Constructivist Approach
Many scholars suggest that constructivist strategies are effective methods to enhance student’s media literacy education (Mihailidis & Cohen 2013; Moore 2013; Redmond 2015). Scaffolding and reflection are two important contributors to the development of critical thinking skills. In particular, student-driven activities that allow learners to develop agency will help the effects of passivity and groupthink (Mihailidis & Cohen 2013). With software such as ‘Storify’, learners can consult, compare and reflect on the messages delivered from either professional or other sources (Mihailidis & Cohen 2013).
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Similarly, students should be active participants in their learning. Thus, inquiry based approaches appears to be popular way to develop media literacy competencies (Moore 2013; Mihailidis & Cohen 2013). Given how information is disseminated across the web, students need to reorganize and analyze it to make it consumable. Likewise, Mihailidis & Cohen (2013) reasons that curation is a powerful tool because students can contemplate and compare the messages embedded in the information from different sources.
Moore (2013) suggests that appropriate scaffolding can alleviate stress from chaos produced by integrating highly unpredictable news and current event into the classroom. Additionally, it is also helpful when students require extra support to “balance the ambiguous and unexpected in current events and social issues” (Moore 2013, p.330).
Moore (2013) suggests that appropriate scaffolding can alleviate stress from chaos produced by integrating highly unpredictable news and current event into the classroom. Additionally, it is also helpful when students require extra support to “balance the ambiguous and unexpected in current events and social issues” (Moore 2013, p.330).
Content Consumers and Producers
Allowing students to engage in media literacy as content creators is as important as assessing the validity of information. Students should continue to develop their skills to use a myriad of media formats to communicate thoughts and opinions. “In a social media environment, the information consumer is the provider” (Mihailidis & Cohen 2013, p.3). Thus, project-driven approach can “empower responsibility in students to understand what digital technologies give and take away, and how [educators] can help them to better develop communication habits both on and offline” (Mihailidis & Cohen 2013, p.14).
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Students who actively engaged in media literacy education should have the opportunity to create content to represent their understanding (Moore 2013; Mihailidis & Cohen 2013). Dezuanni (2015) argues that media production complements one's understanding of media content. He claims that media analysis and production are variables that are “operating simultaneously rather than in isolation (Dezuanni 2015, p.434). Students who respond to the learning by producing non-standard text, enables them to apply newly learned media literacy knowledge and skills.
Given these constructivist approaches, how can our curriculum change? Click on to learn how educators can modify curriculum to help develop students' media literacy skills.
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