Matthew Johnson

Thread of threads: media and digital literacy key concepts #MLKeyconcepts

A8: We love resources like Scratch that encourage creativity and ones like Merlin that help kids and parents get outside together! For summer, look especially for apps that kids & parents can use together. #KeepSafeOnline

A7: Help them recognize how bodies tell them they’re tense, scared or angry, and teach them to take a break when they feel that way. Help them get together with friends in person or video chat, not just text, so misunderstandings won’t turn into drama! #KeepSafeOnline

A6: Focus on empathy, citizenship and positive social norms. Things like cyberbullying are much more common than most kids think, & they also underestimate how many kids do things like help victims & push back against hate! #KeepSafeOnline

A5: Look for activities that let kids follow their enthusiasms and continue their learning off the screen. Online safety activities work best when they build kids’ resilience and focus on topics and risks relevant to them. #KeepSafeOnline

A4: Without the usual routines, it’s harder for kids to recognize when devices & apps are nudging them to spend more time on them or use them more often. Make sure to have a summer routine to help them use media mindfully. # #KeepSafeOnline

A3: Summer is a great time to let kids learn to manage their own screen time. Within the boundaries you’ve set, encourage them to prioritize the activities that are most important to them – and give them chances to organize non-screen activities too #KeepSafeOnline

A2: Use summer to encourage digital activities that are creative, educational, active and genuinely social. Explore coding or video making, try out a recipe from a video, get outside with apps like Merlin & organize a virtual D&D game with distant friends! #KeepSafeOnline

A1: Kids often explore new online spaces over the summer & may want to stay in contact with friends they make at camp or on trips. Those can be positive but also mean we need to keep talking about what they’re seeing online and who they’re talking to. #KeepSafeOnline

I'm Matthew Johnson, Director of Education for @MediaSmarts, Canada's centre for digital media literacy. #KeepSafeOnline

It’s #Oscars night! Love watching movies with your family? Use these tips to help your kids think critically about media when you’re watching together: ow.ly/oflq50V2GTA

Had a great time talking to @brittlestar about house hippos and why @MediaSmarts brought them back to support digital media literacy.

Today is the Day for Elimination of Violence Against Women. Teach Grade 11-12 students about technologically facilitated violence and its legal implications with this lesson plan: mediasmarts.ca/teacher-resour…

📢 Calling all teens aged 13-18! If you're passionate about media and curious to learn how to fact-check information online, apply to be part of the Canada Teen Fact-Checking Network program today! 🕵🏻‍♀️🕵🏼‍♀️🕵🏽‍♀️🕵🏾‍♀️🕵🏿‍♀️ #TFCN 👉 mediasmarts.ca/teen-fact-chec…

It’s International #MensDay! Explore how the concepts of masculinity and maleness are constructed by the media, including common stereotypes, children's perceptions and more: ow.ly/8QN750TYeOT

The numbers of measles cases in New Brunswick are continuing to climb, many in unvaccinated children. Healthcare providers are urging families to ensure their immunizations are up to date. ow.ly/CKTG50Ua6us

The most charitable explanation I can think of is that they A/B tested both headlines and the passive one got more engagement.

There are legitimate reasons to use the passive voice. Reliable news outlets don't report what "everybody knows," they report what can be verified, and sometimes who is responsible for something can't be verified when the story goes out. But that doesn't seem to be the case here.

I'm not generally a big believer in "passive voice" criticisms but this is egregious - rewriting a headline from active to passive when there's been no change in the facts.

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Today is the International Day of Tolerance. Want to explore issues relating to stereotyping, bias and hate in media and online in your classroom? Our Diversity and Media Toolbox has everything you need: ow.ly/mskV50TYc2u