 Communication theorist Marshall McLuhan ( ) said a fish swimming in the ocean is oblivious to the water.  What comparison is he making?

 Mass Media = those means of communication that reach and influence large numbers of people  New Media = electronic communication made possible through the use of computer technology Media Defined: Modes of Communication

 10 seconds: Name every screen device you’ve used in the last 24 hours  10 seconds: How do you find out what’s going on in the world?  10 seconds: what new apps, sites, gadgets have you started using in the last month? Media Consumption

 Marshall McLuhan: the media is the message. ◦The messages we “read” today are more complex than in our parents’ time. ◦The content includes images, links, sound and the format ranges from a TV screen to a Facebook post to a Tweet to an Instagram. Do you agree with this statement? We are not reading less, we are reading differently. How do we process all this information?

 Education that provides a framework to access, analyze, create, reflect and act  It 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.  Review: Media = means of mass communication. A medium of expression. Media Literacy

 To improve ourselves by giving us control over how the media affects us.  Cynicism v. Skepticism  We will take a skeptical approach: 1. we will interact with the media, analyze media messages and ask how media portrays cultural, social, political and economic issues. 2. We will think about how the media and its messages directly affect us. 3. And we’ll think about the media’s role in a democratic society. Why do we need media literacy?

 The Medium is the Message  Hot and Cool Media  The Global Village  Fast Facts handout Fast Facts Marshall McLuhan