Educators seek to foster civic engagement among the next generation through social studies. In pursuit of this goal, technology and social media strategies can be effective enticements. This article describes the community engagement demonstrated by students collaborating to present a weekly school news broadcast, making the transition from…

For a period, in the run up to the election (2007-2008) and the months after the election, the name "Obama" signified hope for millions, not just in America but across the world. As the hope turned to disappointment, the financial crisis deepened and the Arab Spring renewed a call for a "humanity" that could transcend the differences of nations…

This article reports on the growth of blogs in popular culture, and the fact that they are becoming more widely accepted in the media industry. The rise and popularity of blogs--short for "Web logs"--are causing journalism educators to overhaul their teachings. In fact, blogging's influence varies from one university program to the next, just like…

This conference focuses on how females are portrayed in a range of current media and whether these messages influence girls. The report is divided into three parts. Part 1, "Getting the Message," maintains that girls are aggressive consumers of the popular media and they understand the messages conveyed there. Although current media…