Media Literacy Perspectives

Watch this video and complete the activity. 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.

Educating for 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[1].

Stimulus Resource

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.

References

  1. Aspen Media Literacy Leadership Institute (1992) cited by Center for Media Literacy.
Last modified: Tuesday, October 12, 2021, 3:02 PM