Paper for Harvard University Graduate Course HT 123, Informal Learning for Children

A Girls News Program for Wiser Consumers

Harvard Graduate School of Education

Course: HT123

Informal Learning for Children

Group: 10, Big Bird

Krithika Jagannath

Felicia Khoja

Kristen San Miguel

Angela Rivera

Donovan Stevens

Art work: Felicia Khoja

Website: Krithika Jagannath and Felicia Khoja

Contents Executive Summary ..................................................................................................................................................... 1 Needs of Young People in the Target Group ...................................................................................................... 2 Goals and Objectives of This Project: ................................................................................................................... 4 Media Habits of Target Population ......................................................................................................................... 5 Formative Evaluation and Resulting Revisions .................................................................................................. 6 Design of This Project ................................................................................................................................................. 7 Use Case .......................................................................................................................................................................... 8 Outreach Strategy ...................................................................................................................................................... 10 .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 10 Dissemination ............................................................................................................................................................. 11 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................................... 13 Appendix A .................................................................................................................................................................. 14 Appendix B .................................................................................................................................................................. 15 Appendix C .................................................................................................................................................................. 22 Research bibliography .............................................................................................................................................. 25 Endnotes and references .......................................................................................................................................... 26 Experts Consulted ...................................................................................................................................................... 26 Pitch Presentation Deck ........................................................................................................................................... 27

Big Bird Research Group HT 123

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Executive Summary The Big Bird Research Group (BBRG), based at Harvard University’s Graduate School of

Education, created The Flynn Report, a cartoon and live action magazine-style news program for

the purpose of helping suburban girls, ages eight to ten, become wiser consumers. The BBRG

discovered that tweens in the US spend over $40 billion on consumer products and influence over

$150 billion of purchases per year (Smith, 2013), yet there are no age-appropriate educational

efforts that promote financial literacy, highlight the biases in marketing campaigns, research

company practices or examine healthy consumer practices. The Flynn Report and its supporting

content fills this information gap through informal learning experiences that act as preventative

strategies to thwart a life-long path of unconscious consumerism. The short-form magazine-style

show aims to empower girls to become critical-thinkers by arming them with a toolkit on how to

gather information, conduct research, and participate more consciously in the consumer

marketplace. The overarching goal of fostering meta-cognitive skills around wiser consumerism

can be achieved through our objectives of creating awareness (of biases in advertising and

consumer habits), encouraging investigation (research methods and investigative journalism), and

inspiring action (the voicing of opinions, participation in outreach activities and changes in

consumer behavior). Furthermore, The Flynn Report redefines “news” through an entertaining,

age-appropriate show run by young girls for young girls. The full episodes will exist on digital

platforms like Netflix, while clips can easily be distributed on YouTube channels, blogs, partner

websites and The Flynn Report interactive website for a full spectrum digital media intervention.

The BBRG leverages partnerships and outreach beyond the web space to support local, face-to-

face informal learning opportunities through co-viewing guides for parents/caregivers, activity

kits for teachers, and partner programs with local organizations, namely the Girl Scouts.


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Collaborative partnerships at a local level build the foundation for growth to state and national

wise consumer initiatives. Ongoing formative research efforts ensure that educational

programming will remain current and relevant in addressing the needs of the target population.

Needs of Young People in the Target Group

As they age and gain more financial independence, young girls from suburban families in

the United States have a greater need for consumer education. Research supports that primary and

informal education could help them develop critical thinking and reasoning skills to help them

become wiser consumers as adults (Jiyane & Zawada, 2013). Young girls are more often than not,

specific targets of marketing campaigns that influence them towards a life-long path of

consumerism, materialism and misleading stereotypes. Furthermore, “Marketing to children, has

also introduced a new vocabulary which tells youngsters that having the latest brands… is their

‘right’ because ‘they’re worth it’ and encourages a culture that ‘you are what you own’” (Nairn,

2009). We found a void of programs or curricula that educate young girls on persuasive

marketing methods or help them become savvy consumers. We propose to fill this gap, through a

preventative informal learning experience of a short form news show and supporting website that

aims to increase consumer awareness by examining brand advertising and marketing,

investigating company practices and providing a platform for young girls to voice their opinions

about purchase decisions.

