The Twin Cities PBS "Ready to Learn" project focuses on the building of science and literacy skills of diverse students ages 5 to 8. It also promotes equity for historically underrepresented children in science (race-ethnic minorities, low-income children with disabilities, English Language Learners). The Transformative Transmedia…

Visual culture affects the way people understand the world and themselves, contributing to the creation of certain roles and stereotypes, some of which are related to body image. This study focused on interrogating future physical education teachers' beliefs about the body and physical activity to understand the construction of bodily…

This paper discusses bias against southern and eastern European ethnic groups as it appears in current elementary school textbooks, popular fiction, newspapers, television, and movies. Anti-ethnic sentiment expressed by nineteenth and twentieth century politicians is also mentioned. It is held that bias and stereotypes in the media perpetuate and…

Though texts are commonly perceived as merely written, this article explores texts in a more complex manner: in digital form. First, the paper posits the importance of "reading" digital texts (e.g., social media, films, memes, etc.) and demonstrates how such texts transmit hegemonic ideas about race and whiteness, which ultimately…

Negative attitudes toward disabled people are fostered by society's body-beautiful ethic, success orientation, nondisabled guilt, the concept of "spread," and media stereotypes. Strategies for improving camper and staff attitudes toward disabled people include precamp training, social skills training, role playing, a positive camp…

The LiveLighter® 2016 'Junk Food' campaign ran for 5 weeks in Western Australia (WA) and urged adults to reduce their junk food consumption to avoid weight gain and associated chronic disease. A cohort design assessed campaign impact on knowledge, beliefs and behaviour. Pre-campaign (n = 1501) and post-campaign (n = 737) telephone surveys of WA…

A Mexican saying holds that "Como Mexico no hay dos"--There is only one Mexico. American media these days interpret that notion with a vengeance. Story after story depicts a country overrun by out-of-control drug wars and murder, where corrupt police officers trip over beheaded victims more often than they nab perpetrators. South of the…

Increased awareness of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has come with an increase in books that depict individuals with ASD. However, media representation of disabilities could be misguided. To integrate literature in the classroom that helps students better understand the population of ASD, carefully choosing quality books (e.g., narrative fiction)…

This awareness kit provides information on the portrayals of women and men in two media--instructional materials and television; discusses how to evaluate and choose the best media materials from those that exist; recommends actions that will help to eliminate sex stereotyping in instructional materials and television; and suggests an approach to…

In the wake of recent political events, rural people and places experience unfiltered and uncensored criticism. For the approximately 20% of America's children who are growing up in rural places, these stereotyped narratives are damaging and dehumanizing. To ensure the wellbeing of rural children across the United States, teacher education…

The US media has played an increasingly important role in shaping the Muslim identity. An Anti-Muslim rhetoric led by news channels only promoted fear and anxiety among Americans towards the Muslim world post 9/11. This paper tends to explore one such news channel--CNN and its contribution towards demonizing, vilifying, and racializing the Muslim…

This study, based on interpretative phenomenological methodology, examines the influence Disney media and merchandise may have on children's understandings of gender. Although there are various studies in this area, most focus on the Disney Princesses' effects on girls' gender development and few directly elicit the views of both girls and boys…

Efforts to attract and retain women in science are increasing, yet girls and women are persistently underrepresented in science education worldwide, limiting their preparation for, access to, and opportunities in science-related careers as adults. Based on qualitative research conducted in six secondary schools in Tanzania and informed by UNESCO's…

The paper highlights four tendencies in the media reporting of teachers and education: (a) recurring patterns of defining education in crisis, (b) mantling responsibility as exterior spokespersons for education and teachers, (c) excluding teachers' and educational researchers' knowledge and experiences in the media and (d) simplifying the notion…

This meta-analysis, spanning 5 decades of Draw-A-Scientist studies, examined U.S. children's gender-science stereotypes linking science with men. These stereotypes should have weakened over time because women's representation in science has risen substantially in the United States, and mass media increasingly depict female scientists. Based on 78…