In developing a lesson in Media Literacy Education I ran across a slideshow by Renee Hobbes, a tenured full professor at Temple University School of Communication and Theater in Philadelphia, PA. In her presentation Hobbes provides a useful heuristic for examining different forms of media that I thought would be worth sharing.
The purpose of media literacy education can be defined helping learners of all ages to develop "habits of inquiry and skills of expression" that are needed to foster critical thinking, effective communication, and active citizenry in today's world (1). Under the guise of promoting habits of inquiry, there are three key elements you can base your analysis on: Authors & Audiences, Messages & Meanings, and Representations & Realities.
Authors & Audiences
Authorship: Who made this?
Purpose: Why was it made? Who is the target audience?
Economics: Who paid for it?
Impact: Who benefits from this? Why does it matter to me?
Response: What kinds of actions might I take?
Messages & Meanings
Content: What is this about? What values and points of view are expressed? What is omitted?
Techniques: How was this constructed? What tools and techniques were used?
Interpretations: How might different people understand this message? What is my interpretation and what do I learn about myself from my reaction?
Representations & Realities
Representation: How does this message represent its subject?
Context: When was this made? Where or how was it shared?
Credibility: What are the sources of information, ideas or assertions? What criteria do I use to evaluate it?
I like how Hobbes questions provide a solid frame from which we may access, analyze, evaluate and communicate media messages.Given the wide range media that surrounds us (e.g., advertising, narrative & documentary film, print & TV news media, music and popular culture), it is critical that educators and learners of all stripes are aware of media's influence and the ways of seeing and habits of mind they promote. Media literacy education is a fun way to play with our understanding of the world, a way to engage and participate with media that invites a host of critical thinking skills that can serve us all well.
I am reminded of my first taste of media literacy education in an undergraduate film theory course. Armed with a new grammar of cinema and a recognition of the impact camera angles, sound and light, dialogue, transitions and how they affected the movie's message, I could never look at movie the same way again! Of course this meant I was never invited to watch movies with any non-film theory majors. I couldn't help offering a running commentary on the director's and editor's choices and the impact they were having on our perceptions. (How bleeding obnoxious!) I've since calmed down and can now enjoy films in the company of others without feeling the need to take notes....
If you're up to it, let me know of other media literacy sources you've found helpful.
References:
(1) Core Principles of Media Literacy Education, AMLA, St. Louis (2007)
Image via www.nfb.ca via MFT&L
Keywords: 21st Century Skills, computing, education, heuristic, learning, media education, media literacy, media literacy education, participatory culture, skills, teaching