We find the topic of marketing and advertising particularly worthy of attention, because

companies often target young girls with stereotypical imagery and subliminal messaging when

trying to sell products. In a gender analysis of ads, research found that single-sex commercials

“portrayed girls in stereotypical domestic settings” (Larson, 2001). Without much effort, the


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BBRG found an abundance of racy ads aimed at young girls. As an example, the Skechers shoe

ad1, “Daddy’s money,”2 proves to be shocking on many levels. The name alone, “Daddy’s Money”

perpetuates the message of financial dependency on men to pay for “things.” This relays the

opposite message of empowering girls to foresee themselves as becoming financially independent

and self-sufficient. The ad reveals that inside the shoe there are “secret heels,” which provide two

extra inches of height. Disguised heels signal to girls that they are getting away with something

(to be taller or more grown up looking) without anyone else knowing [Appendix B]. The ad

confirms this notion since the girl actors cover their mouths with their pointer finger suggesting

that viewers (or buyers) also keep the hidden heels a secret. Lastly, lips are used throughout the ad

(for a shoe) and the actors blow kisses to the camera suggesting that this is how they thank their

benefactors for buying them shoes that make them appear more grown up. Marketing campaigns

like Skechers perpetuate stereotypes that value a girl’s appearance, body image, lack of agency,

sex, and shallowness. Because of the lack of ads portraying girls as critical thinkers, problem

solvers and mindful citizens, the BBRG includes marketing and advertising as part of The Flynn

Report curriculum to help girls become more aware of manipulative tactics, stereotypes, biases,

and subliminal messages prevalent in advertising campaigns.

The BBRG decided to target eight to ten-year-old girls because research suggests that

eight year olds are starting to develop an awareness of “profit motives of advertisers” (Oates et al.,

2002). While aware, this population may not yet fully understand the pervasiveness of marketing

efforts through all mediums (print, digital, small/large screens, product placements, etc.) or the

multi-faceted intent. Advertisers create a false interdependency between products and well-being,

self-esteem or a carefree lifestyle. The messaging that a particular product or brand will bring

happiness, confidence and popularity, such as in Coke’s “Open Happiness” campaign3, can be


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confusing to young girls who are discovering and shaping their identities through the media they

see (Joe Blatt, HT500 Lecture, 2013). Research confirms that children expect three qualities from

the commercial world: honesty about products and services, to be treated with respect and be

taken seriously, and to be shielded from inappropriate marketing and advertising of harmful

products (Nairn, 2009). Thus, this may indicate that children are wrongly presuming honesty and

truth in marketing and advertising since they expect such behavior from adults. Research also

reveals that while our audience knows that they are being advertised to, they still lack the

resources and skills to make informed, responsible purchasing decisions (Blades, Oates & Li,

2012). The Flynn Report will help young girls navigate confusing messages in advertisements, by

sharing information on persuasive tactics, creating a platform to exchange ideas and express

opinions, and providing research on brands, companies and products. Some critics might argue

that exposing young girls to the topic of consumerism may, in fact, drive them to become

consumers sooner than later. However, the BBRG believes that girls need information and open

dialogue to not only prepare them for a financially sound and independent future, but also to

educate them about deriving self-esteem from things they buy, falling victim to stereotypes

portrayed in the media, and making uninformed consumer purchases.

Goals and Objectives of This Project:

The Flynn Report is a novel program designed to help eight to ten year old girls engage in

fun, age-appropriate, informal learning experiences through a show and interactive website. The

over-arching goal is for our target audience to develop meta-cognitive skills and become wiser

consumers. The sub-goals of the program are three-fold:

● to spread awareness and promote financial literacy driving the ability to make smart


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choices with financial resources,

● to change their attitudes about consumerism, and

● to instill new behaviors that result in a think-before-you-buy mentality and an improved

understanding of delayed gratification

The key objectives of the program are:

● to generate awareness of biases in advertising and consumer habits and open up minds of

the target audience about products, quality and companies,

● to encourage questioning, research methods and investigative journalism, and

● to give the target audience a platform to voice opinions and participate in outreach

activities.

The Flynn Report aims to spark critical thinking in young girls and helping them discern content

in many forms of media.

Media Habits of Target Population

As reported in the study, “Generation M2,” media bears a significant impact on the lives

of young people. Media exposure in a typical day for children aged eight to ten years amounted to

nearly eight hours in 2009. The average number of hours spent by this segment of children in

using media on a typical day is between four to five hours (Rideout, V., U. G. Foehr, and D. F.

