Thinking Beyond Beats & Rhymes: Practicing Media Literacy in Communication Arts

Professional Development InstituteSchool District of PhiladelphiaCareer and Technical Education (CTE)Office of Secondary EducationNovember 6, 2007

Setting High Expectations

1. Communication

A qualified Philadelphia graduate will communicate effectively in English, both orally and in writing. Specifically, the student will have demonstrated the ability to:

write effectively and appropriately to a variety of audiences for a variety of purposes, including informing, reporting, persuading, and summarizing;

listen actively, in a variety of situations and for a variety of purposes;

read with understanding, read critically, and interpret a wide variety of written materials;

use with ease the tools of information technology.

Setting High Expectations

2. Reasoning and Problem Solving

A qualified Philadelphia graduate can apply reasoning and problem solving skills to all aspects of work, study, and life. Specifically, the student will have demonstrated the ability to:

choose and apply logical and effective problem solving techniques; approach problem solving with a critical eye, an open mind, and

persistence; think abstractly and creatively; ask meaningful questions.

Overview of the Day

• New Literacies and Secondary Education• Critical Questions of Media Literacy• Video: “Beyond Beats and Rhymes” by

Byron Hurt• Identity and Discourse Communities• Modeling Active Learning Strategies• Creating Media: Play, Learning & Performance• Empowerment Spiral: Awareness, Analysis,

Reflection, Action

FACULTY

Sherri Hope Culver, Director

Renee Hobbs, Professor

Eugene Martin, Lecturer

GRADUATE STUDENTS

Jiwon Yoon Mike Robb Grieco

Kelly Mendoza Tanya Jackson

STAFFKrystin McBrien

A Conflicted FanWhat is your love-hate relationship with mass media, popular culture and digital technology?

Widespread Interest in“New Literacies”

• Information technology• Communication and media studies• Library and information science• K-12 education• Public health• Fine and performing arts• After school and informal learning

New Literacies…

• Visual Literacy

• Information Literacy

• Media Literacy

• Critical Literacy

• ICT Literacy

Visual Literacy Questions

-- How can visual information help people learn?

-- How do the emotional and aesthetic dimensions of images affect learning?

-- How do viewers make sense of the different kinds of realism in the images we see in films and television?

-- How do we best help visual learners?

Visual Literacy

The genres, codes, conventions and symbolic forms of visual messages shape perception and interpretation Texts are only representations but people process images as reality

Information Literacy Q’s

-- How do students learn to effectively locate, evaluate and use information?

-- How do students learn to identify the credibility of information?

-- What competencies are required to be skillful in accessing and using digital information resources?

Information Literacy

There are a range of strategies for locating information using databases and search tools

People need to learn to evaluate message quality, authenticity, credibility and usefulness

Media Literacy Questions

-- What do students learn from mass media and popular culture?

-- What knowledge & skills are needed to enable students to critically analyze media messages?

-- How does media composition by students enhance student learning?

Media Literacy

The interpretation of media texts varies among audience members from various cultural groups and backgrounds

Messages are constructed by authors for specific purposes and goals

Critical Literacy Questions

-- How are identity and power relations depicted in media texts and textual activity?

-- How do students recognize, resist and transform inequity and oppression and what learning processes can help them develop as responsible citizens?

Critical Literacy

Meanings are multiple, shifting and contested

Literacy skills can help people to take action towards the goals of social justice and equity

ICT Literacy Questions

-- What kinds of cognitive skills and technology skills are needed for life in an information society?

-- How are these skills and competencies best learned in school and workforce settings?

ICT Literacy

Technology proficiency alone is not adequate for success in information age jobs

Cognitive skills are involved in accessing, managing and analyzing information, and creating messages

A combination of “tool competence” and cognitive skills are needed

Border Crossing and Shifting Disciplinary Boundaries

• Visual Literacy

• Information Literacy

• Media Literacy

• Critical Literacy

• ICT Literacy

Ideas from all the “new literacies” are being integrated into K-12 instructional practices

Literacy in an Information Age

ACCESS

CREATE

EVALUATEANALYZE

...through the integration and application of critical thinking and technology skills

The ability to…

Literacy in an Information Age

D

AB

Technological Competence

C

Critical ThinkingSkills

HIGH

LOW

LOW HIGH

LEARNING SKILLS

LEARNING TOOLS

Information & Communication Skills

Thinking & Problem-Solving Skills

Interpersonal & Self-Directional Skills

Word processing & graphic design tools,email, Internet, search engines, web authoring tools, distributed learning (Blackboard), IM, chat, digital cameras, video & audio editing software, computer simulations, presentation software, spreadsheets, databases, e-learning, etc.

The true potential of new literacies comes not just from being wired together but also from having the knowledge and skills to use technology and to understand its complex role in our families, our workplaces, our communities, our nation and the world.

Asking Critical Questions

The Media Literacy

Remote Control

Media Education Lab

Temple University School of Communications and Theater

1A Annenberg Hall

Philadelphia PA

Phone: (215) 204-4291

Email: shculver@temple.edu

Web: http://mediaeducationlab.com