Blog #3 - Media Literacy

• Media literacy is a rather difficult topic for me to cover because my mind wants to automatically jump to the “media” we have all been brought up seeing, such as the TV, news, radio etc. Upon researching I found a vast collection of various definitions that suit today’s category of media, which for distinction purposes, I would like to call, “new media” so that it can include not only the afore mentioned forms of media but the newer technology-associated forms of media from which we can acquire skills.
• Play, performance, simulation, appropriation, multitasking, distributed cognition, collective intelligence, judgment, transmedia navigation, networking, and negotiation were all media skills mentioned by Henry Jerkens (2008).
• In my opinion each of these has its place in society, as we go about our individual daily regimens. Some of these components of media literacy would be in use more often than in others and sometimes just in differing forms, such as a teacher not really creating networks for Internet use for example, but creating connections between students’ home lives, via parent communications, can be considered “networking.” Taking this action one step further in order to students how they can also network their resources in order to accomplishes goals they may have. According to Tallim (2009), “media education isn't about having the right answers—it's about asking the right questions. The result is lifelong empowerment of the learner and citizen.”
• According to the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation (2003), “Several studies have indicated that media literacy lessons incorporated into standard curriculum can help reduce potentially harmful effects of TV violence on young viewers. In one study, 3rd and 4thgraders given a course in media literacy decreased their time spent watching TV and playing video games and reduced their use of verbal and physical aggression as judged by their peers” (p.3). I find this to be staggering information. Violence in young individuals is something I see often in the high school setting. To know that incorporating media literacy techniques can decrease violence.
• Standards of media literacy for the state of Montana, from 1999, were very interesting to read through in that Montana begins incorporating media literacy lesson by the 4th grade. After reading their benchmarks and standards I have an understanding of where I can begin to use media literacy lesson in my classroom with a clear set to goals that can be shared with my students, colleagues and administrators.

Jenkins, H., (2008) Confronting the Challenges of Participatory Culture: Media
Education for the 21st Century.
http://digitallearning.macfound.org/atf/cf/%7B7E45C7E0-A3E0-4B89

Tallim, J. (2009). What is media literacy? Retrieved August 16, 2009, from
http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/teachers/media_literacy/ what_is_media_literacy.cfm

Reference Source #1 - http://www.kff.org/entmedia/Media-Literacy.cfm
(by clicking the hyperlink leading to the PDF file - Key Facts: Media Literacy)

Reference Source #2 - www.opi.state.mt.us/pdf/standards/ContStds-Media Lit.pdf