Careers today and in the future demand savvy producers of digital media. Producing digital media requires hands on practice to do well. I assist my students and other educators in obtaining the information and skills through hands on media literacy project based learning experiences. This allows them to not only analyze specific aspects of media but to also to apply the analysis and produce their own media with a specific intent.
Read about some of the many inspirational people who are driving the media literacy movement forward in Rhode Island
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Library Leadership in Media Literacy
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Darshell Silva, Librarian & Technology Integration Specialist, Rocky Hill School, East Greenwich
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For example, in a recent project students analyzed a composite photo from 1902 to understand that photos have been altered for a specific intent for many years. They then researched photos of places where historical events took place then found a photo of a current event that took place on the same site and made a composite photo to illustrate how social issues have or have not changed. Through this activity students produced powerful photos that elicited a specific response or understanding which demonstrated their comprehension of the use of media to express ideas and convey meanings to others as well as giving them the skill to alter a photograph. Project based learning in media literacy provides my students with the tools to navigate our media driven society. All students should be provided these same tools.
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Brien Jennings
Elementary school library media specialist at Narragansett Elementary School, Brien has just published a series of media literacy books for children in Grades K - 2. The school library includes a media production studio where children represent their learning through simple video production.
Pam Steager
Senior writer and researcher at the Media Education Lab, Pam helped create the media literacy community in Rhode Island through her pioneering work in professional development. Author af a forthcoming book on media education in school, public and academic libraries, she travels the world sharing insights on media literacy with educators and activists in Asia and Latin America.
I believe media literacy is important because I think that all students need to be aware of the media messages that they’re consuming every day. As educators, it’s our responsibility to help students dissect the information they’re reading and seeing. I think it’s really important the we give them opportunities to critically analyze the mixed media that they’re viewing and consuming on a daily basis. I think in doing so, we’re giving them the tools and the skills they need to become creators of really thoughtful media to help contribute to the conversation.
Citizenship Skills through Voice and Choice
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Amanda Murphy, Westerly High School
Media literacy is an integral skill to civic awareness. As a classroom educator, I see the way students constantly consume information. That consumption needs to be balanced with the ability to deconstruct these media messages. Students have to see, listen, and understand media across the political spectrum to be able to be informed citizens. Informed citizens understand the issues, identify the bias when issues are pushed out by the media, and then make their own meaning of these messages by being knowledgeable about the entire issue. Educators have a unique opportunity to use media literacy skills to in their classroom to improve civic engagement and get student actively thinking about their world and what they can do to change it.
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