Elevating K-12 Classrooms with Comprehensive Media Literacy
From Legislation to Learning
- With the passage of AB 873 (requiring media literacy throughout English, science, math, and history), media literacy implementation is necessary. Wasn’t media literacy always necessary? This bill comes with concerns of low media literacy skills and the insurgence of Web 3.0 with the intent “to ensure that all pupils in California are prepared with media literacy skills necessary to safely, responsibly, and critically consume and use social media and other forms of media.” We already had SB 830 (2018) stemming from concerns of low media skills and insurgence of web 2.0 with the intent “…to ensure that young adults are prepared with media literacy skills necessary to safely, responsibly, and critically consume and use social media and other forms of media.”
Access to more information further heightens the importance of media literacy skills.
- Media literacy is essential in today’s digital age, where we are constantly bombarded with information from various sources. Being able to distinguish fact from fiction is even more imperative. When memes influence thinking, students need to be able to critically evaluate and analyze content, including media messages and articles in a textbook. Further, being able to discern intent and distinguish between misinformation and disinformation empowers students to navigate the complex landscape of information, enabling them to make informed decisions and contribute to a healthier media ecosystem.
Media literacy is key to accessing, understanding, creating, and responsibly sharing information
- Internet use is on the rise. Production and sharing of media are on the rise. Generative Artificial Intelligence is everywhere. The latest technology bombardment of generative artificial intelligence showcases a collective need and weakness of media literacy skills. This is not to be another thing on top of all the things we already do, not an assembly, not a stand-alone lesson, not a checkbox. Rather, incorporate the skills into what you are already doing, continual development, and practice for our ever-changing world.
-Katie McNamara, Director of the Teacher Librarian Program at Fresno Pacific University
| A perfect starting point is asking questions | ||
| Initial Factual Questions | Deeper Conceptual Questions | Inquiry Questions |
| Who created the content? What is their intent? How does this make me feel? | Who is being left out? What is being prioritized? What is the call to action? | What do I need to know to understand this better? What am I wondering about? |
Below you will find various resources to help your media literacy journey. They range from lessons you can use tomorrow to webinars for personal learning. Your School’s Teacher Librarian is the BEST resource you can access. They are trained in providing instruction in media literacy and are ready to collaborate with you.
Center for Media Literacy
Center for Media Literacy (CML) is an educational organization dedicated to promoting and supporting media literacy education as a framework for accessing, analyzing, evaluating, creating, and interacting with media content.
Critical Media Project
Critical Media Project (CMP) is a free media literacy web resource for educators and students (ages 8-21) that enhances young people’s critical thinking and empathy and builds on their capacities to advocate for change around questions of identity.
Center for Media and Information Literacy
The CMIL works with educators, scholars, parents, children, youth, and the media industry to advance critical analysis of media and the implementation of media literacy programs and advocate for media literacy education.
Media Education Lab
The Media Education Lab is an online community that advances the field of digital and media literacy education through leadership development, scholarship, and community engagement.
The Media Spot
The Media Spot promotes media literacy through collaborative media productions, K-12 staff and curriculum development, and partnerships with environmentally and socially progressive organizations.
Media Power Youth
Media Power Youth provides young people, parents, educators, and communities with curricula, training and workshops to build media literacy knowledge and critical-thinking skills to navigate our media-rich world.
Crash Course Web Series
- Secondary School Focused – Navigating Digital Information (10 Parts)
- Secondary School Focused – Media Literacy (12 Parts)
Civic Online Reasoning
It’s our desire that the skills students learn through the COR curriculum will not only make them better students but better-informed citizens able to participate in our democracy in an educated and responsible way.
Media Smarts (Canada)
MediaSmarts has been developing digital media literacy programs and resources for Canadian homes, schools and communities since 1996. Our work falls into three main areas: education, public awareness, and research and policy.
News Literacy Project
The News Literacy Project, a nonpartisan education nonprofit, is building a national movement to advance the practice of news literacy throughout American society, creating better informed, more engaged and more empowered individuals — and ultimately a stronger democracy.
California Better Together (Must Register for a Free Account)
TinEye Reverse Image Search
- Using TinEye, you can search by image or perform what we call a reverse image search. You can do that by uploading an image or searching by URL. You can also simply drag and drop your images to start your search.
In an era where generative AI produces content at the speed of thought, media literacy is no longer just a beneficial skill but an imperative. Educators face the intricate task of deciphering between AI-generated content and genuine human creation. The classroom is at the forefront of this shifting landscape. View this edWebinar to dive deep into the future of media literacy, with a special focus on the advancements of generative AI
NAMLE
NAMLE aims to make media literacy highly valued and widely practiced as an essential life skill.