Narrative overview: Thomas Jefferson remarked that the success of a democracy depended on the literacy of its constituents. There are many points to be drawn from his comment. Here are only two.

 

First, even in the 1700s literacy was considered the gateway through which people had to pass if they were to have access to social status and economic opportunity. In this we can see the beginnings of a secondary economy - an information economy - that would produce the technology we take for granted today. And second, one needed to be literate to protect oneself from all the charlatans and rumor mongers who mislead of the world, which, according to Jefferson, was just about all of us. Our approach to government is based on a healthy distrust of human motive. We have three branches of government, two houses of congress and a system of checks and balances because the Founding Fathers realized that trusting politicians to always do the right, selfless thing was a dream. People were always trying to sell us something, whether themselves, their candidacy, their products or their perspectives, and we all needed to keep an eye on each other. The mind that was literate would be best prepared to defend itself in a world like this. For more information on this, I recommend Pink's book, To Sell is Human.

 

Media literacy 1.0 vs. 2.0

Media 1.0 is the era of "mass media." During this period, content was created by professional media organizations, largely in the areas of radio, TV and print. The rest of us could only consume what they created. Because we could only consume media, and not produce it, our participation in media literacy was limited to being suspicious, educated consumers. The earliest iteration of media literacy - let's call this media literacy v. 1.0 - addressed how to understand how media persuaders worked their magic so we could gird ourselves emotionally and intellectually to mitigate their effects. Steve Goodman said "Media is a filter while pretending to be a clear window" (2003). Media literacy is all about how to see media as a filter.

We are now in the era of Media 2.0, characterized by the fact that we can not only consume but also produce media. Mass media 1.0 still exists today in that there are large media organizations that produce content we consume. But it co-exists with a world in which each of us can make and perform media using tools that are often free, easy to use, and widely distributed. We should pause to consider how new this is. Not until the iMovie generation was upon us, and the Internet provided a free venue to show our work, was this possible. Now that we can all participate in the development of media using free social media and media development tools, media literacy v. 2.0 also includes being able to create media that is effective and literate - that is, persuasive. We live with the following rather intense irony: the best way to understand how media persuaders persuade us is to create persuasive media ourselves. This did not start with electronic media. Being able to write a persuasive essay has been a hallmark of literacy ever since civilized society decided to require literacy of the general public. Likewise, if we don't create professional, persuasive media, we will be considered amateurish, or worse - illiterate.

 

Background viewing, reading and/or sites to visit. Before going any further, briefly visit the following sites and resources. They will provide a quick background for understanding media literacy and the media literacy movement.

 

1. Wikipedia entry about media literacy. Go ahead and scan the Wikipedia entry about media

literacy.

 

2. Pages 212- 215 of Digital Community, Digital Citizen. You read this chapter earlier in the course, but reread this part because it specifically addresses media literacy, particularly what we mean when we talk about "media literacy 1.0 vs. 2.0."

 

3. The Center for Media Literacy's five key media literacy questions. The Center for Media Literacy has reduced the basic area of media literacy to five key questions.

 

4. What is media literacy? If you are interested in how the issue of media literacy is framed for the K-12 world, watch this brief video. 

 

5. Gary’s Social Media Count. An amazing dashboard read-out of the media that is in use in the world. Go to this site and watch for a minute or two.

 

6. Optional: Media Literacy: History, Progress and Future Hopes, by Dr. Edward T. Arke. This is a chapter from the Oxford Handbook of Media Psychology (ed. Dill). Go to the Fielding Library first, then click here to view the chapter. 

 

Primary Readings

 

The primary readings this week come in the form of debates among scholars who discuss what it means to be media literate in recent times. We will use two sources for our discussions.

 

Modern Media Literacy, V 3.0: Point-Counterpoint

 

Perhaps we have enter a period of Media Literacy 3.0. Above I compared and contrasted Media Literacy 1 and 2. We could argue that we have entered the era of Media Literacy 3, characterized by participatory media development and analysis. That is, imagine Media 2, and adding to that the world of social media, which allows distributed, transmedia project development. What kind of media literacy does this require?

 

As media literacy transitions into version 3, a number of well-respected media theorists have joined in the conversation about the nature and importance of media literacy as a generalized perspective and skill set that everyone should have. Two conversations interest us here

 

1. A conversation between Henry Jenkins and Tessa Jolls. Jenkins is one of the fathers of transmedia storytelling and author of Convergence Culture. Tessa Jolls is President and CEO of the Center for Media Literacy.

