Kristen Hawley Turner, PhD,a​ Tessa Jolls, BA,b​ Michelle Schira Hagerman, PhD,​c William DevelopingO’Byrne, PhD,​d Troy Hicks, PhD,e​ Bobbie Digital Eisenstock, PhD,f​ Kristineand E. Pytash, PhDg in Children and Adolescents ’ abstract In today s global culture and economy, in which individuals have access to information at their fingertips at all times, digital and media are essential to participate in society. But what specific competencies must young citizens acquire? How do these competencies ’ influence pedagogy? How are student knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors changed? What are the best ways to assess students digital and media literacy? These questions underscore what parents, educators, health professionals, and community leaders need to know to ensure that youth become digitally and media literate. Experimental and pilot programs in the digital and media literacy fields are yielding insights, but gaps in understanding and lack of support for research and development continue to impede growth in these areas. Learning environments no longer depend on seat time in factory-like school settings. Learning happens anywhere, anytime, and productivity in the workplace depends on digital and media literacy. To create the human capital necessary for success and sustainability in a technology-driven world, we must invest in the literacy practices of our youth. In this article, we make recommendations for research and policy priorities.

aDrew University, Madison, New Jersey; bCenter for Media Literacy, Malibu, California; cUniversity of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; dCollege of Charleston, Charleston, South Carolina; eCentral Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, Michigan; fCalifornia State University Northridge, Northridge, California; and gKent State University, Kent, Ohio

Drs Turner and Jolls conceptualized the paper and initial outline, contributed copy and citations, and edited and reviewed drafts; Drs Eisenstock, Hicks, O’Byrne, Pytash, and Hagerman all contributed ideas for the initial outline as well as copy and citations to the paper and reviewed the final manuscript; and all authors approved the final manuscript as submitted. The analysis, conclusions, and recommendations contained in each article are solely a product of the individual workgroup and are not the policy or opinions of, nor do they represent an endorsement by Children and Screens: Institute of and Child Development or the American Academy of Pediatrics. DOI: https://​doi.​org/​10.​1542/​peds.​2016-​1758P Accepted for publication Apr 19, 2017 Address correspondence to Kristen Hawley Turner, PhD, Drew University, 36 Madison Ave, Madison, NJ 07940. E-mail: [email protected] PEDIATRICS (ISSN Numbers: Print, 0031-4005; Online, 1098-4275). Copyright © 2017 by the American Academy of Pediatrics FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE: The authors have indicated they have no financial relationships relevant to this article to disclose.

Downloaded from www.aappublications.org/news by guest on October 1, 2021 Supplement Article PEDIATRICS Volume 140, number s2, November 2017:e20161758 We live in a connected world where citizens do not engage critical digital that these interventions counteract information is plentiful, and experts and media literacies. effects related to risky and antisocial are, literally, at our fingertips. With behaviors, including violence and These problems call for ubiquity in mobile technologies aggression, alcohol and tobacco that goes beyond mastery of around the globe, we see a new vision use, body image issues, eating traditional content silos that have 11 of education: learning anywhere, 8 disorders, and commercialism. In existed for centuries. The gap anytime, with equal access for all as a other studies, researchers showed 1 between a vision of interconnected fundamental human right. that interventions increased civic learning and the reality of education responsibility and democratic This vision is predicated on the idea today is wide, and research and 12 participation. that children are capable of and policy initiatives are needed prepared for lifelong learning and to provide education that will In short, interventions that equip that they are equipped with the skills prepare youth for basic needs in a youth to critically navigate their they need to access, analyze, evaluate, technologically driven future. digital lives have positive impacts create, and participate in civic life Current State that mitigate potentially harmful through digital media. Research effects of participation in digital over the last 2 decades has shown Defining Digital and Media Literacies spaces. These literacies are that and in digital fundamental in helping youth to ’ spaces may require a more complex become critical consumers and creators in a digital world; sadly, application of 2,skills3​ than print- To be literate in today s world based literacy ‍ ; yet most formal involves skills that include fairly large-scale efforts to develop institutions of education still cling to granular tasks, such as copying these skills have not been adopted traditional definitions of literacy and and pasting digital content, and Policypolitically Initiatives or educationally. pedagogical approaches, focusing more complex work, such as critical solely on print4 and teacher-centered analysis and synthesis of information instruction. In these institutions, accessed through a variety of texts. Global efforts are underway children are often not empowered to takes into account the to reinforce the importance of learn, nor are they connected to the full range of skills needed to read, digital and media literacies, with world outside their classroom walls. write, speak, view, and participate in initiatives led by the United Nations online spaces. All of these practices Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Outside of school, however, require media literacy, which Organization, and