Media Literacy Requirement for National Curriculum (Essay Sample)

Media Literacy Requirement for National Curriculum
Technological explosion has invaded the 21st century at an unprecedented scale. Children are getting exposure to media even before attending school. These media forms include television set at home, video, and internet through cell phones and other gadgets. The number of children with access to various media forms has escalated in the last decade (Frechette 2002).
The education sector has embraced media literacy with varying levels of success. While some have viewed it as a challenge and distraction from traditional learning, others have embraced it as a way of preparing learners for life outside school. Yet, others have decided to postpone it to tertiary level. Reports indicate that introducing media literacy at primary and secondary level accrues immense benefits for individual learners and society (Leaning 2009). This paper will propose a media literacy requirement for national curriculum.
Media Literacy in Perspective
Media literacy is a broad term encompassing the process of helping learners and users develop a better and deeper grasp of the media. Macedo (2007, p. 26) defines it a process towards helping "students develop an informed and critical understanding of the nature of mass media, the techniques used by them, and the impact of these techniques." Essentially, the process aid to interact with media from a point of information. It arises from cognisance of the fact that for media to be helpful, people have to understand it. This understanding will foster an interaction that will make both producers and consumers of media content more competent.
Lopez (2008, p. 34) defines media literacy as the "ability to access, interpret, analyze, evaluate, and use all forms of media." This definition encompasses old, new, and emergent media forms. In a world that revolves around media, ranging from newspaper, television, and social media, media illiteracy is very dangerous. The media is awash will all sorts of information, some factual, others lies, dogmas, fallacies, and propaganda. Lack of media literacy leaves consumer at the mercies of information producers. People who lack this literacy are easy to manipulate, misguide, and control (Burn & Durran 2007). The literacy is very vital in preservation of civilization, social values, democracy, and governance. Quintessentially, media literacy should not just equip learners to be critical consumers but also competent producers of information. Lopez (2008, p. 36) argues that towards this end, educational system should introduce media literacy as early as the learner begins interacting with various media forms. This will establish a proper foundation upon which to build future lessons on the subject.
Given its significance to the society, the question is where, in history, to begin teaching media. Scholars like Martens (2010, P.13) explain that it is important when learners have a historical perspective of the media in order to appreciate how it has evolved and thus understand it better. To such scholars, a media lesson should start by going back to the beginning, for instance, 15th century for printing machine. This form of mentality lacks appreciation of the workload that schools subject learners nowadays. Additionally, the history of a media does not necessary contribute to learners' understanding of the information it possess (Webber & Johnston, 2003). It is therefore needless and time wasting to subject learners to historical lessons on media at the expense of how to analyze and evaluate the content. The best way forward is to gloss through the history and delve deeper into the content.
Content-driven Versus Skills-driven Curriculum
Having settled the question of why and when to introduce media literacy, it is important to discuss the how. Educationists have oscillated between selecting content-driven and skills-driven without consensus (Kellner & Share 2007). To arrive at the right curriculum, it is important to keep the rationale for media literacy at the heart of the matter. Hart (2008. p.29) summarises its aim as to "promote critical thinking, problem solving, and communication skills." These skills will empower learners to interact with media content more critically and communicate their message in media articulately.
The most appropriate curriculum is a blend of the two, in order to produce critical consumers and articulate producers. Content-driven curriculum will equip learners with the right concepts to analyse and evaluate media content. Since the literacy should also make them good producers, a skills-driven curriculum is indispensible. Hobbs (2005, p.650) argues that media literacy is very important to be treated like a rudimental subject. The ubiquitous nature of media forms, the latest being social media, medial literacy should enjoy the same status with mathematics and languages. This justifies the adoption of a combination of the two curriculums.
Educational facilities should have media literacy as a core non-elective subject. Christ and Potter (1998, p.34) argue that in this lesson, teachers should adopt a highly interactive approach so that learners relate classroom content with the reality outside the school. The lesson should equip learners with operational skills that will help them become competent creators of media content. However, Share (2009, p.47) advocates for "minimised cumulative instructional time spent in operational skills in order to focus on thoughtful and effective academic productions." Essentially, teachers must avoid a teaching approach that deposits information on learners without allowing freethinking.
A skills-driven curriculum will allow learners try out and experiment what they learned in core media class. For instance, a teacher can use instructional strategies and content that employ operational skills from media literacy classes. In a speaking and listening English class, the teacher can ask students to listen and report to the class on the same. This will inculcate a wide range of language and media skills. Learners will become good listeners. Similarly, they will learn to respond to media content. If the teacher is effective, students will learn analytical and evaluating skills. For instance, the teacher can ask the students to say whether they agree with the media content and provide reasons. As Mihailidis (2009, p.12) argues, students become more critical and analytical when they begin doubting things at an early age. Content-driven and skills-driven curriculum would therefore be complementary in teaching media literacy.
Several values should accompany media literacy. The first one is efficiency. The project should not escalate the cost of education needlessly at a time that many parents face other equally pressing financial priorities. Secondly, it should be convenience for all stakeholders. This entails making sure that rooms are adequate, well lit, spacious, and properly equipped. Additionally, media literacy should enhance learners' understanding of issues and contribute to enlightenment. In a world where information trickles fast and vast amounts, learners should have enough enlightenment to make the most out of their lives.
Media Literacy: Free Standing versus Integration
Like any other emerging subject media literacy has split opinions as to whether it should be a free standing subject or teachers can integrate it into other subjects. Among the prominent argument for it to be free standing is that the world is changing to a situation where the media will influence everything (Pinkleton et al 2008). With high levels of media illiteracy, a cabal of unscrupulous can hold people at ransom and destroy civilization. While there is consensus that media literacy is extremely vital, there are those who argue that making it a freestanding subject will overburden students, escalate, cost, permeate rote and inconsequential learning habits and exacerbate the situation rather than solving it.
Furthermore, opponents of making media literacy a freestanding subject argue that the field is very dynamic and lacking the basic theoretical concepts to warrant consideration as a subject (Frechette 2002). Hobbs (2005, p.869) supports the same type of thinking by arguing that media literacy does not meet the threshold of a rigorous and credible educational system. To their defence too, media is awash with much dirty, amorous, and immoral content and media literacy would inadvertently expose students who may not have had the exposure, ordinarily.
As convincing as they may sound, the above oppositions lack full appreciation of the potential of media literacy to transform society radically. Frechette (2002, p.32) reports that by the age of 3-4 years, more than 90% of children in developed nations have had interactions with more than one media form. Further, media's influence has grown tremendously in shaping people's opinion, lifestyle, and beliefs. If students learn media studies sparingly, as opponents of the subject as free standing are advocating, we will be putting the future generation at the brink of a precipice. As Hobbs (2005, p.870) explains, media's content is too broad to be covered within other subjects. Instead, it is more appropriate and beneficial, if possible, to teach other subjects through media.
With explosion of technological devise and ease in their access, students are finding it equally easy to do research. A report by Mills (2010, p.250) shows that many students are copying information from the internet instead of doing thorough and objective studies. This is, largely, because of media illiteracy. If media literacy is a freestanding subject, it would be easy to teach students how to use internet for research in a more comprehensive and helpful manner. Consequently, students will understand, from an early age, how to use various media forms for their benefits rather than harm.
The argument tha...