Today’s consumers ingest media in a variety of ways, which is why it’s so important for students to not only understand what they are watching, but also how to critically evaluate it (especially with the rise of AI).
This is what drives the conversation of Ep. 5 of “The Lecture Is Dead Podcast.” Joe and Ryan are joined by Alaina Clark, COO and co-founder of TeacherGoals. Alaina created TeacherGoals in 2017 and has played a key role in advancing the organization while spearheading new initiatives. She oversees day-to-day operations and strategic projects, bringing a strong background in science from her previous work as a bioanalytical chemist at Eli Lilly.
Listen to the full episode below:
Media literacy as more than an add-on
“Nowadays, if you compare to what our kids are on, what ages they're exposed to media in general, compared to what we were exposed to, how much it's just integrated into their schools now. I really just don't think it's something we can avoid anymore.” - Alaina Clark
Today's students are completely immersed in media; rather than treating media literacy as an instructional add-on, it should be built into lessons and curriculum teachers already have, and in ways that relate to what students are being exposed to in the real world. Alaina explains how children as young as five years old are watching videos on platforms like YouTube, so it is truly up to the parents and educators to model healthy consumption and teach critical analytical skills.
Two crucial media literacy skills for students
It’s evident that media literacy is important to teach students, but some might wonder how they should go about it. For starters, the group suggests that two of the most important skills to incorporate are critical thinking and emotional impact.
1. Critical thinking
Says Alaina, “[the most important skill for students to have is] critical thinking when it comes to the media they are consuming.” Alaina further explains the need to have students break down what they are seeing versus taking it at face value. Although something might be posted by a trustworthy source, students should still take a moment to think and verify if what they’re seeing is true.
2. Emotional impact
“I think another big thing we need to work with our students on and our kids on is how do we teach them and make them realize the emotional impact, the amount of time we spend on media and the media that we consume has on us.” - Alaina Clark
With how often we’re exposed to media, it can be difficult to realize the impact it has on our emotions. It’s important for students to reflect on what they’re watching. Alaina asks the important question: How are what our students are watching all day mentally and emotionally affecting them?
Propaganda and the decline of creativity
The group discusses how everything we see online, in some way, is sales propaganda. Whether the poster is explicitly selling a physical product or they’re simply attempting to gain followers, selling is top of mind. This idea applies not only to social media but popular media (TV, movies, etc.).
“They just keep pumping out sequels and pumping out remakes because that's all people are going to see.” - Joe Wolff
Rather than creating new concepts and ideas, the entertainment world continues to repeat what they know works as it ultimately brings in sales. These patterns emphasize the importance of teaching students creativity and storytelling skills. Giving students the tools to think on their own and create their own ideas applies not only to the real world but also within the media they consume. Ensuring that students can see something online and form their own opinions versus falling for the propaganda is crucial. Additionally, we want students to be able to create unique content rather than recreating what they see on a daily basis in all aspects of life.
Bridging the gap from the real world to the classroom
When asked how to take what students are seeing everyday and bring it into teaching media literacy in the classroom, Alaina says:
“Showing students examples of things online and then analyzing them and interpret[ing] them is actually a great example of how to do that in a classroom.”
Not only does this help students relate to the media they are consuming, but also create better consumption habits. If students can prove that they’re able to analyze media in the classroom with examples of content that they typically see, they will form the habit of doing this outside of the classroom with media as well. Alaina explains this as meeting students where they are at while referring to the apps they use and posts they typically see.
One media literacy resource that Alaina recommends is “Gram and Gran Save the Summer”. Resources like this are a great way to start introducing media literacy into classrooms. Although it's an evolving topic, teaching media literacy to the students immersed in the atmosphere of media is essential.
Be the first to know about real conversations between real educators by subscribing to “The Lecture is Dead Podcast”. Join our community, Lecture is Dead, and find related resources for active learning that you can use to put students back at the center of the classroom experience.