Wednesday, July 27, 2005

Media Literacy





So where do the previous posts point to or lead to? For me, it goes down the road of media literacy or media literacies. What is it you might ask. We are inundated by media continuously and continually. It has seeped into our daily lives until it has become like the air we breathe , some thing we take for granted and consider as part and parcel of our daily lives. However, the media plays many roles and functions, some planned and obvious and others, not so obvious and often overlooked or underapprecited. Like many things that we take for granted, it has grown beyond our wildest dreams and has taken on a life of its own. even though we say or think that our pupils are more media savvy than the older generation, the truth may not be so clear or so simple. Anyway, I am getting ahead of myself.
Well, here (courtesy of the Media Literacy Online Project) you wil find many articles from various researchers, educators and concerened citizens who will unravel this 'mystery' for you.

In case you want to know what it is straighaway, here is one definition:

"Media literacy is concerned with helping students develop an informed and critical understanding of the nature of the mass media, the techniques used by them, and the impact of these techniques. More specifically, it is education that aims to increase 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."

As quoted from the official Ontario Department of Education Document, page 6-7 of the Media Literacy Resource Guide, which became the official definition of media literacy for Ontario and the rest of Canada.

Here are some samples of the topics that can be studies or pursued under media education:

  • Advertising and Media
  • Child Development and Media
  • Gender, Race and Media Issues
  • Music, Radio and Audio
  • Parenting and Media
  • Violence, Sex and Media
    Just for your information, the countries that seem to be in the forefront of media education are Canada, Australia and England. Strangely enough, (although not really so) the US has not placed too much focus or interest in the area.

    Well, here are 2 sites that may whet your appetite or convince you on the importance and relevance of media education or media literacy in our school or in Singapore.

    • Media Awareness Network - a Canadian non-profit organization that has been pioneering the development of media literacy programs since its incorporation in 1996. Members of their team have backgrounds in education, journalism, mass communications, and cultural policy. Working out of offices in Ottawa and Montreal, they promote media and Internet education by producing online programs and resources, working in partnership with Canadian and international organizations, and speaking to audiences across Canada and around the world.
    • Centre for Media Literacy - A pioneer in its field, the Center for Media Literacy (CML) is a nonprofit educational organization that provides leadership, public education, professional development and educational resources nationally. Dedicated to promoting and supporting media literacy education as a framework for accessing, analyzing, evaluating and creating media content, CML works to help citizens, especially the young, develop critical thinking and media production skills needed to live fully in the 21st century media culture.
    To end off, read this brilliant article from someone, Jamie McKenzie who has been to Signapore a number of times (NIE) and has a website that I absolutely adore (gush, gush). He talks especially about the considered and proper place and role of IT in education and I wish his views and opinions were listened to more.


    posted by William Grosse @ 7:02 PM

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