Roberts, 2010). Thus, it is not surprising that our target audience demographic is brand-conscious

and status driven. It is also reported that US Tween consumers spend $43 billion a year and have

an influence of $150 billion on household spending (Smith, 2013). BBRG is curious to discover

the nature of the connection between high media consumption and tween buying power and

intends to focus future research on this topic.


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Formative Evaluation and Resulting Revisions Initially, our target segment was comprised of both boys and girls, ages eight to twelve,

but this changed after conducting our first formative research study in a New England elementary

school in January, 2014. We interviewed six third-grade boys and girls in gendered groups to

understand their media consumption, practices and awareness about brands (Appendix A). While

the boys and girls shared some common ground, with both groups regularly accompanying a

parent on grocery shopping trips and identifying Target as their favorite retail chain for clothes,

shoes and toys, gender differences quickly emerged reflecting distinct tastes and preferences. The

boys spoke mostly of sports the use of gadgets (computers and tablets) to watch sports and play

sports games. And, one boy spoke of using the iPad to do math problems. They expressed a

strong dislike for commercials or stores that targeted girls. On the other hand, the girls spoke

more about shopping with their moms for clothes and shoes and their TV viewing habits. They

have developed strong connections to their favorite programs and characters yet, much of their

viewing does not take place through traditional channels, which they only watch “when it’s ok.”

The girls cited OnDemand, Netflix, and YouTube through both computers and tablets as ways

they engage with TV programs. When asked to describe a type of program they would like to

watch, the girls were very excited about the idea of cross-show remix, in which their favorites

from different programs meet up. Interestingly, the girls brought up honesty in advertising and

believed laws exist to prevent commercials from lying. Nevertheless, they had some conception

of advertising as “just wanting the money” and “they’re trying to sell you something.”

Insights from our formative research led us to re-segment our target population from eight

to twelve year olds to eight to ten year old girls. As the girls were already showing more frequent

interest in shopping, brand awareness and misinformation advertising, the BBRG saw the need to


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provide them with specific education about consumerism. We decided to reach middle-to-upper

class suburban girls because they have access to parent’s disposable income and are far more

likely to start spending money before they become financially conscious and independent.

Formative evaluation also confirmed that a humorous, entertaining show with live action,

animation and celebrity cameos appeals to young girls of this age. The BBRG intends to make

formative evaluations an ongoing process, through both our school and community partnerships,

in order to strengthen our program, respond to student needs, and keep our content current.

Design of This Project

We noted as Eisenberg (2010) states, that meaningful engagement with peers helps

children develop intellectually and socially. Based on this, The Flynn Report is specifically

designed for girls by girls to facilitate peer-engagement by featuring young girls as the reporters,

investigators and researchers, to provide positive role-models for the young audience viewing the

show. The prevention strategy we developed includes a multi-media approach of an investigative

news show, a website, and outreach materials. The magazine-style program features 15-minute

episodes that will mix animated and live-action segments to provide both entertainment and

informal learning. The show will serve as the main vehicle to discuss biases in advertising and

investigate companies and brands more deeply introducing meta-cognitive questioning. The

website supports the show’s efforts to generate awareness and encourage investigation by

providing a platform where the viewers can re-investigate brands, synthesize research, formulate

informed opinions and express their voices by voting on whether or not they would buy a

particular product. To complement the remote learning digital elements, the BBRG created

outreach materials, namely, parent-and-child viewer guides, curricular programs for Girl Scouts,

and an integrated merit badging system (to reward viewer participation) as part of a dissemination


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strategy for supporting the target audience through the school-community-home nexus.

Use Case

To better illustrate the media initiative, take, for example, an eight year old girl, Riley,

who asks her mom for a pair of UGG® boots because she sees an UGG advertisement, in which a

bunch of smiling, happy kids are wearing UGG boots. Riley presumes the boots will make her

happy too although she wonders if the boots are really expensive. At her Girl Scouts meeting the

next week, Riley learns a new way to earn badges, by becoming a wiser consumer through

watching a new show called The Flynn Report and participating in its accompanying activities.

The troop learns that The Flynn Report is “a girls news program for wiser consumers.” Riley goes

home and tells her mom what she learned and together they watch the pilot episode on Netflix.

