Media and children's rights in the digital age

We know that the brain is always multi-tasking and our goal should be to harness the new media so they enhance every aspect of child development and learning. We need a completely new model of digital teaching and learning and all teachers, not just media literacy teachers, have to become part of that process.

Above all, we need to channel children's newfound and innate ability to communicate directly via the new media into higher quality self-productions, cross-cultural exchanges of educational material, sharing learning resources across advantaged and disadvantaged areas of the globe and within nations, so that all the world's children grasp their right to quality learning and full development of their potential.

Children have a right to the best that media can offer; they are the future citizens of a different, digital world most of us are struggling to understand. As a tool for the voice of children, as a tool for the education of children, as a tool for cultural identity the media are unequalled. They are a most powerful force affecting children's lives everywhere. Difficult as it may be it is our task to think this through.