by Michael Leedom | 29 Feb 2024 | Education, Educators' Catalog, Media Literacy, University of Toronto Journalism Fellows
If a child is old enough to learn to read, it’s time to teach them to be media literate. But how to implement that in schools takes some problem solving skills. A teen shrugs at the difference between two computer screens. One shows an article by the New York...
Today’s students are digital natives, but are they digitally literate? In this Classroom #Decoder, guest writer Michael Leedom of the University of Toronto surveys media literacy curriculums around the globe, finding that media literacy education in Finland may be the world’s most robust.
Exercise: Read the article with your class, then have students try their hand at “lateral reading”. This is defined in the text as “checking the credibility of a claim by consulting other sources. Rather than remaining on a website with questionable information to find answers, known as ‘vertical reading’, students are taught to open a new tab and see if new information conflicts with what more trusted websites offer.” Present students with a web page and have them verify the credibility of that page by practicing lateral reading.
by Helen Womack | 17 Nov 2023 | Education, Journalism
First impressions are important. But with writing, the second draft is better. It helps to have an editor but sometimes you need to take on that role yourself. An editor has tightened up Shakespeare’s “To be or not to be” monologue. Illustration by...
by Andrea Knezevic | 16 Nov 2023 | Europe, Human Rights, Journalism, Politics, WePod
When a journalist traveled from the east to the west of Europe, the level of press freedom was a cultural shock. A map of countries on the site of Reporters Without Borders shows that Serbia slid to 91st place this year in the Press Freedom Index of countries. In the...
by News Decoder | 7 Nov 2023 | Education, Journalism, Media Literacy, News Decoder Updates
To combat the spread of disinformation a new consortium will offer a digital tool to help teachers incorporate journalism into media literacy classes. A teen practices photojournalism. It is difficult for young people to navigate through all the information and...
by News Decoder | 29 Sep 2023 | Education, Journalism, Media Literacy
A media literacy organization asked for nominations of teachers and groups who teach youth about press freedom. Nominations came from all across the world. Children in a classroom and a blackboard that says “Test Monday: Press Freedom.” Illustration by...