They have a dialogue throughout the experience with the assistance of a parent/child co-viewing

packet that they downloaded from the show’s website. The show opens with Flynn, an animated

news anchor-girl, hosting from her anchor desk in the newsroom. Flynn announces that her

investigative research team chose the UGG brand to investigate by examining its advertising

campaigns and company profile. Flynn discusses a variety of UGG ads and examines related

media created by both the company and independent consumers. Flynn introduces her celebrity

guest, Ally from the Disney Channel’s Austin and Ally, (which happens to be Riley’s favorite

show), as the episode’s “roving reporter.” Ally is “on the scene” at a local mall. She examines the

product to investigate its quality and price and stops real shoppers to discover their opinions on

UGG boots. The show ends with Flynn in the newsroom, recapping the findings and encouraging

viewers to visit The Flynn Report website to vote on whether or not they would buy the product.

Riley not only finds herself entertained and intrigued by the appealing combination of animation,

live action, and celebrity cameos, but also is more informed about advertising, research methods


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and the UGG boot company. Moreover, she is inspired to see young girls like herself being

represented by the diverse news team. She had never before thought of being a news anchor,

researcher or reporter. When she clicks the link to the website, she discovers even more informal

learning opportunities. She is able to do her own investigations by clicking on links to the UGG

website and other related media including a BBRG curated playlist on YouTube with user-

generated videos showcasing various perspectives on UGG boots. To her delight, she can also

play games without even realizing that they are actually teaching her how to be financially literate.

Once she feels she has a thorough understanding of the UGG brand, she casts her vote to indicate

whether she would purchase a pair of UGG boots. Armed with a wealth of information, Riley

decides that UGG boots are indeed a good buy because of the product’s quality and the

company’s reputation.

At school the next day, Riley shares with her friends her new wisdom and opinions and

how she was able to formulate them. The group responds to how confident and informed Riley is

and are inspired to watch the show and learn how to research. Through the informal learning

experience of the show and website, they discover their own purchasing power by choosing to

buy or not buy something. They begin to ask themselves questions before they buy, such as: Is

this ad persuading me to buying something I don’t need? Is this a quality product? Does this

company’s manufacturing practices harm the earth and its people? Such questions heighten

awareness and shift attitudes about spending and consuming and ultimately instill in them better

habits, which will lead them to make wiser consumer choices throughout their lives. At her next

Girl Scouts meeting, Riley proudly receives a “Wise Consumer” badge for learning to do research,

examine brand ads more objectively, make an informed decision and express her opinion. This

honor inspires other girls in the troop to become wiser consumers too.


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Outreach Strategy

The BBRG outreach strategy has three facets: home, school, and community (Figure 1).

The program begins in the home with girls and their parents/caregivers using co-viewing guides

help engage both parties in the informal learning experience. The co-viewing guides encourage

conversations during and after the show to clarify and reinforce the skills Flynn and her team

present. Additionally, the guides explain the basic tenants of financial literacy so that children

have a reference guide to use. In the community, the Girl Scouts4 organization, with its hundred-

year history and an alumnae base of 59 million girls, are the ideal outreach partners for the BBRG

to disseminate the educational materials and nurture empowerment. Girl Scouts not only provide

the ideal vehicle to continue the dialogue, but also offer a robust badging system5 for the BBRG

to build upon and address a myriad of topics including financial literacy, social change, healthy

living, and healthy planet. Even further, the BBRG works with elementary schools and their after-

school programs to supply activity kits to teachers. Activity kits not only reinforce the program

objectives, but also provide opportunities to link consumerism to math skills and financial literacy

fundamentals. By building on family-school relationships, the BBRG will ensure that The Flynn

Report reaches those girls who are not involved in extra-curricular activities such as Girl Scouts.

The BBRG is steadfast in its commitment to grow The Flynn Report into a nationwide movement.

Figure 1: Outreach Strategy


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Dissemination

Dissemination for The Flynn Report rests on a central partnership with Netflix. With its

30 million customers (subscribers), Netflix provides both a broad reach and a segregated

children’s entertainment platform making it an ideal vehicle for The Flynn Report to reach young

girls across the US. Parents who will be the subscribers and content decision makers are central to

the BBRG’s strategy in education and dissemination strategy. The BBRG adds value to Netflix by

providing a unique children’s program in a genre that is both entertaining and educational. The

Flynn Report is an elegant blend of their Netflix Original programming and their investment in a

safe platform for younger viewers. The program is a result of research dedicated to the interests

and needs of young girls and backed by a qualified and passionate team of education

professionals. While the BBRG deems Netflix as the ideal partner, a similar relationship could be

cultivated through other key players in the digital space, namely Google, Hulu, or PBS. The

program design of short form segments allows curated clips of The Flynn Report to appear on

YouTube alongside amateur product reviews. Also, as our audience ages, user generated material

can be harvested from channels including Tumblr, Twitter, Facebook and future trending social

media platforms.

