GMLP Bloggers Corner and Featured Articles

Online Resources for Teaching Media Literacy

Guest Contributor, Frank Baker By Frank W. Baker In 1998, I created the Media Literacy Clearinghouse website because I wanted to offer K-12 educators (and others) an online venue for locating appropriate resources that would help in the teaching of media literacy. Thousands of teachers have discovered the resources offered there.  Over time, the site has grown and includes more original content since its inception. Since that time, the web has not... [Read more]

Thematic Meme: Obama as Foreigner

Art Silverblatt Professor, Dept. of Communications and Journalism Webster University A meme is a story or element that is transmitted throughout a culture. The term “Meme” was originally used to describe a certain kind of biological system. Over time, this concept of memes has been applied to transmission of culture from one mind to another, through the channels of mass communication. A memetic approach to media analysis examines reasons behind... [Read more]

Gen. McChrystal Story Prompts Role-of-Journalist Discussions

Discussions  continue to swirl regarding  General McChrystal’s resignation/firing, but you can just imagine the discussions regarding the media coverage of this news.  More specifically, there are numerous discussions about  how media cover  prominent figures, in general.   We bring two points of view to you,  right here, with an even more specific angle: the role of the journalist in covering such stories. Eric Mink, Assistant Professor,... [Read more]

Teaching Media Literacy Through Magazines

Guest Contributor, Frank Baker, Media Literacy Clearinghouse By Frank W. Baker (Media Literacy Clearinghouse) This spring, the magazine industry promoted itself with an advertising campaign which basically said ever since the rise of the Internet and other technologies, magazine subscriptions have increased. In other words, the rumors of the demise of the print magazine are premature. The logo for the campaign was: Did you instantly recognize some... [Read more]

A Comprehensive Definition of Media Literacy

Art Silverblatt, Ph.D Professor, Webster University A Comprehensive Definition of Media Literacy One of the major challenges facing the discipline of media literacy involves its name recognition. This abundance of definitions adds to the confusion surrounding the focus of the discipline. Although media literacy is included in the educational standards of all fifty states in the U.S., many of these states do not include the term “media literacy”... [Read more]

Resource for Teachers on Copyright and Fair Use in the Classroom

Now that the spring semester is over, I’m in the process of retooling my courses for the fall.  While catching up on my favorite sites today, I came across this link from the Temple University’s Media Education Lab. Those of us media educators know how important the use of copyrighted material is for learning about media literacy in the classroom.  But sometimes, there’s so much gray area surrounding what is “fair use”? I... [Read more]

Parent Perspective: The game of ‘Telephone’ Digital Style

In March, my school district received an alert from Homeland Security that there was some type of threat intended for schools.  The alert was very vague and in the end, turned out to be intended for schools in the Washington D.C. area.  But, at the time the alert was issued, schools had no better information to go on. My district acted accordingly by increasing their vigilance at their doors, notifying faculty of the situation and notifying parents... [Read more]

Kick….What?! Got another movie pick?

Approaching the ticket counter, I was hesitant to purchase a ticket to Kick-Ass, a reportedly violent movie that exploits a child, touted as a superhero comedy film. I was conflicted, wanting to provide commentary without contributing to the financial success of such an endeavor. As I expressed my dilemma, the young woman behind the window coaxingly stated, “My boyfriend saw it last night and loved it.”  Then she sold me a ticket and I headed... [Read more]

Talking to Strangers – A Trend in Minimalist Social Media

As communication technology develops rapidly, younger generations are embracing this brave new world while older generations are getting lost in the shuffle. As a result, we are faced with a harsh irony:  We live in an intensely technologically connected world where communication is cheaply and readily available.  But despite all the avenues of communication, the population seems to be growing further apart as a result. Technology has divided us... [Read more]

Careers in Media Literacy (2010)

Increasingly, students across the U.S. are developing a passionate interest in the field of media literacy. But although these students clearly understand the value of this area of study, they are faced with a practical consideration—namely, what careers are available for those who study media literacy. Generally speaking, this discipline prepares individuals for any profession requiring critical thinking, research, and writing skills. But more... [Read more]

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