Category: Media Literacy
2017 Law Promotes Media Literacy for students in WA Schools
On Thursday, April 20, our bill became a law! Governor Jay Inslee signed it with AME representatives Barbara Johnson, Nick Pernisco and Marilyn Cohen present. The law will go into effect on July 23.
This bill, ESSB 5449, is a follow up to SSB 6273. That bill made us the first state in the country to pass media literacy legislation, making Washington the model state. Read more about our success passing SSB 6273 here.
Now media literacy legislation has moved still another step forward in Washington with the passage of a second bill ESSB 5449 in 2017.
In speaking with the group, Governor Inslee noted how this bill was addressing an important subject.
Multiple news articles have come out to coverage the passing of this bill:
- King 5: New law promotes digital citizenship for students
- U.S. News: New Law Promotes Media Literacy, Internet Safety in Schools
- KEPR TV: New law promotes media literacy, internet safety in school curriculum
View images from the bill signing below.
Navigating The New Abnormal: Tips for Parents
As part of our launch of Media Literacy Week, we are excited to promote the work of Dr. Don Shifrin, Emeritus Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at University of Washington – School of Medicine as he helps us to understand important concepts around screen time and digital citizenship while we are all participating in remote learning. Watch AMEs interview with Dr. Don by viewing the links below:
Dr. Don Shifrin has been a beloved pediatrician to his patients for 40 years as well as a Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Washington. His knowledge and active interest in the field of Media Literacy have earned him an often self-proclaimed role of a “Mediatrician.”Dr. Shifrin has been a very active member of the American Academy of Pediatrics throughout his long career. He has testified before Congress, represented the Academy on national task forces, chaired an Academy committee, led media training for Academy leadership, and was the co-editor for the Academy’s first parent newsmagazine, Healthy Children. You may recognize him from the AAP’s “A Minute for Kids” radio program and from other radio and television spots where he often expertly speaks about media issues as they relate to our nation’s children. His views on navigating the media literacy issues of today offer invaluable advice to parents, teachers and children of all ages.
Michael Danielson is AME’s Chairperson. He has been a teacher at Seattle Prep for 26 years. He has been teaching Media Literacy and Digital Citizenship for decades, but most recently in a semester course for 9th graders. He is also the EdTech director helping to train teachers and students in the best use of technology. Michael has been a writer for the Center for Media Literacy.
Action for Media Education Announces a New Initiative: The Corona Multimedia Showcase
Action for Media Education Announces a New Initiative: The Corona Multimedia Showcase
For Immediate Release
Date: 6/3/2020
If we could ask kids around the world what they’re thinking and feeling right now, what would they say? Action for Media Education (AME) https://action4mediaeducation.org is inviting young people from ages 3-19 and their families to participate in an international online exhibit of creative work that reflects their lives in this time of COVID-19.
More than 40 countries are participating in the Corona Multimedia Showcase initiative. Now AME seeks entries from young people across the United States.
The Showcase provides a platform for children, youth and their families to create and display media projects in a variety of formats. These projects will be digitally published on our Showcase website.
The Showcase is intended to provide young people around the world with the opportunity to:
- Express their thoughts, feelings and ideas
- Engage them in reflecting critically on their work and support their best efforts
- Help them share their experiences with other young people and their families around the world
- Provide a place for them to display their creative work and express their own unique voices
- Inspire hope and demonstrate that we will persevere, with our courage and creativity, during this crisis and into a new future
Please help us spread the word to your family, your community and those with whom you work.
- Submissions and participation are free.
- This is NOT a competition but a festival celebrating the creativity of children and youth throughout the world.
- The deadline for submissions is October 9, 2020. All projects (reviewed by a large group of experts) will be posted on the Showcase website by the end of October.
