May 17, 2017
Zhang Haibo: the Practical Meaning of Media Literacy
On the morning of May 12, Zhang Haibo, the deputy director of the children hall in Guangzhou and director of the Youth Media Literacy education leading group office, was invited to the South China University of Technology to share the topic human digital growth and our future —the practical meaning of media literacy with the students from the school of Journalism and Communication at A1-405. Director Zhang 's speech hit most students' will with a sense of humor, which made the atmosphere packed and alive.
“New Media is the living environment.”
Director Zhang introduced the new media literacy from the perspective of human digital growth. He indicated that the new media is no longer information-based, but a totally new media counting on the environment, which enlightened us that the new media is actually our living environment. Every generation including children and adults has been thought this period, especially the generation after 00s have more complete experience in the development of newmedia.
“Enable the children rather than worry about them.”
Zhang put forward three key words: migration, overtaking, controlling and shared his own experience to explain what is digital growth. Besides, he showed the currentsituation and the practical ways of media literacy education at home and abroad, and the achievements of children media literacy project research in Guangzhou, to present the digital life of the children after 00s and stress the importance of children media literacy education, which provided us with a complete renewed understanding of children in new media age. In addition, Zhang insisted that with the development of human digitization, media literacy education should swim with the tide and keep on the constant innovation. Moreover, in terms of the media literacy education for children, he proposed parents to enable children with the media literacy rather than worry about them, with earlier education, more companions and further understanding.
“Is technology make us more intelligent?”
From the topic technology and our future - on the media literacy of adults, director Zhang explored how we think of technology, which is the issue of media literacy and closely relevant to each of us. He indicated that technology is no more than a tool, a source, or an extension of our feeling organ ... ... since technology goes thought a rapid updating, everyone is transparent in such situation. However, have we empowered with the right to be forgot? Then, Zhang introduced the history of technology combined with multiple realistic examples to raise the thought-provoking question: Is technology make us more intelligent? Is technology make us happier?
Then Zhang mentioned that there are many good online answer, but rarely good question. He advised parents to tell the kids what makes sense, and encourage the kids to do something meaningful. Question is the most important. Without raising a good question, how can you expect a good answer? In the end, Zhang concluded that media literacy education not only determines the children growth, but also related to the future of the world and the fate of mankind itself.
