7. Media Balance
Media Balance
We all make choices every day about the media we watch and use. These choices include what we watch, listen to, read, or even create online. But not all media choices are the same. In fact, different choices can make us feel very differently.
How would this media choice make you feel? Why do you think it would affect you that way?
What Makes a Healthy Media Choice?
Healthy media choices involve a combination of What? When? and How Much? that’s unique to each person, and each media choice. What feels healthy may also depend on how people’s media choices affect the people around them or others online.
What?
What are the media you’re consuming (or creating)?
What platforms are you using to consume the media (i.e., a streaming platform like Netflix)?
or
What device(s) are you using to consume (or create) the media?
When?
When are you consuming (or creating) the media?
What time of day? What day of the week?
What else is happening at this time (i.e., is it during dinner time, right before bed, etc.)?
How Much?
How much media are you consuming?
How long are you spending with the media at one time?
How often are you consuming the media?
My Media Balance
My Media Balance Reflection
- How are some media choices more healthy or less healthy than others?
- What is media balance? How might it be different for different people?
- What does healthy media balance look like for you? What are the different kinds of activities, both online and offline, that you would want to do on a given day? Week?
Purposeful Play
- Now we will take some time to play Mario Kart 8 and Super Smash Bros!
- Don’t forget about the Core Values and Common Sense Media lessons we have learned about and practice them as you play today:
- Technical Knowledge
- Ethics
- Organization
- Social Responsibility
- Media Balance
- Rings of Responsibility
- Gaming with Positivity
Wrap Up
- How are you going to balance your media over the next few days?
- When and what time is the next meeting?