Fifth graders at elementary schools learn “media and information technology” in social studies.
Though media refers to wide meanings in English, in Japan, I feel it has smaller meanings: that is, something that provides information through devices.
For example, schools I have worked at have “media control” week once in a while and students try to reduce time spent using “media” during the week. They engage little time to impose SNSs or YouTube and try to use their time studying or reading instead. It is a good trial but I feel the term “media” is not “what media really means in English or even in Japanese”. “Media control” is a catchy word but I am not sure if it is the correct usage.
In the social studies classes, media is defined as “something that provides information” and it includes many things, such as newspapers, radio, TV, Internet etc.
