Freedom of expression and social responsibility are key dimensions of citizenship. Democracies rely on people who are capable of self-governance and who are not merely spectators of a political sideshow. Media literacy education helps students become critical thinkers, encouraging them to become skeptical about political messages without becoming cynical about them. By constructing media messages, working collaboratively and participating in meaningful dialogue about social and political issues, students develop the ability to advocate for themselves and their communities, activating real citizenship skills.
Topics
Media, Youth and Civic Engagement
Events
Explore and reflect on how college and university faculty engage in teaching about propaganda with a diverse group of faculty experts
Have you been curious about what Tier 2 is all about? Want to reflect more about the Power of Two in relation to personal and professional identity and action?
Teaching Resources
Propaganda Education for a Digital Age: New Book Plus Online Learning Modules
Undergraduate and graduate students benefit from exploring the multidisciplinary history of media literacy
Help students build social, emotional and cognitive skills by using a six-stage process of collaborative media production
Talk about feelings & needs in ways that promote compassion & empathy
Help students understand how copyright and fair use supports digital learning
Guided inquiry & viewing of Adam Ruins the Internet helps learners reflect on the pros and cons of media regulation.
The comprehensive three-volume curriculum created by Renee Hobbs and the Discovery Channel for the Maryland State Department of Education is available online.
Research and Scholarship
- Kelly Mendoza, K., Pereira, T. Xu, W., & Yoon, J...(2007,).Seeing through the Blog: A Case Study of the Scarsdale Current Events Blog .
- Kelly Mendoza..(2007,).Connecting the Literature on Girls and the Internet to Evaluation Ideas for My Pop Studio .
- Henry Cohn-Geltner..(2007,).An examination of the impact of media literacy programs on reengaging high school dropouts in the academic process .
- Jiwon Yoon..(2007,).Media Education: Benefits for Students and Teachers at Alternative High Schools .
- Renee Hobbs, Paul Folkemer & Katie Donnelly..(2007,).Teens Blog the News .
- Renee Hobbs..(2004,January).Does Media Literacy Work? An Empirical Study of Learning How to Analyze Advertisements Advertising and Society Review ,1-28.
- Renee Hobbs..(2004,).A Review of School-based Initiatives in Media Literacy American Behavioral Scientist,48-59.
- Friesem, Y..(2017,).The media production hive: Using media education for differentiated instruction. Media Education- Studies, Research, Best Practice, 8(1), 123-140. doi:10.14605/MED811708,.
- Hobbs, R. ..(2016,July).Experience, immersion and critical distance in VR/AR in education Ed Tech Mindset,24 - 26.
- Coiro, J., Castek, J. & Quinn, D...(2016,April).Personal inquiry and online research: Connecting learners in ways that matter. The Reading Teacher 69,483 - 492.
- Valenza, J. & Hobbs, R. ..(2016,April).School librarians as stakeholders in the children and media community: A dialogue Journal of Children and Media 10:2, 147-155, DOI: 10.1080/17482798.2015.1127841,.