Strand: MediaEd Dialogues | Media Education Lab

MediaEd Dialogues: A Forum for Dialogue and Discussion

In these two sessions, the floor is open and everyone learns from everyone! This convening uses a "question generation" protocol to discover what people in the session want to talk about. We first establish some ground rules to ensure that our discussion is authentic and useful to all participants.

After creating a list of questions, people choose which topics they wish to discuss and we break into small groups for dialogue and discussion. In the synthesis component of the session, we reflect on insights gained, generate new questions for future consideration, and thank the people who shared their perspectives as members of our online learning community.

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Strand Facilitators: Renee Hobbs & Pam Steager

As a trailblazing educator, author, and media literacy advocate, Renee Hobbs has dedicated her life to empowering individuals of all ages to navigate the complex landscape of information, entertainment, and persuasion.

With a career spanning decades, Renee has been a leading voice in the field of media literacy, tirelessly promoting critical thinking, digital citizenship, and media creation skills. Her passion is infectious, and her expertise unparalleled.

Renee Hobbs offers insights that unlock the power of media literacy for all. Discover how to decode propaganda, use the power of fair use for digital learning, and cultivate a discerning mind as you create media to deepen learning.

Pam Steager is the Director of Community Engagement for COURAGEOUS RI, a Media Education Lab initiative that brings people together for interactive information and conversation to counter disinformation, enhance civic participation, and improve media literacy for students, educators, and the general public. Pam’s forty-year career in the prevention, education, and human service fields included directing substance abuse and violence prevention programs in school systems, communities, and prisons, which led to her interest in media literacy. With co-authors Renee Hobbs and Liz Deslauriers, she wrote The Library Screen Scene, a book on film and media programs in school and public libraries, published by Oxford University Press in 2019.

About Courageous RI:

Community conversations to counter disinformation, enhance civic participation, and improve media literacy

Find Common Ground: Courageous RI, with support from the Department of Homeland Security, works to prevent rising violence and extremism with authentic and respectful conversation.

Build Media Literacy Skills for a Lifetime: By engaging with Courageous RI Journey, you will access practical tools and support that increase tolerance, problem solving, and appreciation of other points of view. We help people to ask the right questions and empower them to be more informed.

Stay Curious, Not Furious: Thinking critically about what we hear, read, and see is important for people of every background, across the political spectrum. It is an ongoing process of listening, learning, and reflecting that has the power to stop hate in our communities.

MediaEd Forum

MediaEd Dialogues: A Forum for Dialogue and Discussion

View a detailed conference schedule