Articles Archive - 2007

Who can teach media literacy? You can!

Media are a powerful force in the lives of youth. In particular, digital media has changed the way they communicate, play and learn. Young people are immersed in media, moving beyond geographic and regulatory boundaries as they access, absorb, communicate, create and repurpose media content. And they're doing this largely without guidance and reflection.

To be media literate in this new environment young people need to develop knowledge, values and a range of critical thinking, communication and information management skills. Media education can play an essential role in helping them acquire these skills.

Media education has been called the perfect curriculum: it's timely, it's multidisciplinary, it's easily assimilated into the classroom, and it promotes critical thinking skills.

The following are ideas and strategies to help teachers integrate this subject across the curriculum.

Language Arts

Language Arts provides countless opportunities for media education. Some examples include examining and deconstructing film and television "texts"; adapting a short story or novel into a film; scriptwriting; storytelling across the media; examining bias in print, television or online news; analyzing representation in media works; and assessing the accuracy and influence of these representations. Media education is embedded in reading, writing, listening and oral communication outcomes. It lends itself perfectly to thematically organized education in the primary and elementary grades. A unit on television might involve classroom surveys and interviews on habits and preferences, an examination of the dynamics of family life through sitcoms, the production of a school newscast and an analysis of toy ads in the context of marketing to youth.

Health/Consumer Education

Healthy living and lifestyle choices are at the heart of Health curricula. What health-related messages are promoted in mainstream media? What roles do advertising and entertainment play in affecting consumer and lifestyle choices? Where do media fit in our lives compared with other information sources, such as parents, friends, schools and health practitioners?

Personal Development

Whether the topic is the family, self-image or conflict resolution, media provide a common framework for discussion. How do marketers' definitions of "cool" compare with what we value in friends? What real-life consequences might result from the acts of aggression that we see onscreen? Do film, television and fashion content promote male-female power imbalances or reinforce unattainable standards of attractiveness?

Global Studies

Although we live in a "global village", information about our interdependent and interconnected world comes mostly from mainstream Western sources. How do sensational news stories and images relating to natural disasters, crises and war fuel misconceptions in the West that people in developing nations are helpless victims? How does mainstream news differ from alternative source news, and what impact might alternative perspectives - for example, those available on the Internet - eventually have on the mainstream Canadian press? As globalization of media increases, what impressions are non-Western people gleaning about Western society?

Civics

In the Civics classroom, an examination of media and politics can contribute to students' awareness and engagement as citizens. This might include discussions about "spin," sound bites, media styles of politicians, the influence of media ownership on political reporting, and the orchestration of public opinion through public relations campaigns. Civics students might also examine social justice and human rights issues through discussions on democratic access to media technologies.

Multicultural/Anti-racism Programs

Stereotypes serve an important function in media communications. An analysis of the way various media portray Aboriginal peoples and visible minorities can help students understand how stereotypes function in popular culture and how these stereotypes can influence our perceptions of entire groups of people.

Technology

Students tell us that finding and authenticating information on the Internet and protecting online privacy are the topics they most want to learn about. But most Information and Communications Technology programs focus more on technological training than developing search, citing and assessment skills, and the ability to think critically about broader issues. These issues can include detecting bias, avoiding plagiarism, and considering the cultural and personal implications of technology.

Music

Popular music is a good jumping off point for examining the influence of media on content, comparing the delivery of similar messages through different music genres, and assessing the influence of the audience (the listener) in constructing meaning and recognizing pleasure.

Visual Arts

Today's Visual Arts students need to access a variety of specific skills drawn from media analysis and production. Digital manipulation, for example, offers a new realm of creative potential. As they add this skill to their repertoire, students can be encouraged to discuss the intellectual property rights and social issues involved in this new field of creativity. When, for instance, and by what criteria, is digital manipulation ethical?

(This article was originally published in Media Education: Make it Happen, Media Awareness Network, 2005)

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