URL: http://mediasmarts.ca/game/co-cos-adversmarts-interactive-unit-food-marketing-web

Cost: Free access through any Internet browser

Australian Curriculum ICT Capability link:

Cost: Free

Age recommendation: Years 2-3

Accessibility: Web-based platform or iPad, iPhone or Android Application

Australian Curriculum Links: Identifying impacts of ICT on Society Levels 2- 3

“Students identify the value and role of ICT use at home and school” (Australian Curriculum and Assessment Reporting Authority, 2015a).

 

Description: Coco’s AdverSmarts is a game that lets students create a website that advertises cereal to children. As students make choices for the website design, it explains and demonstrates how advertisers use these to influence children’s opinions of products.

 

Rationale

Online advertising has a significant impact on young children and it is important children are made aware of invisible advertisements in games and websites (Spiteri Cornish, 2014). Coco’s Adversmarts is useful for teaching children how advertising companies use information technology and design choices to influence their target markets and encourage them to buy their products. The language and images included in the activity are bright and kid-friendly so they are appropriate for lower to middle primary aged students, however, the concept the game covers is quite complex and could also be beneficial for use with upper primary aged children. Therefore, when using this resource with younger students, teachers should plan pre and post supporting tasks to further explore about how websites impact student opinions and choices before using this interactive (Chai, Lim, and Pek, 2005).

 

References

 

   Australian Curriculum and Assessment Reporting Authority. (2014). Foundation to Year 10 Curriculum: ICT General Capability Learning Continuum. Retrieved from http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/generalcapabilities/information-and-communication-technology-capability/continuum#layout=columns

 

   Chai, C., Lim, C., & Pek, M. (2005) Classroom management issues in information and communication technology (ICT)-mediated learning environments: back to the basics. Journal of Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia, 14(4), p. 391. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA142339826&v=2.1&u=csu_au&it=r&p=EAIM&sw=w

 

   Spiteri Cornish, L. (2014). ‘Mum, can I play on the internet?’ Parents’ understanding, perception and responses to online advertising designed for children. International Journal of Advertising, 33(3), 437-473. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Lara_Spiteri_Cornish/publication/273160760_'Mum_can_I_play_on_the_internet'_Parents'_understanding_perception_and_responses_to_online_advertising_designed_for_children/links/55b9ec0408aec0e5f43c56d7.pdf