I sensed that a big internal struggle had started. This is just not right. But there was a part of me that had this inner voice. Just don’t sabotage yourself.
Since last summer, I’ve been working with a group of professionals in South Korea’s cultural industry to discuss how we can have a positive impact on children’s screen time. Here’s our conversation so far and my personal reflections.
1. Develop programmes tailored to children, such as direct new media literacy or a brief introduction to multimodal literacy. Pilot programmes for specific target groups, our preteens
– The challenge is that it inevitably costs money to produce the programme, so sponsors are needed, and it is difficult to maintain a public position. During my research on teenage depression, I was offered an opportunity to fund a youth programme in exchange for a commitment to feature PPL products. In short, I had to turn it down because I didn’t want to make a youth advertisement during this course.
Since then, I’ve been considering ways to make the programme less expensive. If it is feasible to use new AI image generation programmes, I think this could be one way to independently produce content. After some testing, the script was created with Chat GPT4, the images with Midjourney, the animation with Runway Gen2, the voice with Eleven Labs, and the background music with SOUNDRAW. These videos are still in their infancy, but in the not-too-distant future, we might be able to create audio-visual content without casting or filming.
It may be beneficial to introduce this to some teenagers, but it is uncertain whether preteens would benefit as they must find their own way to develop stories and learn the visualisation process and their unique style and tools. I’m also aware that this may be an archaic, pre-modern approach.
2. Offer suggestions to increase physical activity, such as offering physical activity through interactive art.
-Interactive art and immersive experiences are actually what I’m most interested in. Providing new experiences and creating emotional cathartic moments is my main goal. I have conducted extensive research to implement my ideas. However, these experiences are primarily aimed at adults. I believe that for children, real experiences should be prioritised, and the use of artificial artefacts that over-amplify dopamine levels should be avoided as much as possible. Some of the exhibits at ArtLab are intriguing; however, they may be excessive for younger visitors. One of the experts mentioned the works of Miguel Chevalier, and our conversation amusingly ended with the idea of an interactive version of the game Twister.
3. Allow children to experience the joy of creation, such as storyboarding with five photos they took or making a short monologue film using their smartphone.
-When I proposed that the students capture five photographs, either intentionally or randomly, and use them to construct a narrative composition, my suggestion was told that this would be too cinematic. My goal with this intervention is to demonstrate how this activity can directly or indirectly allow the children to understand the intention of the video production and how their imagination can influence the meaning of a photo or video image.
Additionally, the rise in children’s screen time can be linked to the expectation that it will be fun and their friends will be there. One potential solution proposed was the creation of a virtual playground. However, the main obstacle was to distinguish it from existing online platforms for children and to design it to be non-commercial, as this could contribute to further screen time consumption.
We engaged in an open discussion about what we were trying to do to reduce our children’s screen time. We were surprised to discover that the professionals without children had a slightly stricter view. Many of us adopt time limits, but they’re not effective. It was expressed that it is challenging for adults to regulate, leading to children’s excessive digital device usage. To a certain degree, I perceived this as acquiescence. A specific child showcased a highly disciplined smartphone user and said it was just a natural tendency. There were no guidelines or environmental factors involved; it was solely due to her personal characteristics. This contrasts with her younger sister, who spends more time online and is currently experiencing conflicts with their parents.
An expert explained that he sends his children to an unauthorised specialised school that does not follow the national curriculum without using digital devices and that if the school environment does not change, the standards of each parent can easily change according to the school’s policies and rules.
Meeting with creators can bring practical results, but it also confronts us with the real barriers we know well. Therefore, I must admit that I face challenges in approaching my project within the educational framework. I believe that through artistic activities, we can not only prevent excessive screen time among young people but also provide them with positive engagement experiences. In the same way that adults seek entertainment in their leisure time, I hope that children will find ways to express themselves beyond simply scrolling through screens.
Perhaps I am the one who needs to embrace new thinking. In an era where ‘Homo promptus’ emerges as a keyword trend of 2024, it’s necessary to re-evaluate and ensure that my thoughts aren’t too conservative or outdated. And then, I should consider the possibility that rather than chasing trends, it might be more important to seek out timeless truths.
‘Homo Promptus’
As it becomes increasingly crucial to discover the humanistic core required to survive an AI-dominated world, the professor advocates for the emergence of “Homo Promptus” ― individuals adept at strategically harnessing AI through prompt writing and engineering skills.
“When it comes to AI-generated content, the paramount factor isn’t the final product itself, but rather a sequence of prompts ― typically textual instructions ― crafted and fine-tuned by humans to yield the most desired responses,” he said.
He further outlined the essential attributes of “Homo Promptus” as threefold: a basic grasp of AI tool engineering, specialized knowledge in specific domains, and above all, a profound humanistic understanding encompassing history, philosophy and language that contributes to a comprehensive worldview.
“Trend Korea 2024” by Kim Ran-do / Courtesy of Miraebook