To submit an entry, find ideas and resources, and join the conversation:
Corona Multimedia Showcase https://coronashowcase.org/
Twitter @coronashowcase
Instagram #coronashowcase
Facebook Corona Multimedia Showcase
For more information, please contact: Marilyn Cohen, macohen@uw.edu
New Media Literacy Grants Available Now
| Washington’s Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) is accepting grant applications for its media literacy grant program now and the due date is May 28th! Grant applications must focus on one of the following: 1. Development or adaptation of at least one openly-licensed 2-4 week curriculum unit focused on media literacy or digital citizenship, or both, which can be integrated into social studies, English language arts, or health classes, and is aligned with Washington state standards in these content areas OR 2. Implementation of an existing openly-licensed 2-4 week curriculum unit focused on media literacy or digital citizenship, and use of this experience to develop extended or supplemental curricular materials (e.g., add supports for ELL or special education students, add optional supplemental lessons, etc.). Submissions may come from a public school, district office, ESD or a partnership between multiple educational partners. Only one proposal may be submitted per organization. Grant requests may not exceed $25,000. Washington’s Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) will soon be accepting grant applications for its media literacy grant program. Currently, OSPI’s plan is to make an announcement about these new grants between early and mid-April with applications due in mid-May. Should these dates change, we’ll be sure to let you know. Grant applications must focus on one of the following: 1. Development or adaptation of at least one openly-licensed 2-4 week curriculum unit focused on media literacy or digital citizenship, or both, which can be integrated into social studies, English language arts, or health classes, and is aligned with Washington state standards in these content areas OR 2. Implementation of an existing openly-licensed 2-4 week curriculum unit focused on media literacy or digital citizenship, and use of this experience to develop extended or supplemental curricular materials (e.g., add supports for ELL or special education students, add optional supplemental lessons, etc.). Submissions may come from a public school, district office, ESD or a partnership between multiple educational partners. Only one proposal may be submitted per organization. Grant requests may not exceed $25,000. Twelve grant recipients received awards for 2019-2020. Applications for this second round of funding will focus on implementation during 2020-2021. Grant application details will be available from OSPI in April. For more information, please contact Dennis Small Dennis.Small@k12.wa.us Twelve grant recipients received awards for 2019-2020. Applications for this second round of funding will focus on implementation during 2020-2021. Grant application details will be available from OSPI in April. For more information, please contact Dennis Small Dennis.Small@k12.wa.us |
Media Literacy Grants Awarded!
Washington’s Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction made history when it recently announced the first group of recipients for our state’s new media literacy grant program. This is the first grant program focused on media literacy offered anywhere in the nation!
Funds were awarded through a competitive process to 12 school-based teams.
Grant Awardees for 2019-20:
- Ballard High School (Seattle SD)
- Bryant Elementary School (Seattle SD)
- Castle Rock SD
- Central Valley High School
- Columbia River High School (Vancouver SD)
- La Conner SD
- North Central ESD 171
- Port Townsend SD
- Selah SD
- Soos Creek Elementary School (Kent SD)
- Tacoma SD
- Whatcom Intergenerational High School
Teams could apply for curriculum grants of up to $25,000 or planning grants of up to $5000. The five teams receiving curriculum grants were Ballard, Central Valley High School, North Central ESD 171, Soos Creek Elementary, Kent SD and LaConner SD in collaboration with high schools in Burlington, Mt. Vernon, and Anacortes. The remaining six teams received planning grants.
All grant recipients will focus on developing media literacy-based curriculum units that can be integrated into social studies, English language arts or health classes. All units will be shared on the OER Commons Washington Hub so that they can be easily accessed by teachers across the state.
The new media literacy grant program was established with a $300,000 allocation from the 2019 Legislature. $150,000 was available for this grant round. The next grant cycle will be announced in Spring, 2020 when another $150,000 in funding will be available for distribution.
Action for Media Education (AME) continues to promote and advocate for media literacy education. Please follow us on Facebook. We encourage you to stay tuned to AME for more media literacy-related happenings in our state in 2020!
Governor’s Proclamation for Media Literacy Week
Media Literacy Week here in Washington has had lots of support even at the highest levels of our state’s government. AME is very pleased to announce that last week Governor Inslee declared October 21 -25th Media Literacy Week here in our state. Thank you, Governor Inslee!
Educators and Parents: You’re Already Teaching Media Literacy
For Elementary and Secondary Students
AME board members have created a new elementary handout for teachers just in time for Media Literacy Week, with a reminder that we can use these ideas every day of the year. Special thanks to Kathryn Egawa, Anne Aliverti, Shawn Sheller for their work on these handouts. Also check out our handout for secondary school teachers developed by Kathryn Egawa, Ethan Delavan, Janith Pewitt, and Michael Danielson.
Please click on each image to download the pdfs.
Joanne Lisosky Interview: Media Literacy Week challenges students to be critical media consumers. Adults, too.
Media Literacy Week asks people to think hard about the information they’re consuming, and asks teachers to talk about it in their classrooms. PAULA WISSEL / KNKX
Educators in Washington state — and around the world — are spending time this week talking about media literacy. It’s part of a special week designed to boost students’ understanding of how different forms of media function.
“When it comes to media literacy, we mean everything,” said Joanne Lisosky, who taught media studies at Pacific Lutheran University prior to her recent retirement. Social media, visual media, aural media — any outside stimulus counts.
“Media literacy education didn’t start in the U.S.,” she said. “It started in Europe and Australia and Canada. You can’t graduate from high school without having a class in media literacy.”
“When it comes to media literacy, we mean everything,” said Joanne Lisosky, who taught media studies at Pacific Lutheran University prior to her recent retirement. Social media, visual media, aural media — any outside stimulus counts.
