Remote Control Childhood: Combating the Hazards of Media Culture in Schools.

Background: Media culture touches most aspects of the lives of children growing up today, beginning at the earliest ages. It is profoundly the lessons children learn as well as how they learn, thereby contributing to what this article characterizes as remote control childhood. Educators need to understand remote control childhood so they can adapt teaching practices in ways that can optimize children’s development and learning in these times. Overview of Remote Control Childhood: This paper first explores remote control childhood and describes how it came about beginning in the mid 1980’s when marketing was deregulated in the United States. This led to a link-up between media producers and marketers to create far-reaching new marketing strategies and thousands of ever-changing products that have forever transformed childhood. How Remote Control Childhood Affects Children: The multiple ways children are affected are divided into two broad categories. First, children learn harmful content from media culture such as sexualized and violent behavior and consumerism. Second, the very process by which children learn is transformed in ways that undermine play, problem solving, active learning and social development. Strategies for Dealing with Remote Control Childhood: Once remote control childhood is understood, there is much educators can do to counteract it. Strategies are outlined for both influencing the lessons learned and helping children reclaim the learning process.