Stony Brook University Center for News Literacy set to host Summer Institute in Chicago

The Stony Brook University Center for News Literacy is hosting its third summer workshop from July 20-24 at Roosevelt University in Chicago’s South Loop.

Dean Miller is the director for the Center for News Literacy at Stony Brook University’s School of Journalism. The News Literacy Center focuses on teaching students to ask the important questions about the information they use in order to make smart and informed decisions as citizens.

Miller said teachers from all grade-levels and backgrounds are invited to attend the workshop. Even though they were nervous about combining college professors with high school and elementary school teachers, Miller said the diverse mix works really well.

The workshop itself is a week of review and discussion of news literacy concepts for teachers from the elementary, high school and college level. Those who sign up to take part in the workshop will complete a news literacy online course before even walking in the door. During the week, teachers will come together in small groups to develop a new piece of curriculum, lesson plan or teaching material to fit any kind of classroom. At the end of the week, each group will present their material to the entire workshop.

“The last day and a half is pure joy because these presentations are really interesting,” Miller said. “We’ve had songs, skits, slideshows, games and posters.”

During the workshop, Miller said teachers will have the opportunity to connect with key news literacy lessons such as differentiating between journalism and marketing, understanding the role of news media in the American democracy, interpreting bias and analyzing sources.

At the end of the week, all materials developed at the workshop will become part of the lending library in the Center for News Literacy’s Digital Resource Center.

The new website contains valuable and free materials for teachers, including a new lecture published each week on a different news literacy related topic. Teachers at all grade-levels can access classroom lesson plans, videos and discussion boards on a variety of topics.

For more information on how to attend the workshop, check out the Center for News Literacy’s website or fill out the form to attend here.