Media Literacy: a Crucial Component of Education
If you ask any student if they are literate, they will likely say “Of course!” Certainly, most people think of literacy as the merely the simple skill of being able to read and write. But if you ask a student if they are media literate, you might get a puzzled look. Unfortunately, if a person is not media literate, their literacy is not complete. But what precisely is media literacy? And how does media literacy “complete” a student’s overall literacy?
According to Wikipedia, media literacy is process of analyzing, evaluating, and creating messages through the various mediums of media, such as radio, television, the Internet, and newspapers. Media literacy classes teach students how to critically analyze media messages to detect any forms of censorship, bias, propaganda, and misleading or outright false information. Students also learn how information is processed and packaged. For example, media literacy courses could include lessons on how a television studio puts together a news program, or how a newspaper reporter gathers reliable sources of information.
Given the veritable tidal wave of information that we absorb on a daily basis, media literacy is now more important than ever. Without media literacy, a student could fall prey to deceptive ad campaigns, misleading political messages, or wild Internet rumors. But if students learn how information is produced and distributed, they can be much more savvy consumers of information.
Many progressive schools are now incorporating media literacy studies to help students face the information challenges of the 21st century. At the Ross School in New York, media studies are an important part of the curriculum. Students have access to the latest video production and editing equipment. Ross School students also enjoy courses in photography, television production, and print media. The Ross School believes that media studies are a crucial part of molding a responsible and engaged citizen.
