Children with their dreams – what kind of reveries are accepted in school context?

Abstract

The media and the contemporary consumer culture are central categories in modern childhood. They have opened new kinds of experiences and learning situations for children. In this article we are interested in the role of the media and consumption in schoolchildren's daily life. The data consist of writings and drawings of 7–12-year-old schoolchildren. Children have told us about their dreams, social worlds and doings in the mediated world. By asking children about all these things we are most likely able to find out how modern childhood and the learning situations in the class are influenced by the media and consumer goods. It is important to analyse children's experiences in the virtual environments because today's teachers have to confront these new mediated meaning structures in schools. At all events, the experiences are deeply embedded in teacher–pupil relationships.

Keywords:

• reverie
• virtual environments
• consumerism