The Arthur Interactive Media Study paper focuses on research conducted on the effects on students’ character development that an interactive program had. The results showed that teachers found the program to be well-made and engaging. The program led to students of multiple ages having meaningful conversations about humility and forgiveness which is exactly what the program aimed to do. The study concludes that these types of programs will have an impact on student behavior and relationships. The Welcome to AIM video highlights that this program is teacher and research approved. It also emphasizes that AIM helps students with social and emotional learning. The Arthur interactive media project, the Arthur graphic novel, poses thought provoking questions about how the characters feel which leads to students having a better understanding of the feelings. It was easy to use and was a good combination of engaging and educational. The NPR podcast talks about how Dora as a latinx icon helped reduce xenophobia and increased inclusivity of latinx people in media.
It was very interested to learn about the AIM project because when I was in school (specifically elementary school) there was not that much focus on social and emotional learning. I do not remember doing activities like this where I got to learn about certain feelings and behaviors and how to react to them. I think this is really important for kids to learn and I am glad that schools are starting to integrate it. I grew up watching Dora as a kid and have never realized that she was an icon and revolutionized media for people of color. As someone who is a strong advocate for representation in media of different culture, genders, and social groups, it was inspiring to read the journey that the makers of Dora went through. Even though I did not realize it before, I am sure Dora has played a big role in how society views immigrants and bilingual people.
My question for the class is: What are some other projects/lessons that you know of that foster social and emotional learning?
Siri's EDU 185 Blog 
Hi Siri!
I had a similar experience in elementary school where there wasn’t much focus on social and emotional learning. I feel like it was something we had to learn ourselves through our own experiences since it was not really in our curriculum. I agree that it is really important for schools to start including these activities in school. I was also inspired by the reading about Dora serving as an important figure for minority children. As a minority, it is impactful to be able to see someone on television that looks just like yourself. I hope that we can continue to see more social learning and exploration of different cultures in our media and schools.
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