understanding of the social construction of knowledge the literacy process can expand critical inquiry into multiple forms of information and communication, including television programmes, Internet, advertising, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and books. Carmen Luke (2000) wrote ‘‘unless educators take a lead in developing appropriate pedagogies for these new electronic media and forms of communication, corporate experts will be the ones to determine how people will learn, what they learn, and what constitutes literacy’’ (p. 71)."
Response: This article captured an overall view of what is happening in today's classroom. Standardized testing has dominated professional learning conversations and professional development opportunities. Choices of professional development opportunities do not usually include: "How to teach Critical Media Skills to your Students" Honestly, I think if this topic were to be offered, the response from some might be: "Is it on the test?" This response is understandable due to the pressures and accountability of testing. But, it is time for innovative facilitators of learning to become aware of these much needed media skills and devise ways to place in their curriculum and participate in developing the pedagogy for the new electronic media and communication tools. Using tools to become media literate, learning about the various forms of media, and interpreting the true messages of media was easily incorporated into my 5th grade writing curriculum. How disconcerting that if teachers do not participate in the pedagogy development, then corporate experts will determine what constitutes literacy?
Kellner, D., & Share, J. (2005, September). Toward Critical Media Literacy: Core concepts, debates, organizations and policies.Taylor and Francis Journals, 26(3), 369-386. Retrieved September 7, 2011, from http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/
Additional Resource: I've attached a link to a "Student Workbook" that is full of ideas and cartoons for teaching media literacy.
Student Workbook
Worsnop, C. M. (n.d.). Media Literacy through Critical Thinking. N.p.: NW Center for Excellence in Media Literacy. Retrieved September 8, 2011, from http://depts.washington.edu/nwmedia/sections/nw_center/curriculum_docs/stud_combine.pdf
I really despise "teaching the test". However, I understand its necessity in the educational system today. Everything is practically based on those test scores. I wish we could go back to the way things used to be, where you learned life-skills as well as content in the schools. When I was in Kindergarten, we didn't have homework. All we had was a Pringles can that we took home every Friday full of papers we did during the week. I can remember one of my favorite activities we did in Kindergarten was grocery shopping. She had a table full of fake food and gave us each a "grocery list" and we had to read it and pick out our food. It was the best! Hopefully one day, we can go back to a happy medium of teaching life-skills and teaching content.
ReplyDeleteEverything does seem to be based on standardized testing but what we are seeing when students enroll in college for the first time, is that they don't have the background for freshman level classes. They have to go back and take developmental skills courses to catch them up with the students that are ready. You really have to worry about what the teachers are being forced to teach.
ReplyDeleteI actually experienced the precedence that standardized testing has over what the teacher wants to teach. When I was student teaching, my teacher wouldn't let me do certain activities because they were afraid that they would run out of time to practice for the standardized test. Teachers should value the importance of media literacy as high as standardized testing because it is inescapable.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great response! Hopefully, more emphasis can be placed on critical media literacy and educators can begin to integrate these skills into other subject areas, such as English and Social Studies, it can be used as a complement to, and not a distraction from material that must be covered to prepare students for standardized testing.
ReplyDeleteGood response. It's sad but true that we must "teach the test". Media literacy skills, though crucial, aren't being taught as often or as in depth as they should to prepare our students of the media world.
ReplyDelete