Overview
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The lesson plan supplements included on this website are made available for all educators, instructors or facilitators who are interested in teaching media literacy at no cost. The curriculum is flexible and can be adaptable to each educator's unique time frame and student ability. The first three lesson plans are based on media literacy fundamentals, for audiences who are new to media literacy, this is a good place to start. With the exception of these first three lessons, the remaining lessons are numbered, but do not necessarily build upon each other. This means they can be given in random order, based on the educator's interest and needs of the students. Each lesson refers to 'students,' however, the content is designed for a variety of group learning environments, such as classrooms, library workshops and/or other educational public forums. The content is generally appropriate for ages 12 years old and older, but can be adapted where necessary to meet specific educational needs and goals. Pilot groups in secondary education, higher education and adult civic forums have all found the material relevant and timely in providing guidance in starting a discussion about media literacy topics and applying the material to meet their learning outcomes. This website was designed as a thesis project created for educational purposes and is subject to adjustments and updates.
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Standards
According to The Common Core State Standards Initiative (CCSSI), these standards provide American students for college and careers. The standards provide a clear set of shared goals and expectations for the knowledge and skills individuals need in English language arts and mathematics to prepare them to succeed in college, career, and life. According to CCSSI, one specific standard is that students are required to "use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and to interact and collaborate with others." In addition to collaborating online, students must also "prepare for and participate effectively in a range of [real-time] conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others' ideas and express their own clearly and persuasively" (www.corestandards.org, 2018). The lesson plans found on this website strive to meet these Common Core State Standards.
Media Literacy Resources
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Digital media provide a vast collection of tools for teaching and learning about the topic of media literacy. This site offers a sampling of material from experts in the field of media literacy; a broad collection to introduce media literacy fundamentals to the general public. The site was created as a thesis project with the purpose of streamlining lesson topics for educators and incorporating free media production elements in a low stakes, experimental manner. The curriculum supplements provided within this website utilize a large quantity of media content from a variety of sources, including images, educational content and activities. Each lesson plan provides embedded links to the source of the content or lists the source of the content, unless it is original content designed by the creator of the site or creative commons content. There are many reputable media literacy organizations who offer their resources online. The organizations who are linked throughout this site are listed below. To make suggestions or add additional organizations and resources, please use the contact tab.
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The following organizations provided content that is instrumental in the creation of this material. As experts in the field of media literacy, they set the standard. For additional educational resources and information about media literacy, visit their sites.
National Association of Media Literacy Education (NAMLE)
New York Times: The Learning Network
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Disclaimer
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The content within this site may be added or removed without notice and is not a full representation of all media literacy curriculum, theory, or practice - it is a condensed collection. Content may include small typos, errors or outdated content, based on the evolving nature of media platforms and resources. Regarding the copyrighted content, according to the doctrine of fair use, Section 107 of the Copyright Law of 1976, users have the right to use copyrighted materials without payment or permission depending on the specific context and situation of the use. Educational analysis of media literacy is one of these situations. The doctrine of fair use is central to the enterprise of all media literacy education.
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