Smart & Good High Schools - The Flippen Group

CHAPTER 5: Fostering the 8 Strengths of Character—Outcome 1ject areas such as English, social studies, and communicationarts. 14 The accompanying box lists an array of medialiteracy resources now available to educators and parents.MEDIA LITERACY RESOURCESFOR EDUCATORS AND PARENTSAction Coalition for Media Educationhttp://www.acmecoalition.orgAlliance for a Media Literate Americahttp://www.amlainfo.orgCable in the Classroomhttp://www.ciconline.comCenter for Media Literacyhttp://www.medialit.orgMedia Literacy Clearinghousehttp://medialit.med.sc.eduMedia Literacy Online Projecthttp://interact.uoregon.edu/MediaLit/mlr/home/National Telemedia Councilhttp://www.nationaltelemediacouncil.orgProject Look Sharphttp://www.ithaca.edu/looksharpAccording to the National Leadership Conference onMedia Literacy, “media literacy is the ability to access, analyze,evaluate, and produce communication in a variety offorms.” 15 Media-literate persons “can think critically aboutwhat they see, hear and read in books, newspapers, magazines,television, radio, movies, advertising, video games,the Internet, and new emerging technology.” 16“We must teach young people to‘read’ electronic media just as criticallyas we teach them to read print.”One high school teacher commented, “Because our kidsare getting so much of their information from the electronicmedia, we need to teach them how to read thismedium just as critically as we have traditionally taughtthem to read print.” 17 Advocates of media literacy emphasizefive principles for critical analysis of media messages:1. Media messages are constructed.2. Media messages are representations of reality withembedded values and points of view.3. Each form of media uses a unique set of rules to constructmessages.4. Individuals interpret media messages and create theirown meaning based on personal experience.5. Media are driven by profit within economic and politicalcontexts. 18A growing body of research indicates the effectiveness ofmedia literacy education ranging from brief peer-led workshopsto full courses. Media literacy interventions have:◆ Helped juvenile offenders learn to think critically aboutthe consequences of risk behaviors and develop strategiesto resist the impulse to engage in such behaviors◆ Helped high school girls learn to deconstruct mediamessages that promote unrealistic body images andunhealthy eating◆ Reduced the likelihood that teen athletes use steroidsand illicit drugs◆ Reduced drinking and driving and susceptibility topeer pressure to smoke◆ Improved students’ skills in critically analyzing a varietyof media. 19Research shows varied positive effectsof media literacy education.ANALYZING MEDIA: KEY QUESTIONS1. Who created this message and why are theysending it?2. What techniques are used to attract and holdattention?3. What lifestyles, values, and points of view arerepresented in this message?4. What is omitted from this message? Why do youthink it was left out?5. How might different people interpret thismessage? 20What One Teacher DoesIn one of our high school visits, we interviewed a formerEnglish teacher who has been teaching video productionand media literacy for the past ten years. What began as asingle section of an introductory course has expanded, in98Smart & Good High Schools