Many of us have gotten accustomed to watching the news on our televisions, but more and more of us β particularly younger people β are getting their news on their cell phone from apps or social media.
That presents a challenge of trying to make sure that news is legit. Well, a class at Cox High School is tackling those concerns head-on. English teacher Eric Bodenstein has a special assignment for the teenagers in his Media Studies class.
You're kinda playing detective of sorts where you're gonna cull through some news," he explains to the class. However, he acknowledges it's more challenging to make sure the news that pops up on his phone is legit. More education coverage: Plans being finalized for first recovery school in Hampton Roads.
Senior Emory Butt chimes in, "I don't think you can trust just one network to get your news from. Bodenstein, a former TV news photojournalist, has been an English teacher for more than two decades. He explains why this course is so important, saying, "What always comes to mind is how much these students, this generationβ-they just get inundated with information all the time and it's harder than ever to pick through what is true, what is not. I asked the class how many of them watch local news on their TVs.
No hands were raised. But when I asked how many get news from their cell phones, everyone's hands shot up. A recent Pew Research survey says it's a growing trend among Instagram and TikTok users, reinforcing the need for this course.
