Globalocal: Media Literacy for the Global Village International Media Literacy Research Forum, Inaugural Meeting May 14-16, 2008 Tessa Jolls, President and CEO, Center for Media Literacy

Globalocal: Media Literacy for the Global Village © 2008, Barbara J. Walkosz, University of Colorado-Denver. Tessa Jolls, Center for Media Literacy, Mary Ann Sund, Director, Consortium for Media Literacy. © 2007, Center for Media Literacy, Q/TIPS, used with permission from Literacy for 21 st Century, 2 nd Edition. All materials used with permission. All rights reserved. Contact for permission to reuse.

Goals for Today Global/Local: relationships in the Global Village Globalization of media The media as “superpeer” – youth socialization A call for media literacy education An approach to media literacy education: globalization at work Globalocal: Media Literacy for the Global Village

Do we know our ABC’s? Globalocal: Media Literacy for the Global Village

What have we learned? The global village is real and we live in it Engagement with media means having a relationship with media and each other All media are educational All media are carefully manufactured technology-driven products Media may be entertaining…but not “just entertainment” Media content is everywhere…we need process skills (analysis/critical thinking) Process skills take training and practice to learn Globalocal: Media Literacy for the Global Village

The Global Village H. Marshall McLuhan: Linking of electronic information would create an interconnected global village Collapsing of space and time barriers Interacting and living on global scale Globalocal: Media Literacy for the Global Village

Youth Today Average of 6.5 – 8 hours per day interacting with multimedia 93% of teens have been online 63% have cellphones 55% belong to social networking site 59% create content 57% watch YouTube Globalocal: Media Literacy for the Global Village

Youth Today SCREENAGERS Multimedia IS their culture Read and “write” using images, words and sounds World is instant global network 24/7 -- DouglasRushkoff “Playing the Future” 1996 Globalocal: Media Literacy for the Global Village

Shift from local to global Filtering of values, lifestyles and points of view through parents and other known adults in local village > Global input on values, lifestyles and points of view with digital technology filters Globalocal: Media Literacy for the Global Village

Digital Filtering is Inadequate Discernment – judgment Volume of messages The local village is often overwhelmed by the global village: youth have more in common with each other than families Solutions wanted and needed > Globalocal: Media Literacy for the Global Village

Glocalization “The interpretation of the global and the local resulting in unique outcomes in geographic areas” – Ritzer, 2003 > Globalocal: Media Literacy for the Global Village

Early Globalocal Globalocal: Media Literacy for the Global Village (Video Clip)

The World Upside Down Re-examine values, lifestyles, points of view What should be valued? What should be passed along? Education and empowerment for audiences to gain understanding and agency Global media environment blends global and local perspectives Globalocal: Media Literacy for the Global Village

Glocalization of Media Local Interprets Global > Globalocal: Media Literacy for the Global Village

Glocalization of Media Global Produces Local > Globalocal: Media Literacy for the Global Village

Glocalization of Media Local Becomes Global > Globalocal: Media Literacy for the Global Village

Glocalization of Media Near yet far… Globalocal: Media Literacy for the Global Village

Children are still children… Need guidance… Navigation skills > Globalocal: Media Literacy for the Global Village

Age-old process taught in new ways Learn what was once a given in local village, face-to-face: Questioning An internalized process for discernment Critical autonomy in decision-making in accordance with personal and social values

Grassroots… Early pioneers: E. Marshall McLuhan, Sister Bede Sullivan, Fr. John Culkin (1960’s – 1980’s) Second wave: early conferences in Canada, 1990’s Today: Global movement > Globalocal: Media Literacy for the Global Village

Media Literacy Skills Content mastery no longer “king” of learning… Now what’s needed is facility with: accessing analyzing evaluating responding and communicating involving and participating Globalocal: Media Literacy for the Global Village

Process Skills “Most of what we have called formal education has been intended to imprint on the human mind all of the information that we might need for a lifetime. Education is geared toward information storage. “Today that is neither possible nor necessary. Rather, humankind needs to be taught how to process information that is stored through technology. Education needs to be geared toward the handling of data rather than the accumulation of data.” -- David Berlo, Communication and Behavior, 1975 Globalocal: Media Literacy for the Global Village

Lifelong Media Relationship Efficient information managers Wise consumers Responsible producers Active participants Globalocal: Media Literacy for the Global Village

Media Literacy More about education than it is about media “…expands literacy to include reading and writing through the use of new and emerging communication tools. It is learning that demands the critical, independent and creative use of information.” – Kathleen Tyner, Literacy in a Digital World: Teaching and Learning in the Age of Information Globalocal: Media Literacy for the Global Village

Media Literacy Process skills: Not just a new subject to teach, but a new way to teach all subjects Process skills apply to acquiring all content knowledge Process skills are internalized through practice over time Globalocal: Media Literacy for the Global Village

What Media Literacy is NOT Media bashing is not media literacy However, media literacy sometimes involves criticizing the media Media production is not media literacy Although media literacy should include media production Teaching with media is not media literacy One must also teach about media Media literacy does not mean “don’t watch” It means “engage carefully, think critically” Globalocal: Media Literacy for the Global Village

EMPOWERMENT …through Education Globalocal: Media Literacy for the Global Village

Common Characteristics: Media Literacy Globalocal: Media Literacy for the Global Village 1.Explores media relationships: Changing the dynamics challenges the status quo Text ProductionAudience Source: Eddie Dick, Scottish Film Council, 1989

Common Characteristics: Media Literacy Globalocal: Media Literacy for the Global Village Rearrange this sentence to be more accurate: “This program is brought to you by the sponsor.”