countries such as children increasingly use mobile includes the ability to access, analyze, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and devices, video games, and the 5 evaluate, create, and participate the United Kingdom are targeting internet to explore their worlds. ’ with media in all its forms. Although these literacies as essential for To successfully navigate and various terms are used in literature their citizens success. In the participate in these interconnected surrounding these skills (eg, United States, we have a vision; we spaces, youth must acquire digital new literacies, web literacies, or need understanding and collective and media literacies; they must ), we take the stance action by policy makers, health be able to critically consume and that digital and media literacy should practitioners, educators, parents, create digital, multimodal texts. “ 6 be taught as literacy and that the and students to realize it. The time to The Aspen Institute highlights the fields of digital and media literacies focus on digital and media literacies fact that all learners and educators can no longer exist in isolation from is now. need a sufficient degree of digital each other. age literacy, where media, digital To date, media and information and social-emotional literacies Concern about the impact of media literacy policy advocates have are present, to be able to use on children and adolescents has brought together coalitions of ’ these learning resources to learn led to research that documents stakeholders to propose policy at ” through multiple media confidently, negative effects on young9,10​ people s the international, national,13 and effectively and safely. However, the health and well-being. ‍ However, community levels. In the United majority of students graduating from developing digital and media States, media and information high school lack basic skills to help literacies is one of the most viable literacy legislation has been ’ them navigate the digital landscape intervention strategies to minimize introduced in 15 states (adopted in “ ” 7 safely and responsibly. The fallout media s negative consequences and 9), addressing such topics as digital about fake news from the 2016 US maximize its positive influences on citizenship, internet and presidential election is but 1 example beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors. An safety training, the incorporation of the consequences we face when extensive meta-analytic review found of media literacy standards into Downloaded from www.aappublications.org/news by guest on October 1, 2021 PEDIATRICS Volume 140, number s2, November 2017 S123 the core curriculum, and14 training and informed health and welfare then research on literacy instruction programs for teachers. decisions, but we do not yet have must articulate methods that close a collective understanding of how this gap. Creating equal opportunities These gains are promising, but we 25 these skills develop, especially in Investigatefor all must thebe a Potential top priority . are not moving nearly fast enough. school. Connections Among Out-of-School The concept of digital and media Learning, Formal Learning, and Civic Although the field has provided literacy as a broad construct has Engagement not yet entered political . insight into the literacies developed4,18​ in Policy makers must recognize digital authentic, out-of-school settings,​ ‍ we ’ and media literacy as literacy in have not yet defined developmental Finally, we must identify methods today s world. In an information- trajectories of such skills. The field of instruction that will enable young based society, our competitive of literacy studies in print-based19 people to enhance the innovative advantage relies on a digital and contexts is rich in this area ; digital and media literacies they media-literate citizenry. It is not we need parallel research and acquire outside of school for work enough for students to read books recommendations for digital and 26 in the classroom and beyond. By and write essays. A literate citizenry mediaInvestigate literacies. Instructional Methods softening the boundaries between the must read multimodal, hyperlinked and Other Programs That Equalize classroom and the outside world, we texts critically, create these texts, and Opportunities for All can build a citizenry that is informed, participate ethically in a networked thoughtful, and responsible. world. Education and workplace “ training policies should reflect this In 2000, the Clinton-Gore Children do engage in creative and administration warned that unequal reality. innovative digital and media27 literacy Future Research access to technology and high-tech practices outside of school,​ skills by income, educational level, and technology skills correlate 17 race, and geography could deepen ” positively with engaged citizenship ; and reinforce the divisions that20 however, we still know little about The rapidly changing technological exist within American society,​ ‍ how teachers can tap into that world inspires many questions and the 2016 National21 Educational work in productive ways that serve about the skills and developmental Technology Plan identified higher-order skill development and trajectories we can expect of children a significant digital use divide civic engagement. To prepare all as well as equal opportunities for that separates students who use youth, regardless of background or all to develop these skills. We have technologies in active, creative, and socioeconomic status, to contribute, identified 3 research priorities “ critical ways from those who use we cannot expect that digital and moving forward: ” Conduct Longitudinal Studies That technologies for passive content media literacies develop only in Identify the Essential Knowledge and consumption. natural settings. Schools must adapt. Skills Needed to Foster Digital and Media Literacy Competencies for A considerable body of work now Recommendations