Monday, August 10, 2009

Week 2 - Blog Posting #3 - Media Literacy

Literacy is something that has always been valued. In order to succeed, one must be literate. For those that aren't, life is a harder place. Media literacy has now become such a prevalent part of our society, that it too should be valued just as much as literacy has been. Media literacy is a new term. We are all aware of media education. We need to teach our students to use media. But what is media literacy? According to Jane Tallim (Media Awareness Network), media literacy is as follows:
...the ability to sift through and analyze the messages that inform, entertain and sell to us every day. It's the ability to bring critical thinking skills to bear on all media— from music videos and Web environments to product placement in films and virtual displays on NHL hockey boards. It's about asking pertinent questions about what's there, and noticing what's not there. And it's the instinct to question what lies behind media productions— the motives, the money, the values and the ownership— and to be aware of how these factors influence content.

Really, media literacy is applying critical thinking skills to the media one comes in contact with. Teaching media literacy must be a priority. But why? According to Pat Kipping (Media Awareness Network), it makes us a better citizen. According to Len Masterman (Media Awareness Network), we are immersed in media and we must learn to recognize how it is used in commercialism, politics, and every other aspect of our life. Media is the communications system of today, and students must learn to critically analyze the forms of media they come in contact with.
Also, media literacy is about creating media, and not just analyzing it. Students must learn to create forms of media, and be comfortable with media. This video offers more insight on media literacy.
Incorporating media literacy in the classroom has become a must in education. While this might
feel a bit overwhelming, it is very doable. Having the students present will help them learn media literacy. Presenting
powerpoint presentations, video presentations, podcasts, etc. will engage them in media, and help them become media-literate. We need to teach our students what questions to ask about the media they come in contact with. This next video offers some pointers on how we can teach our students to become media-literate, and how the lack of media literacy can negatively affect our students.



Media literacy will help our students perform better now, and prepare them for a future that will be only further along in terms of media.

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