Impact Evaluation Plan

Efforts by the BBRG to conduct summative evaluation will help assess the impact of The

Flynn Report - an informal learning initiative. Summative measures include:

● conducting pre- and post-viewing surveys to detect changes in awareness,

● monitoring of ratings and web traffic to test attitude changes through participation,


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● reviewing of revenue reports from product companies to gauge buying behaviors.

Pre- and post-surveys could be distributed either by schools or community partners and would act

as evidence of changes from pre- to post-viewing awareness. Within these surveys, questions

regarding the audience’s knowledge of companies or brands reviewed on the show as well as the

knowledge of misleading advertisements that were not featured on the show serve as indicators of

the audience’s levels of awareness. Questions in the survey that elicit reports about investigative

behaviors, such as researching a company on the internet or discussing a product with others, help

measure improvements in the audience’s ability to conduct independent research. A control group

of a similar demographic in a different district, school, or community organization is necessary to

prevent word-of-mouth changes in awareness to influence budding investigative behaviors among

the target audience.

Website traffic offers additional evidence of investigative behavior in that the external

links clicked reveal what other sources of information the audience accessed while browsing The

Flynn Report website. Changes in action can be inferred from patterns in the links clicked, as well

as video sharing and linking activity, connected to The Flynn Report website and the YouTube

channel. Both online badges through the website and those awarded through the Girl Scouts

would demonstrate the amount of knowledge that the audience has over concepts in budgeting

and good credit once they reach Ambassador Girl Scouts level in their late teens. As shown in

gaming and social media sites, badging is not only a way to change user behavior but also to track

progress. Furthermore badges may inspire others to increase their participation. Again, website

traffic can be a way to measure changes in action, especially through the voting component. Once

the target population age out of the COPA6 (Child Online Protection Act) and are able to legally

post content, we will also be able to directly measure action through user generated content


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uploads on various social media platforms.

We intend to conduct longitudinal studies through schools or community partners in order

to compare the treatment group (the population exposed to The Flynn Report) with the control

group to measure differences in consumer awareness, attitudes, and behavior as our audience ages.

A two year study will generate data on emerging tweens as they begin to transition to teenagers

while a five year study will directly measure any lasting changes on teenage consumer awareness,

attitudes and behavior.

Conclusion

The BBRG urges you to support The Flynn Report, a girls news program for wise

consumers. This multimedia, informal learning experience fills an important gap in the education

of young girls, specifically the art of being an informed and conscious consumer. With the

growing media reach of advertising and marketing, it is critical that we offer an informational

program for eight to ten year old girls to educate them in financial literacy, media awareness,

research skills and critical thinking so that they can transition into teenagers with conscious

consumer habits. The design allows for dissemination through various digital, mobile, face-to-

face and print platforms. Through partnerships and outreach, the BBRG educational efforts reach

girls in homes, schools, organizations and communities, laying a solid foundation for expanding

the The Flynn Report into a nationwide movement to empower girls. Your support ensures that

the BBRG can continue to meet the needs of young girls.


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Appendix A

The print-ad of Skechers “Daddy’s Money”

Skechers Daddy’s Money Website:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2285709/Fury-Skechers-Daddy-Money-sneakers-Parents-condemn-bling-ads-shoes-tell-teens-spoiled-fathers-cash.html


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Appendix B

Formative research interview notes with elementary school boys and girls (as quoted).

Girls: Kim 8 yrs, Beth 9 yrs, Maya 8 yrs TV Shoes:

-‐ Austin and Ally -‐ Cyberchase -‐ Martha Speaks (Oh I like that.) -‐ Wild Kratz Adventures -‐ Alfred the Hedge Hog (A science one too) -‐ Sophie the First -‐ Scooby Doo

