21st Century Literacy Skills All Teachers & Students Need to Succeed Frank W. Baker Media Literacy Clearinghouse Summer Leadership Institute 2006

The current critical need ”Economic forecasters and business analysts are predicting that jobs in the 21 st century will require information processing skills. ……..media literacy (is one of these)... Merely teaching reading and writing is no longer sufficient…..” Source: Janet Murray, “Contemporary Literacy: Essential Skills for the 21 st Century” MultiMedia Schools Magazine, March/April 2003

The need for media literacy "Our young people need to be educated to the highest standard in this new information age, and surely this includes a clear awareness of how the media influences, shapes, and defines their lives…. ….Media literacy courses can give young people the power to recognize the difference between entertainment, television that is just bad and the information they need to make good decisions.” Former US Secretary of Education Richard Riley

Recommending media literacy American Assn of School Libraries Cable In The Classroom International Reading Assn. National Communication Assn. Natl Board of Prof Teaching Standards Natl Council for Teachers of English National Middle School Assn.

Why teach media… “Movies, advertisements, and all other visual media are tools teachers need to use and media we must master if we are to maintain our credibility in the coming years.” Jim Burke, from The English Teacher’s Companion

Media Literacy: Critical Skills & Knowledge for the 21st Century Generation M: media & multi-tasking

Media Literacy: Critical Skills & Knowledge for the 21st Century “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: Critical Skills & Knowledge for the 21st Century “While more young people have access to the Internet and other media than any generation in history, they do not necessarily possess the ethics, the intellectual skills, or the predisposition to critically analyze and evaluate their relationship with these technologies or the information they encounter. Good hand/eye co-ordination and the ability to multitask are not substitutes for critical thinking.” Dr. David Considine, media educator

Media Literacy: Critical Skills & Knowledge for the 21st Century "It is incumbent upon our educational system to prepare its students with the skills necessary to be able to approach the media critically……the middle school years are an ideal time to teach media literacy." Marie Davies, The impact of the mass media upon the health of early adolescents. Journal of Health Education, 1993

Media Literacy: Critical Skills & Knowledge for the 21st Century What is media literacy? OR Why is it important that our students be media literate?

Media Literacy: Critical Skills & Knowledge for the 21st Century Media literacy is concerned with helping students develop an informed and critical understanding of the nature of mass media,. More specifically, it is education that aims to increase the students' understanding and enjoyment of Media literacy also aims to provide students with the ability to create media products. (Source: Media Literacy Resource Guide, Ministry of Education Ontario, 1997) 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. (Source: Media Literacy Resource Guide, Ministry of Education Ontario, 1997)

Media Literacy: Critical Skills & Knowledge for the 21st Century Media literacy: the ability to--- access, analyze, evaluate & produce communication (both print & electronic media) Source: 1992 Aspen Institute Nat’l. Leadership Conf.

Media Literacy: Critical Skills & Knowledge for the 21st Century Media literacy empowers people to be both critical thinkers and creative producers of an increasingly wide range of messages using image, language, and sound. It is the skillful application of literacy skills to media and technology messages. As communication technologies transform society, they impact our understanding of ourselves, our communities, and our diverse cultures, making media literacy an essential life skill for the 21st century. Source: Alliance For A Media Literate America, 2000

Media Literacy: Critical Skills & Knowledge for the 21st Century What is media literacy? Set of skills, knowledge & abilities Understanding how media work and produce meaning Awareness of personal media use Critical thinking applied to media messages Appreciation of media

What media literacy is NOT: A separate course Expensive Media bashing Judging whether media or good or bad Just television or video production Teaching with media; rather it is teaching about the media

Media Literacy: Critical Skills & Knowledge for the 21st Century 1999 study finds media literacy in all state’s standards

Media Literacy: Critical Skills & Knowledge for the 21st Century Partnership for 21 st Century Skills Information & Communication Technology (ICT) Map

Media Literacy: Critical Skills & Knowledge for the 21st Century English, Language Arts: 8 th grade demonstrate the ability to distinguish between fact and opinion; compare and contrast information and ideas; make inferences with regard to what he/she has viewed

Media Literacy: Critical Skills & Knowledge for the 21st Century Social StudiesHealthLibrary Media Civics: the role of media in politics Economics: the influence of advertising on consumer choices 8 th grade analyze advertising messages related to alcohol and tobacco Information literacy

Media Literacy: Critical Skills & Knowledge for the 21st Century All media are constructions Media use their unique languages with their own set of rules Media convey values & points-of-view Different people see the same media messages differently Media are about power & profit Source: Center for Media Literacy

Media Literacy: Critical Skills & Knowledge for the 21st Century Who produced/paid for the message? What is its purpose? Who is the “target audience”? What does the message mean? Who or what might be left out? What techniques are used to attract attention and increase believability?

Understanding the visual Visual literacy slides

The languages of TV & Film CAMERAS Position (perspective) Movement (pan, tilt) Lens (zoom in, pull out) LIGHTS SOUND (music, sound effects) EDITING (post production) ACTOR EXPRESSIONS; WARDROBE

Thinking Critically About Media Schools should incorporate media literacy education throughout the curriculum, not just in English classes, and at all grade levels. Technology, and its use by students to produce their own media, is a key component to media literacy education. Source:

Thinking Critically About Media School districts and colleges of education should increase professional-development efforts to reflect the importance of media literacy education. Parents should play an important role in media education, too. School districts can encourage their participation by holding workshops for parents and conducting other outreach efforts. Source:

Recommendations Schedule professional development workshops on this topic Help teachers see the media/education links Recruit school library media specialists to identify needed resources which correlate to state standards Give students opportunities to create and produce media and showcase those Support stronger media literacy standards

Schedule a teacher workshop Frank W. Baker * Media Literacy Clearinghouse * A national “Leader In Learning” finalist May 2005