“Media literacy education didn’t start in the U.S.,” she said. “It started in Europe and Australia and Canada. You can’t graduate from high school without having a class in media literacy.”
That’s not the case in the United States, and Lisosky worries that makes Americans more susceptible to being tricked by fake news.
Washington state officially recognized Media Literacy Week when Gov. Jay Inslee signed a proclamation in 2016. It encourages teachers across the state to talk about media literacy in their classrooms.
But media literacy is important for adults, too, and Lisosky says she regularly hears from people who want help deconstructing journalism – figuring out why a story was done a certain way, and why certain outlets favor one type of story over another.
Lisosky says there are five questions any of us can ask ourselves to start critically analyzing what we’re receiving from any kind of media, from TV programs to news to highway billboards:
- Who made this up? Think about who wrote the story, or paid for the ad, or made the film.
- What strategies were used to get my attention? “If you can figure that out,” Lisosky said, “then you’ll have an idea of why you were watching this.”
- How might someone else view this differently than I am viewing this?
- What is the point of view of the sender?
- Why are they motivated to send this message to me?
Hear Joanne Lisosky’s full conversation. And check out resources for both teachers and parents on our website.
MEDIA LITERACY WEEK 2019
Media literacy is the focus of activities around the world this week.
In the U.S.: The National Association for Media Literacy Education (NAMLE) is hosting the 5th Annual U.S. Media Literacy Week from October 21-25, 2019. The mission of Media Literacy Week is to raise awareness about the need for media literacy education and its essential role in education today. Organizations, schools, educators and Media Literacy Week partners from all over the country will work with NAMLE to participate in events including #MediaLitWk classroom lessons, virtual events, online chats, screenings, PSA’s, panel discussions and more.
International: The yearly Global Media and Information Literacy (MIL) Week, initiated in 2012, is led by UNESCO in cooperation with GAPMIL, UNAOC and the MIL and Intercultural Dialogue (MILID) University Network. It unites diverse actors committed to promoting MIL as a way to foster social inclusion and intercultural dialogue.
The eighth annual global celebration of Media and Information Literacy (MIL) Week will be celebrated from 24 to 31 October 2019. Global MIL Week 2019 highlights will include the Ninth MILID Conference and the Youth Agenda Forum, to be held in Gothenburg (Sweden), from 24 to 26 September 2019.
Read more about NAMLE and Media Literacy Week here.
Read more about Global Media and Information Literacy Week here.
Media Literacy Planning Grants Available
Here’s something to share with your friends in K-12 education: we are excited about the new media literacy grant program from the Washington’s Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. Grants of up to $25,000 are available for teaching teams representing school districts across Washington State.
October 21 is the deadline, but if you feel you’re not quite ready to submit a full proposal, here’s another option. Planning grants of $5000 are also now available.
Submit a planning grant by October 21st and you’ll be ready for the next grant round in spring 2020. All you need to do is assemble a small team of educators who would work together, describe briefly the idea on which your team will focus and outline the budget needed for up to $5000.
Grant applications are available online at https://www.k12.wa.us/policy-funding/school-technology/free-software-grants
For more information, contact Dennis Small, dennis.small@k12.wa.us or 360-725-6384.
Grant Details Announced for K-12 Media Literacy Curriculum
History was made this month when the Washington State Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) announced its new media literacy education grant program, funded by recently passed legislation. The grant application package was released September 16, 2019.
The submission deadline is 4 p.m., October 21, 2019.
Grants will be awarded on a competitive basis to educational teams representing Washington’s K-12 system. Teams will be expected to develop and share openly-licensed curriculum unitsfocused on one of three subject areas:social studies, English language arts, or health. A unique feature of these units will be that they will be developed using a media literacy lens to address the content that is commonly considered in one of these subject areas.
Check out this link for a 30-minute recording of the webinar that explains the new grant program, the PowerPoint for the webinar, and a Q & A document.
For more information, contact Dennis Small, OSPI Educational Technology Director, dennis.small@k12.wa.us
Grant Money: A Media Literacy First
The 2019 Washington State legislature has allocated $150,000 in state funds for the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) to establish a K-12 media literacy grant program in 2019–2020. Action for Media Literacy Education is pleased to announce this news as another media literacy first for Washington State and the nation.
These funds will be awarded in September through a competitive grant process. Six to ten school teams will receive grants to develop and share openly-licensed curriculum units focused on three subject areas: social studies, English language arts, or health classes. A unique feature of these units is that they will be designed using a media literacy lens to address content commonly covered in one of these three subject areas.