Watch after dinner and after my work is done Before school After school OnDemand Sometimes watch it live Most of the time on the TV Not on my Kindle because I don’t know how to get the shows Big head, small body cartoons Despicable Me and Frozen put together, that would be funny! News show for kids! Combine kids shows, the ideas and characters. Cross over shows as guests. Mixed cast shows, mixed media shows. They seem to love cameos. Disney, Nic, CN, Sprout, Disney Jr – check out the shows and do one like those. Kidsy Online (Games now apps) Club Pinguine (My friends used to, you have to have a password and I don’t know how to get one or set it up) Realism is important even in cartoons, or like Austin and Ally Shopping Target, Sears, and sometimes Old Navy, Justice Mom does size, I pick the design and color Mom sometimes buys it Target cause they have a lot of cool things Shoes from the Kids barn, not all of them fit me Uggs Fluffy, my cousin has them, puffy, warm, soft Very expensive! Birthday party Target, Target. Target Karaoke Machine, Kindle Fire, Nintendo DS Toy Horse (some important brand)


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Grocery shopping All the big brands If its for school, I get to pick out things We agree a menu for food stuffs Sometimes we get special food, but its not good for you Dogo Sites, Art, Spelling app. immediately moves around and zoom to new stuff. Basically IMMEDIATELT looking for games. Computer access is at school or after school program. Sometimes we watch TV, mostly we do homework or go outside. Daddys Girl (Sketchers) Shoes, Daddys Girl shoes, kinda like Ahhhhggrrrr Catchy song Frowny face to are you interested Its okay but they are screaming a lot The shoes are cool, but I wonder if the come in different colors… 5th Grade, older… Too aggressive Flavored chapstick, its cool and good for you. Not actually make up. (the little ball) Advertising Disney – stuffed animals, some commercials they just really want the money. They make it look cool but its probably boring. Sometimes I know they are not being honest. Small lunch boxes for example, all that food would never fit! Cloths, not true, cause it says “they will stay on and never come off” (these kids are not stupid) You don’t really know The law would not let them say it if it were not true You shouldn’t, I mean you cant, modify the thing so it looks big They just want the money! Or they say, Oh that’s a good deal, when its still a lot of money. Don’t like pandering Girls: · Age 8- Kim (Caucasian), Age 9- Beth (Indian), Age 8- Maya (Caucasian) · Tv show Maya really shy/quiet Beth flower really quiet and head down Kim more talkative Kim -combine shows? Shows- Beth/Maya warming up “Wild Cats” Maya perking up Disney, Cartoon Network, Nick, Sprout · Games online

Boys: · Ages 8, Brady, Roland, Westley (all Caucasian) · Bday- all talking · Roland quitter · Westleyereally talkative! · Shopping: Brady fidgety Lots of Grocery shopping Roland looking away · Afterschool Taking turns Westley- hip hop class


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Kidsy? Club Penguin- Password hard, don’t know how to set it up (Maya) · Kim- doesn’t like Cartoon Network Talking to Maya about Characters (animated talking about them) · As cartoons · Kim- Despicable me 2 and Frozen combined Combined shows would be funny · Kim Target, Sears, ON Target is fav brand, but for shoes: kids barn Uggs are fluffy and warm, Cousin has them, very expensive · Beth -Justice · Maya -Target Doesn’t know about Uggs · Bday gifts- Target · Kim Karaoke Machine and Kindle Fire · Maya also has a Kindle Fire · Kim- knows sweets not healthy (gets distracted talking to Donovan) · Project- Google · Afterschool Program- Goes to computer lab and watches TV · We show commercial: No reaction during Kim -smirk (response: “Rah” making fun of how overwhelming) · Don’t like makeup, but EOS chap stick (good for you-not makeup) · Kim- Disney ads for new shoes and stuffed animal Some commercials Want money so they make it look cool but its not as good (ex. Lunchboxes) · Maya don’t really know about truth (think they are true because law would let the say if not) · Kim- just want money · Kim- be truthful about price, look on computer to make sure its true But some things aren’t true online (Maya -go get a book) · Beth not paying attention

Roland -sports Westley hw and piano hw and ipad for mind craft Roland nickelodeon-games Brady mindcraft · Don’t like any stores Westley except toy dept · Game stop · Don’t really seem to care about clothes · Trailers make them want to see movies · Brady more talkative with movies · Calculator · Westley ask people there or teacher Less excited talking about research Dad doesn’t let Brady on computer Westley gets wiggly Westley doesn’t like love · We show commercial Brady smirk Roland and Brady giggly-said it was funny Westley- its not bad but fast Roland voice funny Sell shoes to girls (age 10-20) Quick commercial (no other response to bad) Weird shoes · Brady Camel commercial Roland -Geiko Brady and Roland are giggly with camel commercial


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· Kim- store and check or ask librarian

Questions Student1 Student2 Student3

Names Brady Roland Westley

What do you shop for, where?

wooden toys to get my sister stuff my sister goes to clothes stores - Abercrombie

at least every week or on the weekends, mostly food, sometimes gifts for people. sometimes we need to go to the next town Waltham called BJs ,sometimes, we go to whole foods and trader joes, sometimes we go to a trader joes in cambridge. I also go to Target

What about grocery items? Do you choose?

fav food to buy: chips candy bars - healthy stuff, I try to keep myself health. No, sometimes i ask her for a certain type of cereal, she says patience, and you don’t get upset.

