Media Literacy:Media Literacy:Critical Thinking About Critical Thinking About

Media MessagesMedia Messages

Frank W. BakerFrank W. Baker

media educatormedia educatorfbaker1346@aol.comfbaker1346@aol.com2006 Early Learning/2006 Early Learning/

Literacy SymposiumLiteracy Symposium

““Pay no attention to that Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain….”man behind the curtain….”

Media LiteracyMedia Literacy

Awareness of how much time young Awareness of how much time young people spend with mediapeople spend with media

The knowledge, skills and abilities to The knowledge, skills and abilities to understand how the media work: understand how the media work: critical thinking about media critical thinking about media messagesmessages

Snapshot of kids & mediaSnapshot of kids & media 87% of 8- to 17-year old children play video games 87% of 8- to 17-year old children play video games

at homeat home (mediafamily.org)(mediafamily.org)

When asked what they do when TV commercials come When asked what they do when TV commercials come on, nearly 60% of respondents say they watch themon, nearly 60% of respondents say they watch them(American Kids Study, 2005)(American Kids Study, 2005)

TV is on in the typical African-American home 11:10 a TV is on in the typical African-American home 11:10 a day, compared with 7: 34 in white homesday, compared with 7: 34 in white homes (Nielsen Media Research)(Nielsen Media Research)

Sixty nine percent of kids 6-14 have TVs in their Sixty nine percent of kids 6-14 have TVs in their bedroomsbedrooms (U.S. Multicultural Kids Study 2005)(U.S. Multicultural Kids Study 2005)

•Children aged 2-5 watched an Children aged 2-5 watched an average of 3 hours and 40 minutes average of 3 hours and 40 minutes of television a day during the of television a day during the 2004-5 TV season2004-5 TV season (Forrester Research)(Forrester Research)

Media influencesMedia influences

Researchers found Researchers found that children who that children who spent more time spent more time watching TV eat watching TV eat more calorie-dense, more calorie-dense, low-nutrient foods low-nutrient foods advertised on advertised on television.television.

Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, April 2006Medicine, April 2006

Snapshot of kids & mediaSnapshot of kids & media

Generation M= Multi-tasking (March 2005)Generation M= Multi-tasking (March 2005)

““Our students are growing up in a world Our students are growing up in a world saturated with media messages…yet, they saturated with media messages…yet, they (and their teachers)(and their teachers) receive little or no training receive little or no training in the skills of analyzing or re-evaluating these in the skills of analyzing or re-evaluating these messages, many of which make use of messages, many of which make use of language, moving images, music, sound language, moving images, music, sound effects.”effects.” Journal Adult & Adolescent Literacy, February 2004Journal Adult & Adolescent Literacy, February 2004

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

Media & Brain ResearchMedia & Brain Research

The most recent research tells us The most recent research tells us that the brain is still developing that the brain is still developing even as late as the teenage years.even as late as the teenage years.

Young people, who are exposed to Young people, who are exposed to the screens ( TV, computer, etc.)the screens ( TV, computer, etc.)are more likely to have re-wired are more likely to have re-wired critical brain connections; needed critical brain connections; needed for things like creativity & for things like creativity & imagination.imagination.

Doctors are now realizing that Doctors are now realizing that media is as much a health issue as media is as much a health issue as many other childhood disorders and many other childhood disorders and diseases.diseases.

video

What preschoolers canWhat preschoolers canbegin to understand:begin to understand:

It is a good idea to think and talk about It is a good idea to think and talk about what we see/hear on the screenwhat we see/hear on the screen

All media are made by ‘storytellers’All media are made by ‘storytellers’ Some storytellers are more trustworthy Some storytellers are more trustworthy

than othersthan others Media storytellers use pictures (and sound) to Media storytellers use pictures (and sound) to

tell stories; languages used make thinks look tell stories; languages used make thinks look different than they might be in real lifedifferent than they might be in real life

Rules in our home might be different than Rules in our home might be different than rules on TV or computerrules on TV or computer

Dr. Faith Rogow, Early Childhood Expert/Media educatorDr. Faith Rogow, Early Childhood Expert/Media educator

Media literacyMedia literacy

Take a few minutes and write your Take a few minutes and write your

own definition:own definition:

What is media literacy?What is media literacy?

OROR Why should our students be ‘media literate’?Why should our students be ‘media literate’?

Video

Media literacyMedia literacy Media literacy is concerned with helping Media literacy is concerned with helping

students develop an informed and critical students develop an informed and critical understanding of the nature of mass understanding of the nature of mass media, the media, the techniquestechniques used by them, used by them, and the and the impact of these techniquesimpact of these techniques. . More specifically, it is education that aims More specifically, it is education that aims to increase the students' understanding to increase the students' understanding and enjoyment of how the media work, and enjoyment of how the media work, how they how they produce meaningproduce meaning, how they , how they are organized, and how they are organized, and how they construct construct realityreality. Media literacy also aims to provide . Media literacy also aims to provide students with the ability to create media students with the ability to create media products. products.  (Source: Media Literacy Resource Guide, (Source: Media Literacy Resource Guide,

Ministry of Education Ontario, 1997) Ministry of Education Ontario, 1997)

Core Concepts: Media Core Concepts: Media literacyliteracy

All media are constructions (of reality)All media are constructions (of reality) Media are constructed using languages Media are constructed using languages

with their own set of ruleswith their own set of rules Media convey values and points of viewMedia convey values and points of view Different people experience the same Different people experience the same

media messages differentlymedia messages differently Media= power + profitMedia= power + profit

Source: Center for Media LiteracySource: Center for Media Literacy

All media are constructionsAll media are constructions

What is this?What is this?

