Resources

These videos have been used in classrooms around the world to teach people about media literacy and about technology in the classroom. Click the titles for more information.

Teaching Media Literacy: Asking Questions

This program explains how to teach media literacy through the application of three basic facts and five key analytical questions that can be applied to any media message. This simple and highly effective approach is reinforced by insights and observations provided by important figures in the media literacy movement, including Elizabeth Thoman, Tessa Jolls, and Jeff Share, of the Center for Media Literacy. Fight passive consumerism and promote critical thinking with Teaching Media Literacy. (31 minutes)

Understanding Media Literacy

This program explains the basic concepts of media literacy, including five key analytical questions that can be applied to any message, and then presents examples from a variety of media types that appeal specifically to teens. Examples are conveniently divided by type of media, and include specific analytical questions corresponding to each type. This is perfect for in-class viewing at any grade level, and will certainly lead to lively discussions. (33 minutes)

Teaching Media Literacy: Asking More Questions

This program is a perfect companion piece to 2006's critically acclaimed Teaching Media Literacy: Asking Questions. It contains previously unseen interviews with important figures in the media literacy movement discussing issues such as consumerism, body image, politics and media, early childhood media education, and more. Continue to fight passive consumerism and to promote critical thinking with Teaching Media Literacy: Asking More Questions. Great as a companion piece or on its own. (117 minutes)

Media Literacy in the 21st Century Classroom

This title explores media literacy using popular forms of media that are relevant to young people today. It also gives numerous examples of media from television, films, and commercials, and it helps the audience understand how they're being influenced by media. Memorizing facts and information are skills from the 20th century. The 21st century is the era of information overload, so the 21st century citizen needs to learn how analyze information and so called facts. Media literacy helps people be critical of the information they receive. (40 minutes)

Podcasting and Blogging Essentials

This program explains the basic concepts of podcasting and blogging, two new technologies that allow people to share their thoughts and ideas over the internet using text, audio, and video. The viewer will learn the basics of each technology in plain English, and with step-by-step instructions for creating his or her own podcast or blog. No previous knowledge is required, and technical jargon is avoided. Perfect for people of all ages who have ideas to share! (57 minutes)

Blogging in the Classroom

Since the creation of the printing press and moveable type, information media has been controlled by those with the money and resources to publish the information. News organizations are run as commercial enterprises, so their loyalties lie with advertisers, not with the readers. If you’re a consumer of information media and you have an opinion about a particular article or the world in general, your voice would be silenced by editors who are more concerned with printing stories that sell newspapers than printing public opinion. (25 minutes)

Podcasting in the Classroom

Podcasting is a multimedia technology taking the Internet by storm. These audio and video files are created by people who want to share their points of view, and can be downloaded from the Internet to a computer or to a portable music player. Podcasts exist for just about every topic you can imagine, and people of all ages have embraced this technology to get all sorts of information.(25 minutes)