What is media literacy and why is it important?

          Media literacy is the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, and create media in a variety of forms. Media literacy skills are also included in educational standards such as: language arts, social studies, science, health and other standards. Media literacy has become an important skill to have in the 21^st century. Students who are media literate will be able to better understand the complex messages they receive from the internet, video games, and all other forms of media. Media literacy has even been endorsed by the President, teachers, and different organizational groups. Many studies suggest that if students know about media literacy they will be less vulnerable to negative media in the world.

            Media literacy is important because it is essential for schools. Many young children are growing up with technology and media in their lives. Children that are very young up unto age eight are spending hours looking at a screen. A lot of children’s ideas and behavior are controlled by what they see and do on that screen which is a program created by an individual. Schools should include media literacy education for their children because it is an effective way to engage students in critical thinking skills for optimal learning. Media literacy can also protect students from the unhealthy aspects of it so they will have the knowledge to know right from wrong. Educators have to be trained greatly on media literacy as well so they can develop a comprehensive understanding of the impact of media literacy on a child’s learning. Teachers will be able to use their strategies to help families become more media literate so they can deal successfully with the media in their children’s lives. 

Here are three live links to this topic:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/diane-levin/media-literacy-for-young-_b_4263888.html

http://medialiteracy.net/media-literacy/

http://medialiteracyproject.org/learn/media-literacy