Diverse, Lifelong Learners suggests that socioeconomic status22 predicts15 digital literacy skills. Leu et al found that low-income middle- By identifying broad actions to schoolers were much less able than be taken at federal, state, or local Although literacy has always 15 evolved with new technologies,​ higher-income peers to locate online levels that focus on a future that no technology has impacted literacy information, evaluate information holds a fully digitally and media- critically, synthesize understanding literate citizenry, we hope to spark with the same16 scope and speed as the internet. Having access to the from multiple digital texts, and much needed conversation in the internet is one thing; knowing how communicate ideas using digital political arena about the nature of to think critically, create, innovate, media. Other studies report racial, literacy in a technological, global and participate ethically in digital cultural, linguistic, and sex-based world. In response to this need, we spaces may be social differentiators inequalities in online participation23,24​ recommend 3 priority actions for of unprecedented proportion. and skill development. ‍ Eliminatepolicy makers: High-Stakes Tests That Define Literacy Too Narrowly The Organization for Economic17 The field raises fundamental Cooperation and Development questions of equity, social justice, reports that increased literacies and citizenship. If we believe that correlate with higher income all children deserve the chance to Issues of digital and media literacy levels, increased participation in develop the skills needed for high- are lost in conversations focused government and volunteer activities, paying jobs and engaged citizenship, on high-stakes testing. Nearly all Downloaded from www.aappublications.org/news by guest on October 1, 2021 S124 Turner et al Create Flexible Parameters for Defining and Using Texts standardized tests have shifted to must be dismantled and replaced by online, adaptive tests that, even with structures that build and reinforce the incorporation of audio and video digitalAddress and Problems media literacies. Contextually, Not Because of the time and expense components, still focus largely on With 1-Size-Fits-All Programs involved in adjudicating conflicts multiple-choice and short-answer regarding intellectual property, it responses. Although these tests is essential that Congress clarify are being delivered on computers, Because policies are often drafted as current copyright laws and strike they are not inviting students to 1-size-fits-all solutions, variability a balance between protecting the demonstrate the full complexity in context and community needs are rights of authors and allowing required to be digitally and media not considered. For instance, some flexibility for new, adaptive, and literate. They do not assess real- kindergarten through 12th grade transformative uses of digital texts. world literacy skills. districts face teacher shortages and Invention comes from remixing Continued reliance on outdated limited physical space, others face “ ’ fiscal challenges and high dropout content, and new legal frameworks modes of assessment will stifle for intellectual property should educators efforts to focus on the rates, and many struggle with the digital use divide. These problems permit the development, recreation, broad range of learning experiences and sharing of digital assets. that promote the innovation, are symptoms of a larger challenge: the challenge of educating diverse, Researchers, educators, and creativity, problem solving, students all need new and more collaboration, communication, digitally connected youth in a variety of contexts. flexible parameters for operating critical thinking and deep subject- within ethical boundaries that are matter knowledge that will allow Policies at the federal and state levels embedded in acceptable use policies students to thrive in a democracy and ” should empower local officials to and terms of use for digital texts and an increasingly28 global society and make decisions about instruction tools. economy. ‍ In other words, an era and assessment in schools. To make These policy initiatives will open of new tests does not mean that we informed decisions, however, funding opportunities for education with the are bringing in new paradigms for structures must change. Schools have intent of creating a literate citizenry assessment. little, if any, money for research and in a digital age. Tests influence what gets taught development. In many cases, districts Acknowledgments in schools, and in many ways they spend large amounts on wide-scale reinforce traditional structures purchases without the consideration that keep disciplines in silos. This of teacher training or the potential The authors would like to for structural transformation. These acknowledge the following bifurcation of learning does not ’ support the kind of connected kinds of purchases often fail (eg, Los individuals for their participation learning that occurs outside Angeles Unified School District s in professional conversations that of school. If children are to iPad initiative). Contextually driven helped to conceptualize this article become literate citizens who are decisions that are based in quality and for their comments on drafts: actively engaged and contribute research and development are Frank Gallagher, , positively to society, these kinds desperately needed; 1 size fits all Barbara J. Walkosz, and Carolyn of traditional structures and tests simply does not work. Wilson. FUNDING: This special supplement, “Children, Adolescents, and Screens: What We Know and What We Need to Learn,”​ was made possible through the financial support of Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development. POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST: The authors have indicated they have no potential conflicts of interest to disclose.

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