Examples of ideas for curriculum units designed from a media literacy lens:
- Exploring media influence on teen perspectives concerning a particular health issue (e.g. teen pregnancy prevention)
- Analyzing and evaluating media sources that describe an important historical event
- Examining issues of copyright, fair use, and intellectual property as they apply to materials produced for an English language arts class
Submissions may come from a public school, district office, ESD, or a partnership between multiple educational partners. Only one proposal may be submitted per organization. Grant requests may not exceed $25,000; most awards are anticipated to be in the $15,000 range.
Grant application details and information will be available from OSPI in late August, 2019. For more information, contact Dennis Small: dennis.small@k12.wa.us or (360) 725-6384.
Senator Marko Liias Honored for Work in Media Literacy
Washington State Senator Marko Liias was invited to speak in Jenny Gawronski’s Digital Media Literacy class at the University of Washington on May 28. The class session focused on ground-breaking pieces of media literacy legislation that have passed in Washington since 2016.
Senator Liias played a key role in the passage of this legislation, which has established Washington as a model for the nation. Action for Media Education (AME) board members were there to present Senator Liias with a Certificate of Appreciation for his leadership role in passing this legislation.
Media literacy advocates are currently celebrating Washington’s third piece of legislation which will, for the first time, allocate state funds for the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction to establish a K-12 media literacy grant program in 2019–2020. For more information, contact Dennis Small: dennis.small@k12.wa.us or (360) 725-6384.
Thank you Senator Liias, for your work in media literacy!
AME Board Members Interviewed
Two Action for Media Literacy (AME) board members were recently contacted by The 74, a “non-profit, non-partisan news site covering education in America” and a “voice for the 74 million school-aged children in America.” They wanted to learn more about what’s happening in Washington State, the first state to adopt media literacy into law.
The 74 interviewed Michael Danielson and Shawn Sheller for the article “Media Literacy Is Literacy.” Michael is a high school teacher who teaches a required one-semester media literacy class, and Shawn is an elementary teacher-librarian technology integration specialist.
Shawn, when asked how she became involved and why media literacy is important, mentioned a lesson on media messaging where her elementary students talked about a local political race that called an opponent “Dr. Tax” in political ads. Real-life examples enrich and deepen lessons, and show the everyday need for students to be more media literate.
Adults mistakenly believe that students, growing up in a digital world, have the skills to critically analyze and evaluate what they read and view. The Stanford History Education Group has done important work with this study from 2016 that indicates media literacy for our “digital natives” is still a critical need.
Since 1991, AME has advocated for media literacy as a fundamental literacy skill for students of all ages.
by Sue Cook and Shawn Sheller
Media Literacy Is Literacy
Here’s How Educators and Lawmakers Are Working to Set Students Up for Success Online
Michael Danielson gives students in his ninth-grade media literacy class a simple piece of homework each night: Pay attention.
The assignment is meant to prod them into thinking critically about the countless messages that bombard them every day. They report back to their teacher and classmates at the start of each class with “media literacy moments,” explaining how they discovered hidden motives and attempts to manipulate them or sell them products.
Seeing his students apply five core concepts about media to what they see on Netflix, at the movies and online is Danielson’s favorite part of his job. It’s how he knows he has altered the way they consume media.
“I’ve changed them for life,” he said.
Danielson teaches at Seattle Preparatory School, a private Catholic high school. In addition to the required one-semester media literacy class, he teaches yearbook and theology classes and advocates for media literacy as chair of Action 4 Media Education, a Washington state-based group.
Media literacy is a broad term that encompasses a wide set of skills ranging from thinking critically about news and opinion articles to dealing with cyberbullying to creating and sharing content online. The idea of media literacy is not new, but experts say it gained new momentum following the 2016 presidential election.
Across the country, lawmakers, educators and advocates are working to elevate the issue of media literacy in legislatures and schools. Washington state has been at the forefront of the movement.
In 2016, lawmakers in Washington state passed a bill with bipartisan support that created an advisory council to study media literacy and make recommendations to the legislature based on its research. The following year, legislators passed a law — based on the council’s recommendations — requiring the state superintendent’s office to survey educators and district officials about the state of media literacy in schools across Washington.
Now, lawmakers are considering a bill that would provide grants for educators to create curriculum for media literacy and to allocate money for the state Department of Education to hold two conferences on the subject.
The initial Washington measure to create the advisory council is now the basis of a model bill used by Media Literacy Now, a nonprofit organization that advocates for media literacy, to help lawmakers get the topic on the agenda in their states.
Other states have taken their own approaches to making media literacy a priority, some more forcefully than others. For example, Californialawmakers passed a law that requires the state Department of Education to provide a list of media literacy resources on its website by July 1. In a stronger move, Minnesota in 2017 added “digital and information literacy” to its required K-12 education standards.
For the rest of the article and a Media Literacy Legislation map tracking 15 bills in 12 states: The 74
written by Laura Fay, staff producer at The 74
April 8, 2019
Action 4 Media Education 