Media Literacy: Across The Curriculum Frank Baker media educator Media Literacy Clearinghouse Bishop Lynch Catholic HS August 16, 2007

Source: eSchool News, August 14, 2007

Teens & Social Networking "The challenge for educators is that they have to keep pace with how students are using these tools in positive ways and consider how they might incorporate this technology into the school setting." Anne L. Bryant, NSBA's executive director "The challenge for educators is that they have to keep pace with how students are using these tools in positive ways and consider how they might incorporate this technology into the school setting." Anne L. Bryant, NSBA's executive director

Education’s challenge A focus on creativity, communication, collaboration, and critical thinking; A focus on creativity, communication, collaboration, and critical thinking; Mastery of information, media, and technology skills; and Mastery of information, media, and technology skills; and Various skills that employers have said they're looking for, including self direction, leadership, social skills, and individual responsibility. Various skills that employers have said they're looking for, including self direction, leadership, social skills, and individual responsibility.

Education’s challenge In this new media age, the ability to negotiate and evaluate information online, to recognize manipulation and propaganda and to assimilate ethical values is becoming as basic to education as reading and writing. Those will be left behind in the evolving digital culture are those who fail to bridge this participation gap. In this new media age, the ability to negotiate and evaluate information online, to recognize manipulation and propaganda and to assimilate ethical values is becoming as basic to education as reading and writing. Those will be left behind in the evolving digital culture are those who fail to bridge this participation gap. New Generations, New Media Challenges New Generations, New Media Challenges

Media Literacy: Across the Curriculum What do you want your students to know about the media? about the media?

Multi-tasking; digital natives

“These teens were born into a digital world where they expect to be able to create, consume, remix, and share material with each other.” Lee Rainie, Director “These teens were born into a digital world where they expect to be able to create, consume, remix, and share material with each other.” Lee Rainie, Director

Media producers & creators With the advent and popularity of YouTube, Current TV, and similar venues, young people have become media producers. DIY (do it yourself) With the advent and popularity of YouTube, Current TV, and similar venues, young people have become media producers. DIY (do it yourself)

New media & politics You Choose ’08 (YouTube.com) Impact (MySpace.com)

New literacies “Adolescents need to learn how to integrate knowledge from multiple sources, including music, video, online databases and other media. They need to think critically about information….they need to participate in the kinds of collaboration that new communication and information technologies enable, but increasingly demand.” Bertram Bruce, author, “Literacy in the Information Age”

New literacies “Our students are growing up in a world saturated with media messages… yet, they (and their teachers) receive little or no training in the skills of analyzing or re-evaluating these messages, many of which make use of language, moving images, music, sound effects.” Source: R.Hobbs, Journal Adult & Adolescent Literacy, February 2004 “Our students are growing up in a world saturated with media messages… yet, they (and their teachers) receive little or no training in the skills of analyzing or re-evaluating these messages, many of which make use of language, moving images, music, sound effects.” Source: R.Hobbs, Journal Adult & Adolescent Literacy, February 2004

Media literacy falls into the Information, Media and Technology Skills area

Media literacy in teaching standards ENGLISH SOCIAL STUDIES HEALTH Non-print texts Fact vs fiction Identifying bias Techniques of persuasion Symbolism Representation Language of film Mass media propaganda role of media in politics Body image Food choices Advertising Sexual messages Alcohol & tobacco messages

What is media literacy? Take a few minutes to write a definition.

Media Literacy “ the ability to access, understand, and create communication in a variety of contexts.”

Media literacy AccessUnderstandCreate use navigate managereaddeconstructevaluateproducedistributepublish Source, Robin Blake: Ofcom (UK)

Media literacy Understanding how media messages are constructed, for what purposes and using which tools, characteristics and conventions. Understanding how media messages are constructed, for what purposes and using which tools, characteristics and conventions. Examining how individuals interpret messages differently, how values and points of view are included or excluded and how media can influence beliefs and behaviors. Examining how individuals interpret messages differently, how values and points of view are included or excluded and how media can influence beliefs and behaviors. Possessing a fundamental understanding of the ethical/legal issues surrounding the access and use of information Possessing a fundamental understanding of the ethical/legal issues surrounding the access and use of information

Media literacy.. …..is concerned with helping students develop an informed and critical understanding of the nature of mass media, the techniques used by them, and the impact of these techniques. More specifically, it is education that aims to increase the students' understanding and enjoyment of how the media work, how they produce meaning, how they are organized, and how they construct reality. Media literacy also aims to provide students with the ability to create media products. Ontario Resource Guide, 1997 video

Media literacy: key concepts key conceptskey concepts All media are constructed All media are constructed Media use unique languages with their own set of rules Media use unique languages with their own set of rules Media convey values and points-of- view Media convey values and points-of- view Audiences negotiate meaning Audiences negotiate meaning Media= Power + Profit Source: Center for Media Literacy Media= Power + Profit Source: Center for Media Literacy

Media literacy: asking questions Who produced the message? Who produced the message? For what purpose? For what purpose? For whose eyeballs (target audience)? For whose eyeballs (target audience)? What techniques are used? What techniques are used?techniques What lifestyle is promoted? What lifestyle is promoted? Who or what may be omitted and why? Who or what may be omitted and why? How do I know what it means? How do I know what it means? Who benefits from the message? Who benefits from the message?

Classroom applications Let’s apply the critical thinking/viewing questions to some photographic images Let’s apply the critical thinking/viewing questions to some photographic images images

The Language of Advertising print vs. non-print techniques of persuasion production techniques print vs. non-print techniques of persuasion production techniques

The Language of Advertising

Tobacco advertising TECHNIQUES OF PERSUASION: happiness sex appeal maturity healthy slim body independence social acceptance coolness romance escape relaxation TECHNIQUES OF PERSUASION: happiness sex appeal maturity healthy slim body independence social acceptance coolness romance escape relaxation IMAGES: -what is the location? -what are the people doing? -describe their expressions -what colors are used? -what lifestyle is conveyed? WORDS: read all of the words on the page, even the smallest font

Related topics Product placements in motion pictures Targeting youth through magazine placement

Related topics Advertising in locations (like convenience stores) on major highways/interstates where exposure is huge

Moving image: language The Language of TV & Film The Language of TV & FilmCamerasLights Sound (includes music) Editing Set design Actors: expression; wardrobe

Media analysis Cell phone commercial commercial Cell phone script script

Media analysis VISA Check card VISA Check card Political advertisement: Hillary Clinton Political advertisement: Hillary ClintonHillary ClintonHillary Clinton

Texas TV Markets ranked by size 6. Dallas- Ft. Worth 2,378, Houston 1,982, San Antonio 774, Austin 602, Harlingen-Wslco-Brnsvl-McA 327, Waco-Temple-Bryan 311, El Paso 293, Tyler-Longview 258, Corpus Christi 194, Amarillo 190, Beaumont-Port Arthur 167, Lubbock 151, Odessa-Midland 135, Laredo 65,790 Source: Nielsen Media Research

Favorite Film What is your favorite movie? Before you respond: think about a specific scene and the elements of it.

Film Analysis Have students read a passage from a novel Have students read a passage from a novel Introduce them to screenplays Introduce them to screenplays Help them understand what is missing from a screenplay script Help them understand what is missing from a screenplay script Introduce the role of storyboards Introduce the role of storyboards Have them create their own storyboards Have them create their own storyboards

Closing Questions Questions Evaluation: please take a few minutes to complete the last page of the handout, Evaluation: please take a few minutes to complete the last page of the handout, tear if off and leave it on the tables THANK YOU tear if off and leave it on the tables THANK YOU Frank Baker Frank Baker