Spotlight on Digital Media And Learning

1.27.11 | In this webisode, we follow students from YOUmedia as they attend Chicago’s first Youth Media Conference as citizen journalists, interviewing their peers about the role of media in their lives.

Organized by Young Chicago Authors, the day-long Dec. 11 event explored how youth are represented in the media and how young people can use media more effectively to spark change in their communities.

Representatives from The New York Times and the Chicago Tribune were on hand to discuss journalism and the inclusion of youth voices. Workshops in Photoshop and other digital tools offered students insights into the power of these tools in shaping images they see daily. Students also were encouraged to submit their own stories from the day to Say What magazine—an acclaimed youth-produced magazine published by Young Chicago Authors.

The teen journalists polled their peers about the messages they receive from mainstream media and how teens can create new media and messages that portray young people in a more positive light. Teens also asked their peers what schools could do differently to engage young people. One common response: “Let us choose what we’d like to be educated about.” For more, watch the video above.

This episode of StudentSpeak was shot by students and staff at YOUmedia and edited by StudentSpeak producer David Ayling. The conference host, Young Chicago Authors, transforms the lives of young people by cultivating their voices through writing, publication and performance education.

StudentSpeak, a video series produced by Spotlight, goes behind the scenes to show how teens use digital media in their daily lives. View previous webisodes here.