Remember: media construct (re-present) realityRemember: media construct (re-present) reality

Media: constructed using languagesMedia: constructed using languages

Language of filmLanguage of film

Camera workCamera workLighting Lighting Editing Editing SetsSetsSound/musicSound/musicCostumes Costumes ExpressionsExpressions

Camera anglesCamera angles

LightingLighting

Media convey values and Media convey values and points of viewpoints of view

Audiences negotiate meaningsAudiences negotiate meanings

Media= power + profitMedia= power + profit

FOX (News Corp) FOX (News Corp) NBC (GE) NBC (GE) CBS (Viacom) CBS (Viacom) ABC (Disney)ABC (Disney)CNN (AOL/Time Warner)CNN (AOL/Time Warner)

Advertiser-Audience RelationshipAdvertiser-Audience Relationship

The followingThe following

program isprogram is

brought to youbrought to you

by the sponsor.by the sponsor.

You are brought You are brought

to the sponsor to the sponsor by the program.by the program.

Critical InquiryCritical Inquiry

Who created/produced the message?Who created/produced the message? For what purpose?For what purpose? For which “target audience(s)”?For which “target audience(s)”? What What techniquestechniques are used to: are used to:1) attract attention 2) increase believability1) attract attention 2) increase believability Who or what is omitted and why?Who or what is omitted and why? How do you know what it means?How do you know what it means? Does it contain bias or stereotypes?Does it contain bias or stereotypes?

Media Literacy in Florida’sMedia Literacy in Florida’sSunshine State StandardsSunshine State Standards

ENGLISHENGLISHListening, Viewing, and SpeakingListening, Viewing, and Speaking

Standard 2Standard 2The student uses viewing strategies The student uses viewing strategies

effectively.effectively.

Grades 3-5Grades 3-52. 2. Recognizes and responds to nonverbal Recognizes and responds to nonverbal

cues in a variety of nonprint media, such as cues in a variety of nonprint media, such as motion pictures, television advertisements, motion pictures, television advertisements,

and works of art.and works of art.

Media as languagesMedia as languages

Reading the visualReading the visual

Using magazinesUsing magazines

Changing what we teachChanging what we teach

"If video is how we are "If video is how we are communicating and communicating and persuading in this new persuading in this new century, why aren't more century, why aren't more students writing screenplays students writing screenplays as part of their schoolwork?“as part of their schoolwork?“ Heidi Hayes JacobHeidi Hayes Jacob

video

Using Toy CommercialsUsing Toy Commercials

Buy Me That: a 3 part video series: a 3 part video series

Script

Toy Ad Analysis Toy Ad Analysis

WorksheetWorksheet

Using Toy CommercialsUsing Toy Commercials

video

Cinderella Magical Cinderella Magical Talking VanityTalking Vanity

ActivityActivity

Each group receives an adEach group receives an ad

Use the handout to answerUse the handout to answerthe questions about the adthe questions about the ad

Share timeShare time

Create the script for the adCreate the script for the ad

Teaching about signsTeaching about signs

What are signs?What are signs?What are their purposes?What are their purposes? What do they say? What do they say?

How is color used?How is color used? Why are they here? Why are they here?

Teaching with filmTeaching with film

"Film has its own language, its own "Film has its own language, its own grammar.. It's helpful for students to grammar.. It's helpful for students to know this language and to think know this language and to think critically about film in an increasingly critically about film in an increasingly visual world.“ visual world.“ Martin ScorseseMartin Scorsese

““If people aren’t taught the language of If people aren’t taught the language of sound and images, shouldn’t they be sound and images, shouldn’t they be considered as illiterate as if they left college considered as illiterate as if they left college without being able to read and write?”without being able to read and write?”

George LucasGeorge Lucas

The Languages of filmThe Languages of film

Camera workCamera workLighting Lighting Editing Editing SetsSetsSound/musicSound/musicCostumes Costumes ExpressionsExpressions

Because of Winn DixieBecause of Winn Dixie

PBS Media LiteracyPBS Media Literacy

http://pbskids.org/arthur/parentsteachers/lesson/medialiteracy/index.htmlhttp://pbskids.org/arthur/parentsteachers/lesson/medialiteracy/index.html

PBS Media LiteracyPBS Media Literacy

http://pbskids.org/dontbuyit/http://pbskids.org/dontbuyit/

ResourcesResources

Ideas for elementaryIdeas for elementary

Introduce photography: visual literacyIntroduce photography: visual literacy

Introduce film: through flip booksIntroduce film: through flip books

Cereal box design: nutrition messagesCereal box design: nutrition messages

Media diary: exploring media in my worldMedia diary: exploring media in my world

Create your own 30 second P.S.A.Create your own 30 second P.S.A.

Produce a classroom magazine or newspaperProduce a classroom magazine or newspaper

Recommended booksRecommended books