Digital Emergence: Young Girls

Kearney believes that through Girls Inc Literacy programs, teaching girls to think critically about the images and media messages that surround them are important. She also believes that despite the fact that such media programs encourage critical thinking, those programs by Girls Inc do not present a clear and relevant understanding of media representation. Whether it is by design or default, Girls Inc display of poor media and literacy curricula represent a betrayal of the ideals of the female youth in terms of their communication (questions and comments) as depicted in their media. They either lack clarity or they do not go far enough. It is ironic that Girls Inc media communications lack gender diversity and inclusion. “Their lack of exposure to or training in contemporary theories of the relationship of gender to media representation and consumption” (GMM 93). I feel that Kearney is right in her critique because Girls Inc should put true meaning to its rhetoric and capitalize on its role as media representative in a more forceful manner.

I think that we can encourage girls in our own lives to be more critical viewers and consumers of media by empowering them to become active participants in decision making at the local, regional and state levels. We need advocacy groups that are serious in motivating and persuading decision makers to recognize that these youths are the future, and allow them to participate. We should encourage our youths to engage in volunteer work. Young girls should be encouraged at an early age to learn about computers and digital designs. Kearney would be excited about all these young girls’ participation in the decision making process as well as the technology.

Kearney puts forward some suggestions to make “girl empowerment” and “media literacy” more effective. She suggests that girls go on a “media diet,” and by that she means that girls need to make wise decisions in terms of what they listen to or read from the media. They can correspond with the industry, and provide feedback. Girls are able to reflect by keeping private journals of their critique of the media as a means of privately venting their frustrations, and concern.

I would define girl advocacy movements as various movements with different areas of activity and different ideologies that sometimes cause conflict. It is possible at times for these various movements to defeat the very purpose they set out to serve. In regards to grrrl power, I would say it is the emergence of the female youth in their quest to attain parity with their male counterpart in the production and ownership of media. According to Margaret Cables, “We need to train our girls to think differently about media, to think about becoming the director, the person who controls the image” (GMM 91).

According to Kearney, the protectionist approach is linked to class issues because the conservatives are among the most vocal advocates for children’s media literacy. They detest the commercial culture and label it as too liberal and sexually graphic. They enable the formation of the “Professional Managerial Class” with oversight on the working class (GMM 99). However, they outsourced jobs from the U.S. under the pretext of cutting expense. This caused resentment between the members of the PMC and the working class because there are fewer jobs available for U.S. citizens.

In reference to the topic “Online, R U Really Reading,” I think that fifteen year old Nadia Konyk finds reading online to be her comfort zone. This digital age is her culture, and the fact that she is passionate about doing most of her reading online should not come as a surprise. This is differentiated learning. Not everyone is happy reading text books and novels. If Nadia did not have the option of reading online, then she would spend her leisure time sitting in front of the television. Her mother, Deborah Konyk, states, “I’m just pleased that she reads something anymore.” In addition, when students read text materials, the main idea, beginning, middle and end are based on the writer’s vision as opposed to students perusing cyberspace and coming up with their own composition of beginnings, middle and end.

The digital age has come upon us, so it becomes necessary for us to greet it and accept it. Teenager Nadia Konyk is a clear example of a student who should have the right tools to finish a job. She is the master of her domain, let her do what she does best (reading online); just supply her with the tool (computer).

I think that Kearney would agree with the concept of online reading. The whole world will go digital and so it makes good sense for our kids to start early. Online reading would not replace text learning. It doesn’t have to be. Instead, they both can go side by side.