This past fall, SchoolJournalism posed a question for student journalists to seek the answer to: What are schools doing to include Media Literacy in their curriculum? After reviewing the submissions, it’s our pleasure to share the winning entries. Our two Grand Prize honorees and one Runner-Up are three excellent examples of not only scholastic journalism, but also of how schools are working to educate and promote Media Literacy. The Grand Prize winner in Broadcast is Grace Coleman...
Netflix. TikTok. PBS. Wall Street Journal. ABC. YouTube. CNN. BuzzFeed. National Geographic. Twitter. Wikipedia. CBS. FOX. SnapChat. New York Times. Facebook. Hulu. Facebook. NPR. The list could go on and on because we live in a world where media content runs rampant! There is so much information coming at us from so many directions, it can be overwhelming, confusing, and downright frustrating. That is where Media Literacy steps in to take some of the stress out of the mess! What are...
The inability of many of today’s students to evaluate information online for truthfulness has become a crisis in American education. Even though most students now use the Internet as their primary tool to learn what’s happening in the world, the education system has been slow to acknowledge the problem and begin a serious search for solutions. I hope you’re ready to do your part, and that you’ll find what I’ve shared here useful in shaping a better educator response to a global trend...
(Note to Advisers: consider reviewing this article with students. Also included is a printable crossword, an activity sheet and a Kahoot! to use with students.) As a journalism student, learning the critical role attribution plays within the craft is one of the true building blocks necessary to become a strong, ethical reporter. Without proper attribution, reporters can be deemed untrustworthy and lacking credibility. Proper attribution lets the audience know exactly where information came from, and who is being quoted and why they are uniquely qualified to do so. This is critical, not just in print journalism, but also in broadcast. Those lower thirds aren’t just there to give graphics...
The Sixth Annual First Amendment Matters PSA contest was challenging for our three judges. Unfortunately, over half of the entries did not follow the guidelines provided. It’s critical entrants follow the rules, in addition to showing a true understanding of what the First Amendment entails. After several rounds, the judges decided they cannot select one true “Grand Prize” honoree. However, they chose to do something never done before in this contest and declare a tie. Jennifer Mi of Castro Valley High School in California and Kaedyn Coker of Coral Springs Charter School in Florida will split the $100 Amazon gift card and prize pack. Both students not only followed the contest rules,...
SchoolJournalism.org cordially invites YOU to enter the The First Amendment Matters PSA contest. Over the past six years of this contest, teachers like Stacy Gerst have used this as an opportunity to create a deeper understanding of the First Amendment with her students. It’s our hope that you can have similar success. “Where America Stands” found many of us lack a fundamental understanding of the First Amendment. About one in five (18%) couldn’t name one freedom covered by the First Amendment. Of those who could name at least one: 78% could identify free speech, followed by 49% naming religion, 39% assembly, 34% free press, and 14% the right to petition. Just nine percent of...
