Media Literacy
Media
literacy can be defined as the “the ability to make sense of the messages one
receives from multiple media formats,” (Avery, 11). According to OME’s Media
Literacy Guide, media literacy involves an “informed and critical understanding
of mass media, the techniques used by them, and the impact of these techniques,”
(Baker, 10). Scholars involved in this field assert that media literacy is a
crucial skill and believe that its development is essential for all members of
the American public. With regards to higher education, a certain emphasis has
been placed on the advancement and availability of media literacy-focused
courses and student access to them.
The importance of media literacy has grown exponentially
over the years, as more and more mass media formats are introduced often. Many
people I know get their news from their mobile devices or through various apps.
Unfortunately, the days of reading magazines, newspapers, and even books with
pages and bindings are long gone. With everything available online, and much of
it personalized to our tastes, it becomes a challenge for us to effectively
engage ourselves with different facets of mass media and all of those different
messages. Having the skill set to critically think about the messages we
receive and interpret becomes vital. It is important for us to do our own
thinking and draw independent conclusions about information in the media. Many
people blindly believe a message they receive from the mass media as truth or
fact without pausing to consider the source, purpose, and intentions behind
that message. I believe that in order for us to be at our best, we must not
only be informed of our world, but rather accurately informed of it.
www.iste.org/docs/excerpts/MEDLIT-excerpt.pdf
Avery, Susan. Media
Literacy and Library Instruction: A Case Study of Writing with Video. College and University Media Review
13: 77-93. http://cima.ned.org/media-development/media-literacy
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