Everything You Need to Know About Digital and Media Literacy
1. Everything You Need to Know
about Digital and Media Literacy
in the Context of Social Media
Renee Hobbs
Harrington School of Communication
and Media
University of Rhode Island
DRUG FREE PA NOVEMBER 6,
2012
4. A university-school partnership program designed to strengthen
children’s ability to think for themselves, communicate effectively,
and use their powerful voices to contribute to the quality of life in
their families, their schools, their communities, and the world.
• Professional development for educators
• Direct service to children: summer and afterschool
• Online learning community
• Research
5. BOOK AND WEBSITE LAUNCH at the International Reading Association in 2013
33. Digital and media literacy embraces
interdisciplinary connections across
school, campus and community
34. Stakeholders in Digital
& Media Literacy
TECH
BUSINESS
ACTIVIST
GOVERNMENT
LIBRARY
EDUCATION
CREATIVE
35. Digital Literacy & Libraries:
Designing What’s Coming Next
Digital literacy is the ability to use information and
communication technologies to find, evaluate,
create, and communicate information requiring
both cognitive and technical skills.
-ALA Digital Literacy Task Force
37. Expanding the Concept of Literacy
Rhetoric
Print Literacy
Visual Literacy
Information Literacy
Media Literacy
Computer Literacy
News Literacy
Digital Literacy
44. Messages are
Representations
Messages Influence our
Attitudes and Behaviors
People Interpret
Messages Differently
Messages Use Different
Codes and Conventions
Messages Have
Economic &
Political Power
51. COMPOSE
Use Multiple Modes of Expression
Reach Authentic Audiences
Manipulate Content and Form in
Relation to Purpose and Audience
Learning Process
59. Definitions of
Digital Literacy
Renee Hobbs, Ed.D.
Professor &
Founding Director
Harrington School of
Communication & Media
University of Rhode Island
Email: hobbs@uri.edu
Twitter: reneehobbs
www.
mediaeducationlab.com
Editor's Notes
People of all ages will internalize the practice of asking critical questions about the author, purpose and point of view of every sort of message--- from political campaigns, pharmaceutical advertising, reports and surveys issued by think-tanks, websites, breaking news, email, blogs, and the opinions of politicians, pundits and celebrities.
Teachers will use engaging instructional methods to explore the complex role of news and current events in society, making connections to literature, science, health and history, building bridges between the classroom and the living room that support a lifetime of learning.
People of all ages will be responsible and civil in their communication behaviors, treating others with respect and appreciating the need for social norms of behavior that create a sense of personal accountability for one’s online and offline actions.
As a fundamental part of instruction, students will compose and create authentic messages for real audiences, using digital tools, images, language, sound and interactivity to develop knowledge and skills and discover the power of being an effective communicator.
People from all walks of life will be able to achieve their goals in finding, sharing and using information solve problems, developing the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, communicate and share ideas and information, participating in meaningful social action in their neighborhoods, communities, nation and the world.
In the process, teamwork, collaboration, reflection, ethics and social responsibility will flourish. Teachers won’t have to complain about a generation of young people who lack the ability to identify appropriate keywords for an online search activity, those who aren’t aware of which American city was devastated by Hurricane Katrina, and those who cannot identify the author of a web page.
People of all ages will internalize the practice of asking critical questions about the author, purpose and point of view of every sort of message--- from political campaigns, pharmaceutical advertising, reports and surveys issued by think-tanks, websites, breaking news, email, blogs, and the opinions of politicians, pundits and celebrities.
Teachers will use engaging instructional methods to explore the complex role of news and current events in society, making connections to literature, science, health and history, building bridges between the classroom and the living room that support a lifetime of learning.
People of all ages will be responsible and civil in their communication behaviors, treating others with respect and appreciating the need for social norms of behavior that create a sense of personal accountability for one’s online and offline actions.
As a fundamental part of instruction, students will compose and create authentic messages for real audiences, using digital tools, images, language, sound and interactivity to develop knowledge and skills and discover the power of being an effective communicator.
People from all walks of life will be able to achieve their goals in finding, sharing and using information solve problems, developing the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, communicate and share ideas and information, participating in meaningful social action in their neighborhoods, communities, nation and the world.
