Born digital: meeting the needs of your youngest online audiences

Anra Kennedyanra@culture24.org.uk

Screen time:

• Playing• Communicating• Creating• Finding out

Playing - gaming

www.bbc.co.uk/children

Playing:

www.friv.com

Playing:

www.miniclip.com

I ROCK!!!BOYZ STINK!!!GIRLZ RULE!!!AVRIL LAVIGNE ROX MY SOX OFF!!!!SO DOES CHOCOLATE!!!I LUV SUGARY STUFF!!!!!THIS IS GETTING PRETTY BORING NOW HUH????

Email & live chat

Blogs, websites, videos, photos…

“I don’t reallyhave one, I just make them.”

Finding out:

Home – unguidedinformal, craze-led,interest-led…

School – guided,time-limited, formal,information-led

Homework – a combination… this is our moment!

Boudicca was a brave Celtic queen with long fiery red hair. She ruled a tribe called the Iceni with her husband,Prasutagus. She had two daughters but we don’t know what their names are yet.

• Playing• Communicating• Creating• Finding out

www.neopets.com

www.clubpenguin.comwww.moshimonsters.com

YouTube: music videos, soap operas, cheats

Expectations:

• Easy to find - wherever they are• Works – fast• Clear what they can do with it • A challenge – hooks – interest - fun• Want to contribute - participate - personalise• Talk about it – show off – share • Makes a noise!

Good news:

• Don’t have to be all things to all children• They’re loyal, creative, imaginative,

inquisitive and open to new ideas • Constantly renewing themselves as an

audience

1. Dive in – total immersion

• Play• Sign up• Google• Watch • Listen• Make• Lurk

2. Choosing the game:

• Who is it for? • Why do you want to build it? • Why would they want to use it?• What are your aims? • Has anyone done it or something like it

before?

3. Making it work:

• Be realistic – know your limits• Take a phased approach• Plan, plan, plan• Test, listen, tweak, test• Safe and legal

4. Share nicely!

• Resource discovery - strength in numbers - share audiences - profile

• Share the work – harness young energy and creativity

• Let data and content out – go to them• Both ways – allow partners to share

with you

www.caboodle.org.uk

Ones to watch…

www.foodgloriousfood.org.uk/my-patch

www.channel4.com/history

www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/launchpad/launchball/

www.parliament.uk/bigben

4 top tips:

• Dive in – total immersion • Choose your game• Make it work• Share nicely!

Anra@culture24.org.ukwww.show.me.uk