Tweens Get 'Pop Media-Savvy'

I love when smart academics create cool media or when school projects turn into something bigger — that's what happen with gURL.com, which began as a project of NYU’s Interactive Telecommunications Program. I stumbled across this release from Temple University’s Media Education Lab about a new project for tween girls called My Pop Studio. The site lets girls create their own animated pop star, edit a TV show or create their own magazine. From the press release:

"My Pop Studio engages girls in the mass media and entertainment industry decision-making process, empowering them to create their own animated pop star in the site’s 'Music Studio,' where they make the decisions about what their pop star wears (sneakers? high heels? midriff-baring top?); her hair style, body shape and makeup; and the lyrics, instrumentation and beat of the song she sings. (Will it be: “My goal is in sight and I ain’t gonna fumble…” or “Walkin’ on the edge, that’s where I wanna be…”?)

In addition to fashioning their own recording sensation, they can edit a TV program and compose a scene in the site’s 'TV Studio,' design a multi-page magazine spread in the 'Magazine Studio' and test their multi-tasking abilities in the 'Digital Studio.'

Created by a team of researchers at the Media Education Lab of Temple University’s School of Communications and Theater, My Pop Studio is believed to be the first Web site of its kind to use online games to teach media literacy….

….The site also provides a link to downloadable lesson plans for parents to use in informal, home-based learning and for teachers to introduce in classrooms. The activities and discussion questions aim to promote dialogue and strengthen critical thinking and communication skills."

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