Common Characteristics: Media Literacy Globalocal: Media Literacy for the Global Village The “real” relationship: YOU are brought to the sponsor by this program.

Common Characteristics: Media Literacy Globalocal: Media Literacy for the Global Village The Power of the Audience Changing the dynamics challenges the status quo Text ProductionAudience Source: Eddie Dick, Scottish Film Council, 1989

Common Characteristics: Media Literacy 2.Focus on process skills, not content: Higher-order thinking skills, not memorization of facts Lifelong learners Globalocal: Media Literacy for the Global Village

Common Characteristics: Media Literacy 3. Deconstruction (analysis) and construction (production) in any message form: Visual Verbal Aural Globalocal: Media Literacy for the Global Village

Common Characteristics: Media Literacy 4. Principle of Inquiry: Asking questions! Globalocal: Media Literacy for the Global Village

SKEPTICS! Globalocal: Media Literacy for the Global Village Cynics and “Pollyannas” assume… Skeptics question A methodology for learning and teaching critical thinking… MEDIA LITERACY

Practice Over Time Globalocal: Media Literacy for the Global Village Learning to tie shoes or ride a bike or swim: Over and over again

Teacher’s Role From a “sage on the stage”… To a “guide on the side” From a provider of content knowledge … To reinforcing process skills for lifelong learning Globalocal: Media Literacy for the Global Village

What is needed for teaching Globalocal: Media Literacy for the Global Village Common understanding/philosophy of media literacy Quality pedagogical approach linked to internationally developed set of concepts based on media studies Methodology for critical thinking: analysis and production Common vocabulary for users Accessible tools and materials ready to use

Globalocal: Media Literacy for the Global Village What is needed for teaching Before you can teach… First you must understand Teachers need to internalize media literacy themselves before they can teach Teachers need practice over time to experiment with changing their style Teachers need consistent vocabulary and framework with which to develop curriculum

What is needed for teaching Globalocal: Media Literacy for the Global Village Framework: Core Concepts of Media Literacy: Canada uses eight CML adapted for U.S. to five Based on media studies/academic work internationally Five Core Concepts of Media Literacy: 1.All media messages are constructed. 2.Media messages are constructed using a creative language with its own rules. 3.Different people experience the same media message differently. 4.Media have embedded values and points of view. 5.Most media messages are organized to gain profit and/or power.

Globalocal: Media Literacy for the Global Village Teachers are called upon to teach critical thinking but they are not given guidance on “how” Project SMARTArt: saw the need for a “Toolkit” and developed CML MediaLit Kit, based on questioning media Questions are more engaging for students Process of Inquiry for Critical Thinking

CML’s FIVE CORE CONCEPTS AND KEY QUESTIONS Media Deconstruction/Construction Framework CML’s Questions/TIPS (Q/TIPS) © Center for Media Literacy, # Key WordsDeconstruction: CML’s 5 Key Questions (Consumer) CML’s 5 Core ConceptsConstruction: CML’s 5 Key Questions (Producer) 1AuthorshipWho created this message? All media messages are constructed. What am I authoring? 2FormatWhat creative techniques are used to attract my attention? Media messages are constructed using a creative language with its own rules. Does my message reflect understanding in format, creativity and technology? 3AudienceHow might different people understand this message differently? Different people experience the same media message differently. Is my message engaging and compelling for my target audience? 4ContentWhat values, lifestyles and points of view are represented in or omitted from this message? Media have embedded values and points of view. Have I clearly and consistently framed values, lifestyles and points of view in my content? 5PurposeWhy is this message being sent? Most media messages are organized to gain profit and/or power. Have I communicated my purpose effectively?

Globalocal: Media Literacy for the Global Village Consumers: No control over content Producers: Do control content Interaction and interplay between the two roles: Personal and social power… Personal and social responsibility Process of Inquiry for Critical Thinking: Q/TIPS

Globalocal: Media Literacy for the Global Village Informs decision-making and behavior Decision-making/action process Note: though being media literate implies a broader skill set than simply evaluating a media product, evaluating a media product always involves the skills of media literacy Process of Inquiry for Critical Thinking: Q/TIPS

Globalocal: Media Literacy for the Global Village Awareness… Analysis… Reflection… Action… Empowerment Spiral: Participation

21 st Century Skills Globalocal: Media Literacy for the Global Village World-wide Demand

The Spirit of the Village Globalocal: Media Literacy for the Global Village It is the spirit of the local village that we must pass along to raise each and every child. Media literacy gives our children the foundation they need for life in the global village.

Globalocal: Media Literacy for the Global Village International Media Literacy Research Forum, Inaugural Meeting May 14-16, 2008