Media are powerful forces in the lives of youth. Young people are immersed in media, moving beyond geographical and regulatory boundaries as they access, absorb, communicate, create and repurpose media content. And they're doing this largely without guidance and often without reflection. To be media literate in this new environment, young people need to develop knowledge, values and a range of critical thinking, communication and information management skills - and media education is an essential tool in helping them acquire these skills.
CTF has championed the increase and strengthening of the practice of media education in Canadian classrooms. That is why CTF partners with the Media Awareness Network to hold a Media Literacy Week every first week of November. A variety of activities – from classroom-based projects to large-scale public events – take place throughout the week in support of media literacy.
Resources:
- Media Literacy Week: www.medialiteracyweek.ca
Cybertips for Teachers (revised in 2011) was produced by the Canadian Teachers' Federation and outlines the practical do's and don'ts for teachers when using social media and electronic communications.
Media Awareness Network is a Canadian non-profit organization that is a pioneer in the development of media literacy and digital literacy programs since its incorporation in 1996. Its Web site is home to a wide collection of educational resources and classroom materials.
http://www.media-awareness.ca/