Do you shop for clothes, where?

sometimes with my mom for clothes. not really- I just go to Sports Authority. I usually go with my dad to get football to get camp or sports stuff

we usually go to the Gap

actually my mom finds it and if I like it or not. sometimes we get clothes at target, right across the street there is a big mall, there is a GAP, old Navy

Describe what you are wearing, do you like the logos on clothes?

I like having sports stuff on Tees

I like having sports stuff on Tees

I dont know any of it.. I mean there are all nice. sometimes I see minecrafts stuff and some silly starwars shirts. I remember seeing darthvader taking stuff

What do you do after school?

in the summer I play football after school and usually after that I go home and shoot on my soccer nets. I play on Xbox - Wii

all sports - we play sports, play with friends, watch T.V

after school, go to the academy, sometimes mcdonald's academy of martial arts and sometimes when I get home, i do homework, which I'm never happy about.. I have piano homework which I’m happy about

Do you watch T.V?

we watch Tv , yes mostly iPad, sometimes TV. games on the iPad , minecraft , jiving around, walking around, Roxy

How did you learn about it?

my mom told me

What is your favorite show?

I have this thing on my Tv -and its college sports - besides golf, I

the thunderman phineas and ferb.I like golf, my grandpa gave me a putting green and I have a mini golf course


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don't like golf

What did you get for Christmas or your birthday?

target gift card gamestop card, lego game stop card

Who decides what to buy?

I decide my mom doesn't know anything about boys

what is the coolest gift, why?

coolest thing I got is iPod, christmas - trampoline chair

pogo stick - coolest christmas gift not birthday, I'm not sure, really. I have this roller coaster building set, pinball machine, like baseball, voice activated a2 d2

what is your favorite food?

I like pizza I like mac and cheese

Showed the Skechers ad and asked for their reactions

I would like to see that - its funny. they want to sell it to girls, it was quick

I didn't like it. It was a bit funny, the voice was funny. teenagers, 10 and up, and there are wierd shoes

its a little fast- its not so bad, it is abt shoes

What don’t you like about the commercial/commercials?

there is this commercial about dresses and stuff, I hate it because it has all girl stuff and it is so quick

we don't like quick stuff

they want people to understand what this is about, people might want to buy it but the commercial is too fast for them to understand

do you use the computer? What for?

I like to go to play this game - minecraft on the computer

I like to go on nickelodeon, play games on the computer

I do extra math on it. I dont use it for things like that, last night I saw my brother playing a game, pbd is too easy for me, so I switch to ipad and play games, my brother is 5 and was using the computer

Do you have siblings? How old are they?

I have 4 yr and older sis. I have cousins -

I have a 14 yr old sis

what do you like to do with friends when you hang out?

sports stuff sports stuff I have play-dates, sometimes we go to each others' houses, we build train setups

What are your favorite stores?

I like going to sports authority and target. some places my mom doesnt go with me, she hates the place, to get

I like sports stores. I like the game stop

I like going to Russos. I don’t like any of the stores, I kind of like marshalls, it has toys, but its messy .the best part is the escalators, there is a bridge indoors where people walk. I like going to Toys


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the food to feed my fish. my mom likes target because my sisters friends dad works there

R Us - we never go there, there is no one inside, we get most toys from target

what is your favorite cereal?

frosted flakes frosted flakes raisin bran - no sugar cereal. white christmas only once a year

What is your favorite movie or TV show?

fav movie: the Nut job. we watch a movie every month, when my aunt comes from ireland. we all agree , sometimes I dont agree

no idea, so far, Turbo

do you watch commercials on TV? What do you like about it?

