Digital Discourse Database

Number of Posts: 10
Posts 1 - 10

Teaching Bronx Students the Language of Computers

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Newspaper | The New York Times
Date | 22.2.2016
Language | English
Country | U.S.
Topic Tags | computer programming, digitized education, diversity, game, school, youth
Summary | The Bronx is offering their local students computer programming classes - many more than average schools. The students in the Bronx are learning to code so that they can create the technology of the future rather than just consume it. A group of students presented an app they created to investors in Manhattan: it lets users post videos showing police brutality and makes an interactive map of where the incidents happened. Users can also play a game on the app in which they have to avoid ficticious police gun shots.
Image Description | Three male students of color holding a presentation.
Image Tags | male(s)

Benefits of Study Abroad: ‘My Students Return Transformed’

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Newspaper | The New York Times
Date | 12.4.2016
Language | English
Country | U.S.
Topic Tags | diversity, selfie, smartphone, threat, youth
Summary | In response to the article “Study Abroad’s Seven Deadly Sins”, this university educator agrees that inappropriate selfies and ever-present smartphones are an issue among study abroad students. She however emphasized that such articles are not helpful at this time of heightened anxiety about rising nationalism and that students must instead be encouraged more strongly to go study abroad.
Image Description | N/A

Study Abroad's Seven Deadly Sins

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Newspaper | The New York Times
Date | 8.4.2016
Language | English
Country | U.S.
Topic Tags | politeness, selfie, smartphone, threat, youth
Summary | The seven deadly sins of studying abroad incude two sins related to the digital realm. First, study abroad students should at best not take a smartphone with them. It will keep them way to connected with their peers at home and the fear of missing out on activities at home will make them text with friends from home rather than meet new people in the foreign country they are supposed to be experiencing. Second, stay abroad students should be conscious of how they take their selfies - they can easily be disrespectful depending on the place and the pose one strikes.
Image Description | Colorful number 1 through 7.

Chasing Squeals of Stardom, Not in the Clubs but Via Apps

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Newspaper | The New York Times
Date | 5.7.2016
Language | English
Country | U.S.
Topic Tags | social media, video communication, youth
Summary | VidCon is a conference for young stars who made their debut online. Hailey Knox is a 17-year old singer who is a star of YouNow (live streaming app). Most of YouNow, Facebook Live, or Periscope users are young (between 13 and 24). The article claims that nowadays, thanks to social media, the relationship between social media stars and fans is much more personal. Finally, the article talks about Hailey Knox's career.
Image Description | N/A

Using Emojis to Reach Young People About Birds and Bees

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Newspaper | The New York Times
Date | 18.7.2016
Language | English
Country | U.S.
Topic Tags | emojis, youth
Summary | Emojis (e.g. peach, eggplant) will pop up in young people's Facebook feeds on Monday to talk about birds and bees. The NYC Health & Hospitals launched campaign on social media to reach young people and talk to them about sexuality.
Image Description | N/A

Bulletin! The 'Internet' Is About to Get Smaller

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Newspaper | The New York Times
Date | 25.5.2016
Language | English
Country | U.S.
Topic Tags | spelling, youth
Summary | The Associated Press' writing style board have decided to spell "internet" with a lowecase i. The word had been capitalized before, no one really knows why since it is not a brand name. Some speculate that "Internet" was capitalized because it was seen as so special and specific, like a physical place with a name. Now, however, the internet has become part of everyday life. Younger generations could not imagine a world without it. ''For younger people, it's always been there; it's like water.''
Image Description | Image of text: "Goodbye, Internet. Hello, internet!"
Image Tags | text

New York Public Hospitals Use Emojis to Reach Young People About Sex

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Newspaper | The New York Times
Date | 17.7.2016
Language | English
Country | U.S.
Topic Tags | emojis, social media, youth
Summary | New York City hospitals are now trying to get young people's attention on social media to inform them about free, confidential sexual health services. The advertisement campaign includes emojis, for instance the question "Need to talk to someone about 'it'?" accompanied by an eggplant emoji or bird and bee emojis. They talked to youths in focus groups and determined that this might be the best way to reach them. The campaign is particularly important because many youth report that they do not approach their parents with questions concerning sexual health. Critics of the campaign however say that the advertisements might be too ambiguous and difficult to understand for people who are only just learning English.
Image Description | Two advertisements of the question "Need to talk to someone about 'it'?" accompanied by an eggplant emoji and bird and bee emojis.
Image Tags | emojis

Dear Doc, :-(

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Newspaper | The New York Times
Date | 18.1.2016
Language | English
Country | U.S.
Topic Tags | (mental) health, texting, youth
Summary | Physicians report that their children who are away at college frequently text them to ask about symptoms such as throat aches or send them images of their swollen toes, turf burns, or their roommates' rashes. Given the fact that today's teenagers conduct an increasing amount of their social interactions over their smartphones, it is not surprising that they would seek medical counsel through that medium as well. Hospitals are already looking into possibilities of diagnosing certain ailments via digital communication in order to expand medical coverage to remote areas.
Image Description | Illustration of a smartphone taking an x-ray of a foot.
Image Tags | hand(s), smartphone

Can Texting Fill an Empty Nest?

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Newspaper | The New York Times
Date | 17.9.2016
Language | English
Country | U.S.
Topic Tags | Facebook, social media, texting, youth
Summary | Many parents find themselves very lonely when their children leave the nest for college. New media have enabled parents to stay in touch with their children conveniently and cost-efficiently. Many parents report to text their children at college multiple times a day. Other parents use social media to keep an eye on the activities of their sons and daughters. The youths are split on which way of communicating with their parents they prefer – some would never want their parents to follow them on social media while others appreciate the low maintenance in just keeping parents updated like that.
Image Description | Illustration of a woman sitting in a youth’s rather empty bedroom.
Image Tags | female(s)

A Full Stop for Periods? Okay. Fine.

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Newspaper | The New York Times
Date | 10.6.2016
Language | English
Country | U.S.
Topic Tags | punctuation, texting, youth
Summary | Linguist David Crystal describes how the period of full stop punctuation mark is no longer used routinely in instant messaging. Because messages are usually short single-sentence fragments, full stops are not necessary for a good understanding of text messages. Not only are full stops routinely omitted, they also have become a marker for discontent or insincerity which was even empirically confirmed in a study. Further, the repetition of punctuation marks is also more commonplace than adhering to formal (school) writing standards in text messaging. Abbreviations like “lol” which were very popular among youths in previous years have become outdated because adults have now started using them.
Image Description | Portrait of linguist David Crystal.
Image Tags | male(s)

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