Creating Critical Thinkers Through Media

In this TEDx Talks, the speaker ,Andrea Quijada  is the executive director of Media Literacy Project. She has over a decade of experience ad a media literacy trainer and holds a deep passion for media justice. Quijada begins by explaining the importance of deconstructing movies and television, as a first lesson to media literacy. This can be incorporated into a classroom easily by asking questions like "What is the text subject of this message?" Media can bring a strong message about a subject that the marketers may not have intended, such as a colour coordinated shoe poster can bring out a meaning that girls should worry more about the clothes they wear than the math they are learning. From bringing posters such as this into a classroom, the students can have a collective discussion on the impact on our culture, job interviews, and our economy.

Once students know how to deconstruct media, they have gained a superpower. They can see through the messages in advertisements, sitcoms, commercials, internet, etc. Media literacy connects schooling with real life, it is something students can use every day. Lets work together as teachers to incorporate media literacy into our lessons to connect school with the 21st century daily lives of our students.

Media Literacy in the Classroom - 10 Approaches in Canada

Media and Digital Literacy is becoming increasingly important in today's classroom. As a future educator, I believe that it is important that the teacher's attitude towards technology is crucial to the success of any media literacy lesson. Most students bring forth tremendous amounts of information about their experiences with the media and in many cases, they can expand further than the teacher!

The attached link examines 10 Approaches to teaching Media Literacy in the Classroom in Canada.

1. Stress the positive:

• it is crucial to examine the positive features to technology, rather to dwell on the negative. Students should also be encouraged to explore the web in a safe way that hi lights the child's individual tastes.

2.  Critical Thinking Strategies

• This movement was first introduced in the 1980's to introduce medial literacy in the classroom. According to Robert Ennis, this refers to a body or intellectual skills and abilities that allow one to rationally decide what to believe or do.

3. Values Education

• The mass media allows students to see the difference between right and wrong. This can be applied in many ways within the classroom.

4. Media from the perspective of subject disciplines

• This allows teachers to include media whenever possible when teaching different subjects.

5. Cross- Media studies and interdisciplinary studies

• Promoting discussion within the classroom based on media stories allows for healthy discussion within the classroom.

6. Creative Experiences

• Creative production activities should be an essential part of any media literacy classroom.

7. Semiotics

• Semiotics is the science of signs and is concerned primarily with how meaning is generated in film, television, and other works of art. This approach has been developed in Europe and is currently being developed in North America.

8. Reading the media environment

• It is important to consider what the media brings to the classroom. It is also important for students to question the media and asking if information is relevant.

9. Alternative points of view

10. Full credit course in media literacy

10 Approaches to Media Literacy in Canada

Interesting Background information for including Media Literacy in Canadian Classrooms 

Media Literacy in the Classroom

Media Literacy in a Multicultural Classroom

Teacher Resources for Media Literacy in the Classroom

The importance of Media Literacy