2. A point-counterpoint academic discussion about the evolving nature of media literacy between James Potter and Renee Hobbs. Potter is a long time media literacy researcher and professor at UC Santa Barbara. Hobbs is a Professor in the Department of Broadcasting, Telecommunications, and Mass Media at Temple University’s School of Communications and Theater. We will look at an article by Potter, and Hobbs' response to that article via an article of her own.

 

A Conversation between Henry Jenkins and Tessa Jolls

 

From Heny Jenkins introduction: "Tessa Jolls has been a long-time advocate of media literacy education in the United States and around the world. I was honored to be able to attend an event last year at which she was presented with the Jessie McCanse Award from the National Telemedium Council in recognition of her lifetime commitment to fostering media literacy. Jolls was one of the very first media literacy advocates to welcome me to the field and to rally behind the work of our New Media Literacies initiative. Since 1999, she has been the President and CEO of the Center for Media Literacy, where she has pushed hard to develop some shared principles and core questions that might inform a diverse array of media literacy initiatives, and where has shown consistent flexibility and vision in redefining media literacy for the 21st century."

 

This conversation between Jenkins and Jolls unfolded in five parts:

• Part 1 (September 12, 2014)

• Part 2 (September 15, 2014)

• Part 3 (September 17, 2014)

• Part 4 (September 19, 2014)

• Part 5 (September 22, 2014)

 

Read through at least the first three of these. Make notes as you go about their points of agreement and disagreement. Eventually this week you will need derive your own perspective and present this through your ePortfolio.

 

Point-Counterpoint between Potter and Hobbs

 

I don't think these two articles were meant to be a formal, "through the journals" debate about the nature of modern media literacy. But given that Hobbes responded directly to an article by Potter, these two articles create a very informed context for considering the nature of modern media literacy and modern literacy in general. First read Potter's article, then read Hobb's response.

 

The State of Media Literacy

W. James Potter

Abstract: Media literacy is a term that means many different things to different people—scholars, educators, citizen activists, and the general public. This article reviews the variety of definitions and presents a synthesis of commonalities that most definitions of media literacy share. The review presents an overview of how media literacy has been treated as an issue in curriculum design within the institution of education, and then how it has been treated as an intervention by parents and researchers.

 

Access it here.

 

©2010 Broadcast Education Association

Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media 54(4), 2010, pp. 675–696

DOI: 10.1080/08838151.2011.521462 ISSN: 0883-8151 print/1550-6878 online

 

The State of Media Literacy: A Response to Potter

Renee Hobbs

Abstract: Potter’s essay on the state of media literacy purports to represent the current state of the field, but omits much of the innovative work that has emerged in the last 10 years from scholars across the fields of communication, education, and public health. The review does not include mention of the development of numerous media literacy education initiatives by educational practitioners working in both formal and in informal education. By conceptualizing media literacy as a response to counteract the negative effects of mass media and popular culture, Potter fails to capture the depth and complexity of the field.

 

Access it here.

 

© 2011 Broadcast Education Association

Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media 55(3), 2011, pp. 419–430

DOI: 10.1080/08838151.2011.597594 ISSN: 0883-8151 print/1550-6878 online
 

Do:

• Prepare a 3-4 page paper that synthesizes different perspectives you read this week. Address the question: What is the nature of modern media literacy and why is this important to you as a media psychologist?

 

Moodle discussion questions:

• What are the main points of contention and agreement shared by Jenkins and Jolls? Between Potter and Hobbs? Among all four of them?

• How does what you learned impact your work as a media psychologist?

 

Secondary questions:

• What is your understanding of media literacy 1.0 vs. 2.0 vs. 3.0?

• How can we teach children to be "honest persuaders?" Is it possible?

• Can we as adults be honest persuaders?

• Does the purpose justify the persuasion?

 

Post to your ePortfolio

• Your essay. This was described above. As always, please use the three-part format for your entry (abstract/thesis-development- conclusion and call for further inquiry).

 

New links: And of course add any new links you came across that you feel will add to your ePortfolio.

 

Other resources

 

• NAMLE resources

• Frank Baker's media literacy clearinghouse

 

If you subscribe to RSS feeds or blogs, consider these:

 

• Go to the Cool Hunting site and sign up for updates. The information you receive will become particularly important as we head into the next unit on advertising.