"Failing to distribute critical literacy skills equally to all children - regardless of their race, class, gender, and ethnicity - only reinforces and perpetuates the inequities in knowledge and power that marginalized groups already face." (Goodman, 2003).
Reflection:
I agree that critical literacy skills are vital for all children - regardless of race, class, gender and ethnicity. Failure to distribute education equally leads to further inequities in knowledge and power. If people cannot read and analyze what they read, they lack a fundamental skill everyone needs. They run the risk of letting others dictate what they learn and how they should think. I believe Thomas Jefferson said, "A democracy cannot be both ignorant and free." In today's society with the abundancy of information being thrown at children, it is important that they can properly decipher it.
The National Association for Media Literacy Education states that "Media Literacy Education develops informed, reflective and engaged participants essential for a democractic society." Their Core Principles defines the purpose of media literacy education as needing to "help individuals of all ages develop the habits of inquiry and skills of expression that they need to be critical thinkers, effective communicators and active citizens in today's world."
1. According to the author, what is the main reason school have ignored engaging student with critical media literacy.
The author cites both a disconnect between their school life and their experiences outside of school. Additionally, schools want students to learn what is set before them.
2. Define critical media literacy.
Critical media literacy is the ability to analyze, evaluate and produce differing forms of communications - print, aural, visual.
3. How can film making or digital story telling support the goals of critical media literacy?
Through creating their own digital stories, students learn to think critically about the information they are producing. They have to consider their own story and how to get it across to their audiences and how it will be perceived.
4. Why does teaching media literacy become more complicated as student become consumers of news?
In today's media culture, there is a fine line between news and entertainment. In order to get higher ratings, some news organizations lean more toward entertainment and lose sight of the message.
5. What is the difference between learning through the media and learning about the media?
Learning through the media is disseminating information through the media to teach. Learning about the media is learning to analyze such information and determine its value.
Sources:
Goodman, Steven, 2003. Teaching Youth Media: A Critical Guide to Literacy, Video Production & Social Change.
National Association for Media Literacy Education. Nov. 2007. Core Principles of Media Literacy Education in the United States.
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