In the process, teamwork, collaboration, reflection, ethics and social responsibility will flourish. Teachers won’t have to complain about a generation of young people who lack the ability to identify appropriate keywords for an online search activity, those who aren’t aware of which American city was devastated by Hurricane Katrina, and those who cannot identify the author of a web page.
We’ll reach underserved youth including those young people who experience the juvenile justice system, who may be among the most vulnerable to negative messages in the media because of the lack of access to supportive adults and other resiliency factors.
Please share the White Paper with colleagues and all who see that the time is now – together, we can build a community education movement for digital and media literacy.
People of all ages will internalize the practice of asking critical questions about the author, purpose and point of view of every sort of message--- from political campaigns, pharmaceutical advertising, reports and surveys issued by think-tanks, websites, breaking news, email, blogs, and the opinions of politicians, pundits and celebrities.
Teachers will use engaging instructional methods to explore the complex role of news and current events in society, making connections to literature, science, health and history, building bridges between the classroom and the living room that support a lifetime of learning.
People of all ages will be responsible and civil in their communication behaviors, treating others with respect and appreciating the need for social norms of behavior that create a sense of personal accountability for one’s online and offline actions.
As a fundamental part of instruction, students will compose and create authentic messages for real audiences, using digital tools, images, language, sound and interactivity to develop knowledge and skills and discover the power of being an effective communicator.
People from all walks of life will be able to achieve their goals in finding, sharing and using information solve problems, developing the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, communicate and share ideas and information, participating in meaningful social action in their neighborhoods, communities, nation and the world.
In the process, teamwork, collaboration, reflection, ethics and social responsibility will flourish. Teachers won’t have to complain about a generation of young people who lack the ability to identify appropriate keywords for an online search activity, those who aren’t aware of which American city was devastated by Hurricane Katrina, and those who cannot identify the author of a web page.
People of all ages will internalize the practice of asking critical questions about the author, purpose and point of view of every sort of message--- from political campaigns, pharmaceutical advertising, reports and surveys issued by think-tanks, websites, breaking news, email, blogs, and the opinions of politicians, pundits and celebrities.
Teachers will use engaging instructional methods to explore the complex role of news and current events in society, making connections to literature, science, health and history, building bridges between the classroom and the living room that support a lifetime of learning.
People of all ages will be responsible and civil in their communication behaviors, treating others with respect and appreciating the need for social norms of behavior that create a sense of personal accountability for one’s online and offline actions.
As a fundamental part of instruction, students will compose and create authentic messages for real audiences, using digital tools, images, language, sound and interactivity to develop knowledge and skills and discover the power of being an effective communicator.
People from all walks of life will be able to achieve their goals in finding, sharing and using information solve problems, developing the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, communicate and share ideas and information, participating in meaningful social action in their neighborhoods, communities, nation and the world.
In the process, teamwork, collaboration, reflection, ethics and social responsibility will flourish. Teachers won’t have to complain about a generation of young people who lack the ability to identify appropriate keywords for an online search activity, those who aren’t aware of which American city was devastated by Hurricane Katrina, and those who cannot identify the author of a web page.
People of all ages will internalize the practice of asking critical questions about the author, purpose and point of view of every sort of message--- from political campaigns, pharmaceutical advertising, reports and surveys issued by think-tanks, websites, breaking news, email, blogs, and the opinions of politicians, pundits and celebrities.
Teachers will use engaging instructional methods to explore the complex role of news and current events in society, making connections to literature, science, health and history, building bridges between the classroom and the living room that support a lifetime of learning.
People of all ages will be responsible and civil in their communication behaviors, treating others with respect and appreciating the need for social norms of behavior that create a sense of personal accountability for one’s online and offline actions.
As a fundamental part of instruction, students will compose and create authentic messages for real audiences, using digital tools, images, language, sound and interactivity to develop knowledge and skills and discover the power of being an effective communicator.
People from all walks of life will be able to achieve their goals in finding, sharing and using information solve problems, developing the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, communicate and share ideas and information, participating in meaningful social action in their neighborhoods, communities, nation and the world.
