Learning in a digital age/LiDA104/Media literacy/Perspectives

Educating for media literacy

In this extract from the Real Time interview with Bill Maher, President Obama highlights the importance for a modern democracy of educating our children on media literacy.

President Obama on media Literacy

Activity - Contemporary definitions of media literacy

Purpose
The purpose of this activity is

• to conduct a general online search for contemporary definitions of media literacy, comparing the emphasis on various issues for different age groups, and
• to post a short critique of the Aspen definition below.
  

Aspen definition of media literacy

• Media Literacy is the ability to access, analyze, evaluate and create media in a variety of forms.

Stimulus resource

• Center for Media Literacy
  

Tasks

1. Consult the stimulus resource
2. Conduct a general online search for definitions noting differences in emphasis for youth and adults.
3. Construct a table listing important issues of media literacy for youth and adults, for example:
   
   

Youth	Adults
Access: Strategies for managing age-appropriate access to online content	Access: Knowledge and understanding of new forms of peer-produced media distinctly different from traditional print media.

Prepare a short blog post (200 words) evaluating the Aspen definition of media literacy:

1. Cite the Aspen definition in your post
2. Consider the following questions:
   • Is the Aspen definition of media literacy still relevant today? Justify your opinion.
   • Are different definitions of media literacy required for different contexts? If so why.