Manga Workshop at NP

"Teen Appeal"

Author John Green declares "teen appeal" something that "sounds to me like the name of the worst magazine ever" and he implies that it's used in the dumbing-down process, and shouldn't be. After all,

I may be alone in thinking this, but I believe that teenagers are far better readers than we often assume. (For example: I have received hundreds--not an exaggeration--of emails from teenagers telling me how much they love Octavian Nothing. You will recall, as I do with considerable consternation, that I did not write Octavian Nothing.)

More here, his blog entry for the Battle of the Kids' Books.

Literacy

Yet another "read more carefully later" item on literacy from Ypulse. The line that caught my eye?

Digital media can (should?) "move learning from being 'book-centered' to being 'experience-centered,' while improving reading skills"

Web Does Promote Connectedness

An article on the PsychCentral website summaries a recent study on teens and the internet. While 1990s internet use was characterized by interactions with strangers in chat rooms, 21st century teens "nurture their existing relationships" online.

Research on Teens

The Girl Scout Research Institute conducts regular studies on the lives of young people in the U.S. As a part of the Girl Scouts of the U.S.A., the Institute focuses on girls, but often considers boys as points of comparison. For instance, "The New Normal: What Girls Say About Healthy Living" compares attitudes of boys and girls towards school, body image, and sports.

The Facts and Findings section pulls together information "on current trends and statistics for girls and youth emanating from various sources such as the Girl Scout Research Institute, Centers for Disease Control, National Center for Education Statistics, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Monitoring the Future, and other public agencies, Web sites, and publications."

Given this week's topic, I note there's no RSS, but I did sign up for an email newsletter. This resource is one worth knowing when you are looking for quality information on children and teens in the U.S. to use in your own professional development, or for a student in high school or above doing research.

More Research on Teens & Computers

Teenagers who are preoccupied with their Internet time may be more prone to aggressive behavior, researchers reported Monday.

Read more at Reuters, here.

This brief summary of a recent study seems to show correlations, not causality. Kids who hit are also kids obsessed with being online.