In the process, teamwork, collaboration, reflection, ethics and social responsibility will flourish. Teachers won’t have to complain about a generation of young people who lack the ability to identify appropriate keywords for an online search activity, those who aren’t aware of which American city was devastated by Hurricane Katrina, and those who cannot identify the author of a web page.
People of all ages will internalize the practice of asking critical questions about the author, purpose and point of view of every sort of message--- from political campaigns, pharmaceutical advertising, reports and surveys issued by think-tanks, websites, breaking news, email, blogs, and the opinions of politicians, pundits and celebrities.
Teachers will use engaging instructional methods to explore the complex role of news and current events in society, making connections to literature, science, health and history, building bridges between the classroom and the living room that support a lifetime of learning.
People of all ages will be responsible and civil in their communication behaviors, treating others with respect and appreciating the need for social norms of behavior that create a sense of personal accountability for one’s online and offline actions.
As a fundamental part of instruction, students will compose and create authentic messages for real audiences, using digital tools, images, language, sound and interactivity to develop knowledge and skills and discover the power of being an effective communicator.
People from all walks of life will be able to achieve their goals in finding, sharing and using information solve problems, developing the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, communicate and share ideas and information, participating in meaningful social action in their neighborhoods, communities, nation and the world.
In the process, teamwork, collaboration, reflection, ethics and social responsibility will flourish. Teachers won’t have to complain about a generation of young people who lack the ability to identify appropriate keywords for an online search activity, those who aren’t aware of which American city was devastated by Hurricane Katrina, and those who cannot identify the author of a web page.
People of all ages will internalize the practice of asking critical questions about the author, purpose and point of view of every sort of message--- from political campaigns, pharmaceutical advertising, reports and surveys issued by think-tanks, websites, breaking news, email, blogs, and the opinions of politicians, pundits and celebrities.
Teachers will use engaging instructional methods to explore the complex role of news and current events in society, making connections to literature, science, health and history, building bridges between the classroom and the living room that support a lifetime of learning.
People of all ages will be responsible and civil in their communication behaviors, treating others with respect and appreciating the need for social norms of behavior that create a sense of personal accountability for one’s online and offline actions.
As a fundamental part of instruction, students will compose and create authentic messages for real audiences, using digital tools, images, language, sound and interactivity to develop knowledge and skills and discover the power of being an effective communicator.
People from all walks of life will be able to achieve their goals in finding, sharing and using information solve problems, developing the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, communicate and share ideas and information, participating in meaningful social action in their neighborhoods, communities, nation and the world.
In the process, teamwork, collaboration, reflection, ethics and social responsibility will flourish. Teachers won’t have to complain about a generation of young people who lack the ability to identify appropriate keywords for an online search activity, those who aren’t aware of which American city was devastated by Hurricane Katrina, and those who cannot identify the author of a web page.
People of all ages will internalize the practice of asking critical questions about the author, purpose and point of view of every sort of message--- from political campaigns, pharmaceutical advertising, reports and surveys issued by think-tanks, websites, breaking news, email, blogs, and the opinions of politicians, pundits and celebrities.
Teachers will use engaging instructional methods to explore the complex role of news and current events in society, making connections to literature, science, health and history, building bridges between the classroom and the living room that support a lifetime of learning.
People of all ages will be responsible and civil in their communication behaviors, treating others with respect and appreciating the need for social norms of behavior that create a sense of personal accountability for one’s online and offline actions.
As a fundamental part of instruction, students will compose and create authentic messages for real audiences, using digital tools, images, language, sound and interactivity to develop knowledge and skills and discover the power of being an effective communicator.
People from all walks of life will be able to achieve their goals in finding, sharing and using information solve problems, developing the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, communicate and share ideas and information, participating in meaningful social action in their neighborhoods, communities, nation and the world.
In the process, teamwork, collaboration, reflection, ethics and social responsibility will flourish. Teachers won’t have to complain about a generation of young people who lack the ability to identify appropriate keywords for an online search activity, those who aren’t aware of which American city was devastated by Hurricane Katrina, and those who cannot identify the author of a web page.
