Media Literacy

  • What is Media Literacy?

    According to the Center for Media Literacy, media literacy can be seen as “a 21st century approach to education. It provides a framework to access, analyze, evaluate, create and participate with messages in a variety of forms. Media literacy builds an understanding of the role of media in society as well as essential skills of inquiry and self-expression necessary for citizens of a democracy.”

  • Why is it Important?

    Being media literate allows us to be active participants in the media viewing process. By understanding message content, we can change how it affects us. It can help us control our actions in response to the media and gives us more control over how we want to interpret the content we are viewing.

  • Using Concepts From Media Literacy to Create Content

    If media literacy is so important, why don’t people know more about it? How can we engage in media in strategic and analytical ways? 

    Guided by the work of Dr. Keli Finnerty-Myers, below we provide five helpful questions to ask yourself when creating media so we can begin to create a more compassionate and conscious space.

Tips & Tricks

What are the questions we should be asking ourselves when creating our content?

  • Think about yourself, your team, and the roles you each play in creating your messages. It is always important to keep in mind that there are creators behind this content even though it may look organic.

  • Think about how you are using various effects (i.e., music, lighting, camera angles, props, clothing) to draw your audience in and make your content feel more realistic or persuasive. Consider how the use of these techniques will affect thoughts and emotions of your viewers. Is it positive or harmful?

  • At the end of the day, we have to remember that everyone is different. People from different cultures, backgrounds, and age groups, all of which might interpret your message differently than you had intended. For example, just because you find something funny does not necessarily mean other groups will view it the same as you. Take a moment to think of your piece from these different angles and raise an awareness about how you want your message to be seen.

Featured Research

While the study of social media use and well-being is steadily on the rise, researchers Moritz Buchi and Estzer Hargittai point out a gap in the literature, noting that call for the need to consider digital inequality (i.e., society’s influence on an individual’s access to digital technologies) is not often considered. Their article summarizes how digital inequality impacts one’s ability to use technology and ultimately impacts overall well-being. From there, the authors propose a framework for future researchers that integrates these new perspectives.

Sources

Büchi, M., & Hargittai, E. (2022). A need for considering digital inequality when studying social media use and well-being. Social Media + Society, 8(1), 205630512110691. https://doi.org/10.1177/20563051211069125

CML MediaLit kit. CML MediaLit Kit | Center for Media Literacy | Empowerment through Education | CML MediaLit Kit ™ |. (n.d.). Retrieved February 24, 2022, from http://www.medialit.org/cml-medialit-kit

Finnerty-Myers, K. (2020, January 27). Are you media literate? Darling. Retrieved February 23, 2022, from https://blog.darlingmagazine.org/are-you-media-literate/

Media Literacy: A definition and more. Media Literacy: A Definition and More | Center for Media Literacy | Empowerment through Education | CML MediaLit Kit ™ |. (n.d.). Retrieved February 23, 2022, from http://www.medialit.org/media-literacy-definition-and-more

Pavlik, John V., and Shawn McIntosh. “Media Literacy in the Digital Age.” Converging Media: A New Introduction to Mass Communication, Oxford University Press, 2018, pp. 44-68.