In this issue of Connections, we discuss the art and craft of documentary, a genre which utilizes techniques that differ widely from fiction film, including investigation and presentation of evidence, interviews, moral inquiry, calls to action, presentation of human relationships for emotional impact, and much more. The MediaLit Moments activity is He Named Me Malala. The activity uses the 2015 documentary of the same name.
This issues examines the role of journalism in society and how the role is changing. Includes articles on Post-Industrial Journalism and Journalism and Public Participation in Democratic Discourse.
This issue explores the classroom and library activities of media literacy-oriented schools with information and interviews from the teachers and librarians themselves.
The constructed nature of media is highly visible in examples of human rights coverage – from genocide to disabilities to incidents of civic rights violations. CML offers diverse examples of construction at work. This issue also includes highlights from the first US Media Literacy Week as well as an interview with Robert Ferguson about his work with Roma populations in the UK.
Active participation by citizens. Local community engagement. Expanding media access to all. Empowerment through education. Tackling tough issues in communities. Freedom of speech. Storytelling. Citizen journalism. Understanding media and how it operates. Where do all of these important undertakings – essential to media literacy -- happen? In community media centers around the U.S. and the world. In this issue we provide two case examples of community media centers and their commitment to media literacy education: one in Dublin, Ireland and one in Brookline, Massachusetts.
Since few adults in any part of the world grew up learning media literacy concepts or indeed, even knew the words “media literacy,” there is a large gap in understanding about what media literacy is and why it is important. As digital media prevails more and more in most adults’ lives, the imperative for media literacy has become more urgent, and there is more recognition of the need for media literacy education. Includes reports from Australia, UK, and US.
In 2006 Henry Jenkins published a white paper identifying the challenges and opportunities for media literacy in our 21st century media culture. Since then, new ideas, new technologies, and new names have emerged bringing with them misunderstandings and rifts among educators. It’s time to reflect on where we’ve been and where we are now.
The Voices of Media Literacy project, sponsored by Tessa Jolls and Barbara Walkosz, features interviews of 20 early pioneers who shaped the field into what it is today. As Executive Editor Tessa Jolls comments, “These people know what media literacy is, and are able to articulate it and express it because they lived it and helped invent it.”
In March 2008, the US Department of Education’s Office of Educational Technology convened an information session on media literacy that was open to all department employees. Kimberly Brodie, Special Assistant in the Office of Educational Technology, led the discussion. Tessa Jolls of the Consortium was an invited speaker, as well as Doug Levin of Cable in the Classroom, the U.S. cable industry’s education foundation.
We explore the historical developments which have led most audiences to accept the dominance of private and commercial media spaces in the city. In our second article, we discuss the positive roles that media, especially screen media, can play in urban life. We introduce CML’s production-based curriculum that fosters teamwork and technology skills while teaching media literacy and nutrition.