EDTS 508 - Teaching Media Literacy in a Post-Truth World (3)

There’s no denying the role media plays in our lives. From advances in mobile technology to the expansion of social media and more, we’re bombarded with news and people’s reactions to it around the clock. 

Although topics in media can be contentious, they also open doors to powerful social and educational experiences. If you can teach today’s students to engage in media with a fair and open mindset, you will set them up for success not only in their educational pursuits but also in their social lives. 

This course has a few key goals. First, you will explore how to evaluate and respond to media. You’ll examine what about media conversations makes you comfortable or uncomfortable and how your responses to media can impact your position. Next, you will learn how to evaluate media, both for credibility and bias. There’s a wealth of information available online, so what steps can you take to ensure that it’s credible? That is, how do we identify legitimate news? 

Finally, you’ll explore strategies for bringing these media conversations into the classroom. From the design of the learning environment to expectation setting and more, it’s critical to create an environment in which all students, regardless of their opinions or background, have an opportunity to fairly express their thoughts.