I like new episodes of shows and movies - commercials

I like new episodes of shows and movies,video game commercials - sport video games

I like watching commercials - only thing I hate is medicine - its pretty boring. I like car commercials

what do you do when you have homework and you have to investigate something?

ask my mom- my mom usually knows it, if my dad doesnt know, he uses calculator , he lets my sister use the calc but doesnt let me know

if I’m stuck on a problem , I ask my mom or dad or sister

I ask anybody who is there, and if I can't figure it out I'd ask the teacher

On science fair: I’ve done them: falcon animals - scorpion, gorilla

I’m not really sure

How did they find out:

books, online, did it all on school. google - we went to find it on google. coz my dad and mom have tight work schedule, my dad has to work late and mom too, so sometimes they sleep during the day. my dad is a cop my mom is a nurse. I usually do my homework when mom is home.

book or online. Google

On what would be a good idea for a show by kids for kids:

sports - football, baseball

video game - baseball video game

toys and marble ones- so using your imagination you could build , also train setups are cool too

On funny shows:

wipeout on abc and funny shows

the thundermans on nick

usually, spongebob and i like wipeout, spongebob is a weird sponge, I’m not sure why I like it


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boring shows? boring - girl shows. dancing with the stars is boring

I dont like grown up shows -the news -

football is boring- sometimes I like it sometimes it is boring- its 2hrs,

What do you think about the news?

I dont like it - unless it says school is off

I dont like it - unless it says school is off

I hate the news and I hate shows full of love and kissing- that is just ridiculous

on another commercial (Gieco ad) with a camel

its a commercial with a camel, its progressive -for insurance

or maybe it is gieco when the commercials are too fast they wont understand and they wont buy it

Would you be interested in a news show for kids? Why?

yea - we would be interested in something

we would watch news if it was funny

to help other people and spread messages to the whole world

what do you think about the ads?

on football games, so the coach can get money to pay the players. sometimes ads changes our minds about buying stuff

Would you be interested to appear in kids' news show?

that would be funny - if kids were the weather people. oh I'd be on TV!

that would be better, I'd be nervous

I'm not sure really


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Appendix C

The following screen-shots illustrate the design of The Flynn Report website.


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Research bibliography Blades, M., Oates, C., & Li, S. (2012). Children’s recognition of advertisements on

television and on Web pages. Appetite, 62, 190–3.

doi:10.1016/j.appet.2012.04.002

Eisenberg, Michael (2010). Educational technology, reimagined. In Marina

Umaschi Bers, issue editor. New media and technology: Youth as content

creators. New directions for youth development: Theory, practice, research, 128.

pp.25-33.

Jiyane, G., & Zawada, B. (2013). Sustaining Informal Sector Women Entrepreneurs

through Financial Literacy. Libri, 63(1), 47–56. doi:10.1515/libri-2013-0004

Larson, M. S., King, M. L., & Kennedy, R. (2003). Gender , Race , and Aggression

in Television Commercials That Feature Children, 48(January).

Nairn, A. (2008). Consumer kids - the influence of the commercial world on our

children, 22(1), 54–61.

Oates, C., Blades, M. and Gunter, B. (2002), Children and television advertising:

when do they understand persuasive intent?. Journal of Consumer Behaviour, 1:

238–245. doi: 10.1002/cb.69

Rideout, V., U. G. Foehr, and D. F. Roberts. (2010) Generation M2 Media in the

Lives of 8-to18-Year-Olds. A Kaiser Family Foundation Study.

Smith G. (2013) Tweens R’ Shoppers: A Look at the Tween Market & Shopping

Behavior. POPAI The Global Association for Marketing at Retail.


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Endnotes and references 1. http://www.ispot.tv/ad/7AgE/daddys-money-secret-wedges-extreme-height

2. http://www.skechers.com/brands/daddy-s-money

3. http://us.coca-cola.com/happiness/

4. www.girlscouts.org

5. http://forgirls.girlscouts.org/tag/badges/

6. http://www.copacommission.org/

Experts Consulted

We consulted Liying Shen, our teaching fellow, along with, Uche Amaechi,

another teaching fellow, throughout the phases of our project. Our target audience during

formative research comprised of six elementary school boys and girls, eight years of age.

We pitched our idea to the expert panel - Dorothea Gillim, David Peth, Danielle Martin

and Miles Ludwig, the slides of which are provided in the following section.


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Pitch Presentation Deck


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Paper for Harvard University Graduate Course HT 123, Informal Learning for Children

Documents

Transcript of Paper for Harvard University Graduate Course HT 123, Informal Learning for Children