education is starting (or atleast should) start to become more focused on how to process, analyze and evaluate data, as opposed to previous goals of mostly retaining data. I think this is important to stress in academic settings and will only increase in importance in the coming years. Mostly all students have access to things like google, youtube, calculators,.. etc. The students that will have a competitive edge will be those who can derive information from those sources and use them efficiently for problem solving and innovative pursuits. In my opinion, we would be wise to recognize the value in teaching students to seek out and engage with information rather than just to know it. One of the best parts of modern media is that it can be used to encourage creativity, intellectual curiosity, and critical thinking.
The downside to an increased importance of media was expressed in the Jenkins article in his discussion of the inequities that arise through lack of access to certain technology. Suppose you had no smartphone or regular access to a computer or laptop. Tasks that are designed for people to use the internet with would now become a burden to you. It is easy to take for granted how much is afforded to us because we live in a first world country and in a city where we can just go to a library and use a computer for free, however that is not a reality for everyone.
Another major downside of media platforms is the ability to spread hatred, criminality, and even terrorism with relative ease. We enjoy uploading images and videos to sites instantly. The tragedy that just occurred at a mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand is an instance where the shooter livestreams his act of terrorism and this video has circulated causing more fear and devastation.