Schools, peers, and media can all impact a child's development in various ways. In schools, teachers play an important role in encouraging academic success and involvement, though larger school sizes can increase anonymity among students. Peers are important for socialization and modeling behaviors. While media like television can influence children both positively and negatively depending on content, the medium itself is neutral - it is the messages within that matter most. The document discusses how schools, peers, and media each shape child development based on social-emotional theories.

1. Schools, peers, and the media can impact a child's development.
In schools, teachers play a role in encouraging academic
success and student involvement. The characteristics of the
school itself also can influence student involvement. For
example, larger schools increase the sense of anonymity in
students, and teachers are often hard-pressed to provide
individualized instruction.
Peers aid in socialization, often through the act of play. Even
young children begin to prefer to play with other children rather
than play by themselves or with adults. Children often model
their behaviors based on their peers. Peers can reinforce
behaviors (which may be desirable or undesirable by caregivers
or teachers), encourage socially appropriate behavior and
attitudes, establish age-related values, and help children learn
how to interact with others.
Although television and electronic media impact a child's
development, keep in mind that they only provide the medium
for delivery of the message. The medium itself is neither
inherently good nor bad. However, the harmful effects of
television content (e.g., violence can increase aggressive
behavior in viewers; stereotyped portrayals of ethnic and
minority groups can leave viewers with inaccurate beliefs about
these groups) are more readily recalled than the beneficial
influences of some content (e.g., programs such as
Sesame Street
teach basic cognitive and pro-social skills to their young
viewers).
For this Discussion, you will examine social-development
theories as they relate to the impact of schools, peers, and
media.

2. To prepare for this Discussion:
Review this week’s Learning Resources and consider social-
emotional development theories as they relate to the impact of
schools, peers, and media.
Select a current event or news item about a child/children in
which the impact of schools, peers, or media was integral.
By Day 4
Post a brief description of the event or news item you selected.
Then conceptualize and explain this event within the framework
of social-emotional development theories. Be sure to include
references to the impact of schools, peers, and/or media specific
to the event or item. Provide a reference to the current event or
news item and a link, if possible. Use proper APA format and
citations.
readings for this week, only view whichever you want to answer
question
Berk, L. E. (2014).
Development through the lifespan
(6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
Chapter 8, “Emotional and Social Development in Early
Childhood” (pp. 254–286)
Chapter 10, “Emotional and Social Development in Middle
Childhood” (pp. 328–358)

3. Deaton, S. (2015). Social learning theory in the age of social
media: Implication for educational practitioners.
Journal of Educational Technology, 12
(1), 1–6.
Note:
You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.
Green, L., & Brady, D. (2014). Do Australian children trust
their parents more than peers when seeking support for online
activities?
Continuum: Journal of Media & Cultural Studies, 28
(1), 112–122. doi:10.1080/10304312.2013.854866
Note:
You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.
Martins, N., & Wilson, B. J. (2012). Mean on the screen: Social
aggression in programs popular with children.
Journal of Communication, 62
(6), 991–1009. doi:10.1111/j.1460-2466.2012.01599.x
Note:
You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.
Required Media
Laureate Education. (Producer). (2010b).
How does media influence childhood behavior and beliefs?
[Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Note:
The approximate length of this media piece is 3 minutes.

4. Accessible player --Downloads--Download Video
w/CCDownload AudioDownload Transcript
Optional Resources
Denham, S. A. (2007). Dealing with feelings: How children
negotiate the worlds of emotions and social relationships.
Cognition Brain Behavior, 11
(1), 1–48.
Holmes, R. M. (2012). The outdoor recess activities of children
at an urban school: Longitudinal and intraperiod patterns.
American Journal of Play, 4
(3), 327–351.
Zichermann, G. (Producer). (2011).
How games make kids smarter
[Video file]. Retrieved August 26, 2016, from
http://www.ted.com/talks/gabe_zichermann_how_games_make_
kids_smarter
Note:
The approximate length of this media piece is 16 minutes.
Discussion: Schools, Peers, and Media Inf