People of all ages will be responsible and civil in their communication behaviors, treating others with respect and appreciating the need for social norms of behavior that create a sense of personal accountability for one’s online and offline actions.
We’ll reach underserved youth including those young people who experience the juvenile justice system, who may be among the most vulnerable to negative messages in the media because of the lack of access to supportive adults and other resiliency factors.
The silos that separate classroom learning from experiential learning that happens in the workplace and the community
People of all ages will internalize the practice of asking critical questions about the author, purpose and point of view of every sort of message--- from political campaigns, pharmaceutical advertising, reports and surveys issued by think-tanks, websites, breaking news, email, blogs, and the opinions of politicians, pundits and celebrities.
Teachers will use engaging instructional methods to explore the complex role of news and current events in society, making connections to literature, science, health and history, building bridges between the classroom and the living room that support a lifetime of learning.
People of all ages will be responsible and civil in their communication behaviors, treating others with respect and appreciating the need for social norms of behavior that create a sense of personal accountability for one’s online and offline actions.
As a fundamental part of instruction, students will compose and create authentic messages for real audiences, using digital tools, images, language, sound and interactivity to develop knowledge and skills and discover the power of being an effective communicator.
People from all walks of life will be able to achieve their goals in finding, sharing and using information solve problems, developing the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, communicate and share ideas and information, participating in meaningful social action in their neighborhoods, communities, nation and the world.
In the process, teamwork, collaboration, reflection, ethics and social responsibility will flourish. Teachers won’t have to complain about a generation of young people who lack the ability to identify appropriate keywords for an online search activity, those who aren’t aware of which American city was devastated by Hurricane Katrina, and those who cannot identify the author of a web page.
Examples of this:
Science communication – using digital media to help the public understand about climate change
Ritchie Garrison, professor of history at the University of Delaware- digitizing early American samplers enlisting technology to connect the public with its cultural legacy.
Review history of each one. Note that all are approaches responding to the new texts, the new tools and the new technologies that are part of everyday life.
Using technology tools. Do students get to use technology tools for finding information, problem solving, self-expression, and communication? Do assignments progressively deepen their capacity to use tools well? Or is going to the technology lab simply a matter of following directions on a worksheet? Or worse, is it a break from real learning?
Gathering information. Do you model effective strategies for finding information from diverse sources? Do you give students opportunities to work independently? Do you give students choices? Or do you make most of the selections on their behalf?
Comprehending. Are students challenged to make sense of texts? Do you create a learning climate where students’ interpretations are respected, valued, and shared? Or do you do most of the work of interpreting and explaining?
Using technology tools. Do students get to use technology tools for finding information, problem solving, self-expression, and communication? Do assignments progressively deepen their capacity to use tools well? Or is going to the technology lab simply a matter of following directions on a worksheet? Or worse, is it a break from real learning?
Gathering information. Do you model effective strategies for finding information from diverse sources? Do you give students opportunities to work independently? Do you give students choices? Or do you make most of the selections on their behalf?
Comprehending. Are students challenged to make sense of texts? Do you create a learning climate where students’ interpretations are respected, valued, and shared? Or do you do most of the work of interpreting and explaining?
Consider how analysis and evaluation competencies are part of your curriculum:
Asking good questions. Do you ask open-ended questions that have no right or wrong answers? Do students’ answers matter in your classroom? Do their questions matter?
Gaining knowledge. Do your assignments and activities promote curiosity? Do students get to apply and use the knowledge they are gaining?
Contextualizing. Have you framed your curriculum around an essential question, one that touches hearts and souls, one that helps to define what it means to be human? In doing this, do students get to strengthen their understanding of political, social, economic, and cultural contexts that shape interpretation?
Consider how analysis and evaluation competencies are part of your curriculum:
Asking good questions. Do you ask open-ended questions that have no right or wrong answers? Do students’ answers matter in your classroom? Do their questions matter?
Gaining knowledge. Do your assignments and activities promote curiosity? Do students get to apply and use the knowledge they are gaining?
