Media Literacy in Education

The question of whether or not we should teach media literacy in our schools is ridiculous. Of course we should. Technology continues to intertwine itself in every aspect of our lives, and this trend will not be reversed. As part of this expansion of technology, the internet, television, and all other forms of media strive to get our attention at every minute of the day. As such, not making media literacy a major component of curriculum would be irresponsible.

It can be very easy to be hoodwinked by media. The Iraq War is a good case study here. In the chaotic months following 9/11, many otherwise intelligent people accepted any and all information about Iraq that was given to them, without interrogating the veracity of the sources. This was due in large part to the alarmist presentation of the supposed facts, which swept many people up, leading to war under false pretenses.

This is not dissimilar to what happens with advertising. Everything about how an advertisement is constructed is designed to manipulate, playing off of our assumptions and tastes in order to get us to purchase or believe something. If one is not aware of this process, it is impossible to critically evaluate the information that we are given in order to make the best choices.

Lastly, as students and non-students alike increasingly turn to the internet for information, we must be aware of the ways in which this form of media is shaping our perceptions. In the course of research, it can be very easy to find websites that support any argument or viewpoint. If one treats all websites as equal, then it can be difficult to weed out bogus information. We must teach our students media literacy skills so that they can make informed choices and use the internet effectively for educational purposes.

I was familiar with the concept of media literacy before it was presented to us in class, but I had never really explored that concept or tried to apply it to an educational mindset. As I made clear in the opening paragraph of this post, I know feel that it is crucial to an effective twenty-first century education and I plan to integrate it into my future classroom.