'Maddie is Online’ is an online video cartoon series which addresses the everyday life experiences of pre-teen children in the online connected environment, and empowers them with skills that help them deal with challenging phenomena in their digital lives (e.g. online bullying, managing online information, copyright and ownership, privacy and security, online reputation).
Playlists: bit.ly/2LwnE6T
Twitter: @MaddiesOnline
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'Maddie is Online' Publications
“Maddie is online”: an educational video cartoon series on
digital literacy and resilience for children
This paper examines children's development of digital
literacy, resilience and citizenship in the online environment, addressing
active engagement and participation via cartoon videos. Previous research has
emphasised the positive role of cartoons in different educational contexts, as
important agents of attracting children's attention and interest with
opportunities to engage in contextual and collaborative learning.
Design/methodology/approach
The work describes the design and an initial pilot study of
the animated cartoon video series, with a group of 30 children in an S1 class,
at a secondary school in Scotland as part of workshop addressing digital
resilience themes. Children worked individually and in teams in a series of
interactive activities, which were evaluated by means of a short questionnaire
survey.
Findings
The majority of the children enjoyed the cartoon videos
which addressed a story of cyberbullying and, in teams, they chose different
copying strategies. Children's verbalisations included expressions of positive
feelings when connecting online, linked to socialising, creative and playful
activities and they expressed a preference towards speaking to their parents
and friends rather than their teachers when dealing with online challenges.
Research limitations/implications
Children not only enjoyed watching the cartoon story but had
an interest to learn more about how other children deal with the pressures and
challenges of the online world, how to manage their own digital footprint and,
particularly, how easy it is to spread personal information online.
Practical implications
Cartoon animations present an opportunity to act as a basis
for encouraging children to exchange ideas and engage in dialogue in class and
at home by means of creating a point of reference which creates an environment,
where pressure is taken away from the “self”. The cartoon character can be the
focal point for discussion on issues that may be difficult to address directly
and on a personal level because of insecurity or fear.
Social implications
Both teachers and parents have a responsibility to offer
support and advice to children and ensure their online safety and resilience.
Engaging with children in open further dialogue via fun and interactive
cartoon-based activities may help to further explore and understand their
perspectives.
Originality/value
The work addresses everyday life issues encountered online
and aims to offer educators and parents an engaging and fun series of
activities, harnessing the advantages of cartoon video animation as a
didactical resource that can utilised as a supplementary learning tool inside
the classroom and at home.
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