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MediaEd Research Jam

MediaEd Research Jam

The 1st MediaEd Research Jam: Media Education at the College Level

The 1st MediaEd Research Jam aims to address the current challenges of teaching about and with media in colleges and universities across the country. The day-and-a-half event will gather higher education faculty interested in media education research and practice to discuss research collaborations and strategies to move forward as we address media's impact on political polarization,  students' mental health, as well as the state of media education in the U.S. campuses, and issues with declining enrollment and student engagement in the classroom.

 

The Research jam will use the following practices to foster collaboration and fruitful discussion:

  • Open a dialogue within the media literacy community about our current status and ways forward
  • Identifying specific takeaways and ideas for accountability post-symposia
  • Develop working groups to target specific symposium takeaways and post-meeting tasks

 

Record conversations for auto-generated AI notes to drive after-symposia write up and analysis.

For the in person parts, the registration is limited to up to 25 seats. You can register HERE. 

For the online parts, see links to Zoom registration HERE. 

This gathering is co-sponsored by: 

Sponsors

 

Program: 

Thursday, March 6th 
UIC Richard J. Daley Library, 801 S Morgan St, Chicago, IL 60607
 

9:30AM-10:00AM - Welcome: Opening remarks
Dr. Anna Kozlowska-Barrios UNESCO MIL Alliance 
UIC Dean of Libraries, Dr. Rhea Ballard Thrower
Dr. Michael A. Spikes, Illinois Media Literacy Coalition
Dr. Yonty Friesem, Media Education Lab

10:00AM-11:30AM - Interactive Opening Dialogue: 
The current landscape of U.S. media education in HigherEd. Join us via Zoom as well. Registration HERE. 
 

11:30AM-11:45AM - Tea break
 

11:45AM-12:45PM - Workshop: Aligning your values with your activities 

12:45PM-1:30PM - Working Lunch - Identifying current debates/challenges within MLE research and practice


1:30PM-3:00PM - Workshop: What works and doesn’t in the classroom
Join us via Zoom as well. Registration HERE. 


3:00PM-3:15PM - Tea Break


3:15PM-4:00PM - Open Forum: Sharing work with the whole group and setting the agenda for the second day
 

4:00PM-4:30PM - Break 
4:30PM-5:30PM - Social Event at Alhambra Palace Restaurant 
1240 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60607

 

Friday, March 7th 
UIC Richard J. Daley Library, 801 S Morgan St, Chicago, IL 60607
9:00AM-10:00AM - Interactive Keynote: MLE Policy, evaluation, & fundings  


10:00AM-11:00AM - Workshop: Evaluating our students: Strategies for credentialing in MLE


11:00AM-11:15AM - Tea break


11:15AM-12:30PM - Closing Workshop: Imagining research projects and collaborations
 

Registration is limited to up to 25 seats. You can register HERE. 

For online participants, you can register HERE. 


For future proposals and joining the 2026 planning committee, send inquiries to Yonty Friesem or Michael A. Spikes or Anna Kozlowska-Barrios.