ED 7710 - Foundations in Media Literacy

Part of the IT&DML Program at the University of New Haven. Students examine the Internet and other communication technologies as they shape social and educational systems, guided by critical foundational theories of traditional and new media.

Course Description

Students in this course will consider the Internet and other communication technologies (ICTs) as they shape social and educational systems. This examination will be guided by critical foundational theories to include a focused study of traditional and new media, including social media that attempts to account for the feedback loops between institutions, audiences, and technology. The class will examine foundational research across various media to evaluate how media is used in K-12 instruction, with awareness of how these skills will play out in higher education or in individuals' lives. Students will investigate how critical thinking and the Internet shape how we learn. Media literacy means not just accepting what is presented, but being an active user, a critical media evaluator — understanding content, systems, application, and effect — to be a better informed decision maker.

Learning Objectives

Examine the evolving nature of subject-matter knowledge and the need for constantly acquiring new ideas and understandings, including the impact of technology and information sources on teaching, communications, and knowledge development.
Design strategic questions and opportunities that appropriately challenge students and actively engage them in exploring content through strategies such as discourse and inquiry-based learning.
Debate and critique the ethical and legal issues associated with bringing new media technologies and participatory culture practices into the classroom.
Outline the ethical challenges youth face in their roles as media producers and members of online communities.
Apply theoretical understandings to the development of curricular resources for use in school or after-school programs.

Required Readings

All readings available on the course website. Key texts include:

Bennett, W. L. (2009). Changing Citizenship in the Digital Age. In Civic Life Online: Learning How Digital Media Can Engage Youth. MIT Press.
Boyd, D. (2009). Why Youth Social Network Sites: The Role of Networked Publics in Teenage Social Life. In Youth, Identity and Digital Media. MIT Press.
Bruns, A. (2008). Educating Produsers, Produsing Education. In Blogs, Wikipedia, Second Life, and Beyond: From Production to Produsage. Peter Lang.
Buckingham, D. & Domaille, K. (2003). Where have we been and where are we going? Results of the UNESCO Global Survey of Media Education. UNESCO Children, Youth and Media Yearbook.
Flanagin, A. & Metzger, M. (2008). Digital Media and Youth: Unparalleled Opportunity and Unprecedented Responsibility. In Digital Media, Youth, and Credibility. MIT Press.
Hayes, E. (2008). Girls, Gaming, and Trajectories of IT Expertise. In Beyond Barbie & Mortal Kombat. MIT Press.
Jenkins, H. (2008). What Wikipedia Can Teach Us About the New Media Literacies. Journal of Media Literacy.
Kafai, Y. (2008). Gender Play in a Tween Gaming Club. In Beyond Barbie & Mortal Kombat. MIT Press.
McLuhan, M. (1997). Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man. MIT Press. (Original 1964.)
Mraz, M., Heron, A. & Wood, K. (2003). Media Literacy, Popular Culture, and the Transfer of Higher Order Thinking Abilities. Middle School Journal.

Assignments

Online Responses & Google+ Communities (15%) — Weekly posts to the course Google+ Community: one post at the start of the week, one response to a colleague, one post at the end. Maximum 300 words per post; must connect to course readings and the week's question of inquiry.
One Minute Commercial (40%) — Produce and share a one-minute video commercial about yourself. Upload to YouTube and post to your blog. Include a written reflection on the process.
Create a Multimodal Tutorial (25%) — Choose a free web-based ICT and develop a how-to guide for educators. Must include setup procedures, instructional routines and curricular ideas, and an example lesson plan. Final product includes written instructions plus screencasts or screenshots. Posted to the Digital Texts and Tools course site.
Design, Develop, and Iterate on Your Blog (20%) — Over the semester, build a blog with 20–30 posts showcasing the digital identity you want to portray.

Grading

Grade	Points
A	171–200
A-	163–170
B+	158–162
B	153–157
B-	148–152
C+	143–147
C	138–142
F	Below 133