Ideas for Incorporating Film Into Instruction (Awards Season Related)

This New York Times Learning Network blog post offer ideas for incorporating lessons about film into the curriculum as three major film-industry events get under way. It suggests having students compare one of this year's nominees for the Best Picture Oscar with the books on which they are based, or having them write a review or persuasive essay about the film they liked best. Other suggestions include analyzing the historical accuracy of a film or creating a video to discuss a favorite scene in one of the films.

Media Literacy: A Necessary 21st Century Skill

St. Louis area educator Don Goble writes about the importance of media literacy from his perspective as a high school broadcast, technology and film teacher.

Media Literacy Matters: Frank Baker's ISTE Blog Post

For more than 20 years, I have taught media literacy—critical thinking about media messages—to teachers and students around the US. In every presentation/workshop, I ask my audience to define media literacy as they understand it to mean. Unfortunately, most don’t understand it.  More on ISTE's blog.

Info literacy must be a community education movement (Renee Hobbs)

“The Internet is quickly becoming the critical gateway for accessing jobs, education, healthcare, government services and civic participation, yet a disturbing number of Americans lack broadband access or the basic skills in how to use it,” noted Renee Hobbs. “But digital literacy is not as simple as giving people access to a broadband hookup. As the nonpartisan Knight Commission on the Information Needs of Communities in a Democracy found, digital literacy is actually a constellation of life skills that are necessary for full participation in our media-saturated, information-rich society.”

What are these life skills that are encompassed by digital literacy? They include the abilities to access, analyze and evaluate, create, reflect and act. In her ProJo op-ed, Hobbs lists the following capabilities:

New Website: The Language of Film

I invite all who teach and/or love film to be the FIRST to see/review my new website The Language of Film.  The site is still "under construction."  Suggestions, additions and recommendations are welcome. Respond here or privately at  fbaker1346@aol.com

Webinar & New Book On Media Literacy

Admittedly, this is self-serving since I am the author...but I couldn't help but want to post information about my newest book ("Media Literacy in the K-12 Classroom") here. ISTE will publish the book this month, and on January 19th I will be conducting a webinar on the topic of media literacy. I hope you'll join me and consider sharing this information with a colleague or librarian. 

Frank Baker, Media Literacy Clearinghouse

The Library as a Digital Learning Space

Wanting to develop a media center/library that would go beyond stacks of unused books, dark study corners, and low lighting, the staff at a high school in Simsbury, CT, worked with its district superintendent to determine a new direction for the facility. Some of the key questions discussed concerned the need for a physical library in the information age, the role that books would play in the new facility, and how media literacy would be taught to students.

Computer skills are the grammar of the 21st century

The Guardian (UK) has started a "digital literacy" iniative which includes a dialogue with readers and educators about the future of education. In this interview, the Conservative minister for culture, communications and the creative industry says computer skills are "the grammar of the 21st century".