Media Literacy in the Classroom ñ Teaching Students to Evaluate Media Resources
This workshop is a cross-section of different ideas for teaching Media Literacy. These ideas come from online media literacy training, workshops used at Brooklyn College, and courses on Media Literacy and Youth at Teachers College. Teacher-Participants will be introduced to some projects/ lesson ideas that they can in turn conduct in their classrooms. The sections are: Defining/Maintaining your Voice, Television and Self Identity, and Finding Content in Pop Culture ñ Magazines, Internet, Music.
Opening
What is Media Literacy?
It provides a framework to access, analyze, evaluate and create messages in a variety of forms - from print to video to the Internet. Media Literacy builds an understanding of the role of media in society, as well as essential skills of inquiry and self-expression necessary for citizens of a democracy. ñ www.medialiteracy.org
Other definitions of ML ñ understand the subjective nature of the topic
Keep a list of the above on the board
____
Activity ñ Voice
Before we begin to explore media we must be aware of ourselves, and what we
hold true. Introduce the notion of an inner voice that is separate from the
media.
Write down the following:
How did you first become aware of who you are?
When do you find that notion of self challenged?
Do you ever find that media conflicts directly with your
understanding of who you are? How? What triggers that?
Clip of Outfoxed
Activity: Television and Self Identity
We'll view 3 commercials, please write down how you feel after each.
Activity: Finding Content in News Media and Popular Culture:
Magazines - identifying content
The Internet - favorite websites
Music ñ searching for lyrics (using google's cached pages option)
Homework:
Adapt one of the exercises we used today into the media and subject that you teach in your classroom. Is it a television show that focuses on math? Is it a science-based website? Is it an exploration of hip hop pentameter in modern verse?
Resources