Seed #6: Navigating The Attention Economy
Media literacy is already something that I'm planning on putting a strong focus on in my teaching. Normally when I consider how I will implement media literacy, I think of digital composition, assessing the reliability of sources, conversations about AI, and educating students on the harmful affects of short-form content. While I still think these are all important aspects of media literacy that I will regularly practice in my classroom, going through this text set has made me realize that it's not good enough. Giving my students resources about how the attention economy functions and allowing them to reflect on their relationship to social media in lieu of this information should be the core of media literacy education. I also want students to understand how these business models function so they can understand the level of power and agency they have in their consumption of media. I think many of us get stuck in this feeling of powerlessness in the face of these massive content machines, but consumer awareness and advocacy are powerful in their own right. There is a reason that these companies aren't straightforward about the commodification of our data and attention, they know that the truth will result in increased pressure for legal limitations on user data and short-form content. I want my students to be aware internet citizens who can identify false information, reflect on their own usage, and understand their agency in this predatory business model. As a teacher I want to incorporate reflective writings, research papers, debates, and other classroom activities that both build skills in reading and writing while teaching students comprehensive media literacy.
I think creating a zine or a PSA is the most effective multimodal channel for this topic. One of the main forms of advocacy for this issue lies in raising awareness, so creating media to spread information about the attention economy will be an important development of this topic. As an artist I've always wanted to dive into making zines, and I think it's interesting to respond to a social issue about the internet with a pen-and-paper project. I think the spreading of information via zine is more attention grabbing than a basic digital PSA, and it promotes a level of in-person connection that short-form media has made less common.
Want to dive deeper? Here's the links to the texts covered in the video:
Hank Green: You're Not Addicted to Social Media, You're Starving for Information
The Attention Economy from the Center for Humane Technology
Impact of Social Media Usage on Attention Spans from Alina Poles (2025)
I really like how you're pushing past the typical idea of media literacy and getting into the deeper systems behind it. Focusing on the attention economy and helping students reflect on their own habits feels way more meaningful than just teaching them how to spot a reliable source. It's true that a lot of people feel powerless against social media, but like you said, understanding how these platforms actually work can give students a sense of agency. I also think your idea of combining reflection with research, debates, and writing is such a strong approach because it makes media literacy both personal and academic instead of just another checklist skill.
ReplyDeleteHi Ivy! This was a really thorough and comprehensive post on media literacy and the attention economy. One thing I really liked that you touched on was how social media companies are the ones to blame for the rising crisis when it comes to youth and shortening attention spans. I totally agree with you that social media can often be painted as this all powerful monster that no one has any real control over. As you pointed out, this just isn't the case. Students need to know that they are not at fault for their declining attention spans and their poor media literacy; these companies are the ones that have the power and are feeding them these predatory algorithms that keep them hooked. It's refreshing to see someone so passionate about this topic. I look forward to seeing your multimodal project! Great post!
ReplyDeleteHi Ivy! Your thinking around media literacy expanded throughout this post. I like that you started by naming what you already value; source evaluation, AI conversations, and digital composition, but then pushed yourself to go further and think about the deeper systems behind media consumption.
ReplyDeleteYour focus on the attention economy and helping students understand how these business models shape their experiences felt really important. I especially connected with your point about moving students from feeling powerless to feeling aware of their own agency. That shift feels key for helping students not just consume media critically, but actually see themselves as participants in a larger system.
I also thought your connection between advocacy and multimodal creation was strong. The idea of using a zine or PSA to spread awareness about the attention economy makes a lot of sense, especially since you’re emphasizing visibility, reflection, and engagement. The choice to use a physical format to talk about a digital issue also feels intentional in a way that reinforces your message.
One question I had for you is how you might scaffold the reflective part for students who may not initially notice or question their relationship with social media. What kinds of prompts or activities do you think would help them get to that level of reflection?
Overall, your post made a strong argument for media literacy as something that goes beyond skills and into awareness, identity, and agency.
Hi Ivy. I think I may have shared this already on the paper feedback form but just wanted to share again how informative this "book talk" is. In many ways, it feels like a video essay.
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