9-2 My Media Log

Close your eyes and take a mental journey through a day in your media life.  Think about your average day using digital media and to respond to the questions:

1. Imagine a typical day. What digital media do you use, if any, when you first get out of bed? Do you check to see if you have text messages? Do you watch TV or listen to MP3s in the morning?
2. What do you do with digital media as you are going to school? During the school day, do you use digital media for class or for entertainment? How so?
3. Picture what you do after school. Do you use digital media for your homework, to socialize with others, or to gather information? Do you multitask, using two or more forms of digital media at the same time?

My Media Log:

How much time do you spend with different kinds of digital media? Fill in the log below with information about your media habits.  Keep track of your media habits for one entire day. Remember to include activities that you do during the school day and outside of the school day.

1. In the left column labeled “ACTIVITY” for each of the five types of media listed below — cell phones, television/DVD players, Internet, computer software, and video games — list the type of activities.

2. In the middle column labeled “DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITY,” provide a short description of the types of activities you do in an average week, describing where, when, and with whom you do them (if applicable).

3. In the right column labeled “APPROXIMATE TIME,” track how much time you spent engaging in that activity.

1. Compare your “My Media Log” to other students’ logs in your class. Would you characterize your media intake as low, high, or somewhere in between?
2. What are some of the most common ways that you all engage with digital media?
3. Based on the media logs and bar graphs that you made, is there anything you would change about your media habits?