Importance of reflection in the media literacy classroom
Biographical Sketch
Elizaveta Friesem is a scholar and practitioner of media literacy education focusing on issues of diversity, understood broadly as an intersection of gender, sexuality, race, class, and physical ability. She combines principles of media literacy education, media studies, and anti-bias education in order to explore strategies of teaching about diversity in and through the media.
Type of Presentation
Individual presentation
Brief Description of Presentation
This presentation will highlight the importance of introducing reflection into media literacy classrooms, and ways to help your students engage in it as they are analyzing or creating media texts. In particular, the presentation will focus on how learning about their biases, and about principles of human communication that shape their interactions with others, students can become more ethical and empathic members of the media-saturated society.
Abstract of Proposal
Media literacy is often defined as an ability to analyze media texts created by others, and produce your own messages in an effective and respectful manner. Critical media literacy education often focuses on helping students deconstruct media texts and representations created by others. However, to be truly media literate we should not forget about the importance of reflection. Although reflection is a part a part of some education models (for example, the AACRA model created by Renee Hobbs), educators often spend little time on this element of media literacy. Time constraints is one reason for this omission; in addition, teachers often prefer to focus on analyzing and creating media texts as these skills are seen as essential for media literacy. In this presentation I will talk about the importance of reflection in the media literacy classroom, and ways to help your students engage in it as they are analyzing or creating media texts. In particular, I will discuss how learning about their biases, and about principles of human communication that shape their interactions with others, students can become more ethical and empathic members of the media-saturated society. Although some educators discuss the role of reflection, this is still a relatively recent development within critical media education. More work needs to be done in order for scholars and practitioners to formulate effective strategies for introducing reflection into media literacy classrooms.
Start Date
2-24-2018 2:50 PM
End Date
2-24-2018 4:20 PM
Recommended Citation
Friesem, Elizaveta, "Importance of reflection in the media literacy classroom" (2018). International Critical Media Literacy Conference. 13.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/criticalmedialiteracy/2018/2018/13
Importance of reflection in the media literacy classroom
Media literacy is often defined as an ability to analyze media texts created by others, and produce your own messages in an effective and respectful manner. Critical media literacy education often focuses on helping students deconstruct media texts and representations created by others. However, to be truly media literate we should not forget about the importance of reflection. Although reflection is a part a part of some education models (for example, the AACRA model created by Renee Hobbs), educators often spend little time on this element of media literacy. Time constraints is one reason for this omission; in addition, teachers often prefer to focus on analyzing and creating media texts as these skills are seen as essential for media literacy. In this presentation I will talk about the importance of reflection in the media literacy classroom, and ways to help your students engage in it as they are analyzing or creating media texts. In particular, I will discuss how learning about their biases, and about principles of human communication that shape their interactions with others, students can become more ethical and empathic members of the media-saturated society. Although some educators discuss the role of reflection, this is still a relatively recent development within critical media education. More work needs to be done in order for scholars and practitioners to formulate effective strategies for introducing reflection into media literacy classrooms.