Contextualizing. Have you framed your curriculum around an essential question, one that touches hearts and souls, one that helps to define what it means to be human? In doing this, do students get to strengthen their understanding of political, social, economic, and cultural contexts that shape interpretation?
Every teacher must consider how communication and composition are part of their teaching goals:
Expression in multiple modes. Do students get to use different genres, including narrative, persuasive, and expository forms? Do they get to use image, language, sound, graphic design, performance, and interactivity to get their message across?
Authentic audiences. Do students get to use literacy practices in ways that are meaningful forms of communication? Do they “talk back” to texts? Or do they primarily summarize and reproduce the ideas they encounter? Does their work reach real audiences, or is it created as an exercise for the teacher to grade and return?
Content and form in relation to purpose and audience. Do students get to shape a message’s content based on their purpose and intended target audience? Or do students learn only standard forms, like the lab report, the research paper, the worksheet, or the five-paragraph essay?
Every teacher must consider how communication and composition are part of their teaching goals:
Expression in multiple modes. Do students get to use different genres, including narrative, persuasive, and expository forms? Do they get to use image, language, sound, graphic design, performance, and interactivity to get their message across?
Authentic audiences. Do students get to use literacy practices in ways that are meaningful forms of communication? Do they “talk back” to texts? Or do they primarily summarize and reproduce the ideas they encounter? Does their work reach real audiences, or is it created as an exercise for the teacher to grade and return?
Content and form in relation to purpose and audience. Do students get to shape a message’s content based on their purpose and intended target audience? Or do students learn only standard forms, like the lab report, the research paper, the worksheet, or the five-paragraph essay?
Teachers can support students’ ethical, social, and emotional development when they do the following:
Encourage multiperspectival thinking. Do students get to imagine the thoughts, feelings, and ideas of others? Are they encouraged to move beyond either–or thinking? Do they get safe opportunities to share their feelings and listen to others? Do they practice building empathy by reflecting on the experience of standing in someone else’s shoes?
Predict consequences and use hypothetical reasoning. Do students get to investigate the genuine conflicts they experience in the world outside the classroom? Do they get to apply reasoning skills to the challenges of daily life, especially in relation to communication and social relationships?
Talk about power and responsibility. Do students get to examine how social status, hierarchy, respect, and power are exercised through communication practices, including praise, criticism, and gossip? Do they get to reflect on how our own communication behaviors shape the way we are treated by others?
Teachers can support students’ ethical, social, and emotional development when they do the following:
Encourage multiperspectival thinking. Do students get to imagine the thoughts, feelings, and ideas of others? Are they encouraged to move beyond either–or thinking? Do they get safe opportunities to share their feelings and listen to others? Do they practice building empathy by reflecting on the experience of standing in someone else’s shoes?
Predict consequences and use hypothetical reasoning. Do students get to investigate the genuine conflicts they experience in the world outside the classroom? Do they get to apply reasoning skills to the challenges of daily life, especially in relation to communication and social relationships?
Talk about power and responsibility. Do students get to examine how social status, hierarchy, respect, and power are exercised through communication practices, including praise, criticism, and gossip? Do they get to reflect on how our own communication behaviors shape the way we are treated by others?
Connect the classroom to the world. Do classroom activities connect to relevant social issues, debates, and controversies in the world outside the classroom? Do students take action to address meaningful real-world problems that require solutions?
Support leadership and collaboration. Do students get to use problem-solving skills to influence more than one person toward a goal? Do they recognize how to leverage the strengths of others to accomplish a common goal?
Develop integrity and accountability. Are students held accountable for their actions? Are situations and opportunities provided that enable students to discover how personal values like honesty and courtesy benefit the individual, the group, and the society?
Connect the classroom to the world. Do classroom activities connect to relevant social issues, debates, and controversies in the world outside the classroom? Do students take action to address meaningful real-world problems that require solutions?
Support leadership and collaboration. Do students get to use problem-solving skills to influence more than one person toward a goal? Do they recognize how to leverage the strengths of others to accomplish a common goal?
Develop integrity and accountability. Are students held accountable for their actions? Are situations and opportunities provided that enable students to discover how personal values like honesty and courtesy benefit the individual, the group, and the society?