Digital and Media Literacy
Social media is a large part of our lives now more than ever. We learn so many new things through media whether its true or not. But, knowing how to use this media and how to interpret it is very important and important for our students to learn as well. I read an article this week by John Robinson that focuses on how Renee Hobbs' 5 competencies can help teachers teach media literacy in their classrooms and how it can support academic achievement as well. The 5 competencies are: access, analyze, create, reflect, and act.
Image Source: Media Literacy & Online Learning
5 Competencies of Media Literacy
Access
According to Hobbs, access is the first step in. media literacy which involves finding relevant information using media and technology tools. This is a great thing to teach students when doing research. They need to be able to have access to content they are learning or researching about through media and using technology tools.
Analyze
Analyze is the second step students need to be able to do. Analyzing media is important to students because it will give them more information such as audience target, message purpose, credibility, point of view, or consequences of messages they may find on the media.
Create
The third step is create. Create is where students start making their own content that will grow their self-confidence in self expression, awareness of purpose, and audience in the world of media. With today's media and generation of students, they need to be able to properly and effectively create their own content they want to share but know their purpose, audience, etc.
Reflect
Step four is to reflect. Reflect is where students think about the social media in their lives and how it may impact them. What is it doing or what role playing does it do in their lives? Not only are they reflecting about what media they are seeing but also whatever media they produce as well. What is the purpose of your content? What is your audience target? Giving students this reflection opportunities will help them become better creators of digital and media content.
Act
The last step is to act. This step is where students take action in gathering with families and communities to discuss and solve problems. "According to Hobbs, this step involves getting students in the classroom connected to the world, providing support for their leadership development and collaboration, and developing integrity and accountability as they take their place as global citizens. Students need to engage in using digital and media in solving problems and at the same time take advantage of global connectivity. Because the 21st century world is a much smaller place, our students need to be able to "act" using their digital and media skills".
Image Source: Media and Information Literacy
These 5 competencies of Hobbs' digital literacy is a great start for students to better understand the media around them and why they are seeing it. It's a great idea to start including these skills in the classroom today so they are ready to face the digital and media world.
Hi Diana!
ReplyDeleteThanks for breaking down the 5 competencies of media literacy. I like like that the graphic you shares what each competency can look like in the classroom as well as the digital tools that teachers/students might use. As a classroom teacher its helpful to get specific examples and ideas like that.
Diana,
ReplyDeleteThe graphic you provided about media literacy and online learning was fantastic. I love how it broke it down but also gave examples of tools that fell into each area. It is such a great resource for teachers. You did a nice job of explaining the 5 competencies as well. I agree that if we begin incorporating these concepts into our classrooms, our students will be able to navigate the digital world with ease and success both now and in the future.
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ReplyDeleteHi Diana,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that we need to introduce digital and media literacy to our students for them to recognize if something is true or not in an article, post, tv, newspaper, or any other media. It is important to integrate media literacy in our classroom. One way is by demonstrating our students where to find digital resources. Also, we need to be flexible and allow them to select from different media formats to communicate and share.
Thanks for your thoughts on Hobbs' competencies. They are simple, yet powerful ideas that can help students become more media literate!
ReplyDeleteHi Diana,
ReplyDeleteI agree that it's important to introduce Hobbs's competencies in the classroom. What I enjoy about the competencies is that they challenge the idea of what is means to be literate. In today's society, people need to be both functionally literate and digitally literate in order to fully contribute ideas and interact with others. This idea of dual literacy must start in the classroom and it must start early on in education. Imagine what the world would be like if all students were given the access and education to become digitally literate! I am hopeful that one day we will see what it will be like.