Best Practices
"When the question: 'What's new?' is pursued at the expense of all other questions, what follows in its wake is often an endless flood of trivia and fashion. I wish to be concerned with the question: 'What is best?' for this question cuts deeply, rather than broadly sweeping over everything."
Robert Pirsig, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
Best Practices encompasses the best of media literacy education - the instructional tools and techniques that teachers use to organize their classes, create engaging activities and accomplish their learning objectives. Explore this section to learn more about the exploding field of media literacy education and how to incorporate it in teaching, in learning and in life.
What IS Media Literacy? Definitions & Documents
Media literacy is not a new subject to teach — but a new way to teach all subjects! Here's an overview of what it's all about plus a short history of how media literacy has evolved in the U.S. by leading thinkers and pioneers in the field.
- Media Literacy: A Definition...and More
- Why Media Literacy is Important
- Evolution of a Vision
- Issues in the Evolution of Media Literacy
- What's in a Name? Henry Jenkins and Tessa Jolls
- Participate in What? Henry Jenkins and Tessa Jolls
- Center on Media and Child Health Database
CML's MediaLit Kit / A Framework for Learning and Teaching in a Media Age
Over the years, the CML has established a core pedagogical foundation for all of its work. The CML MediaLit Kit now provides a blueprint for building an inquiry-grounded media literacy program based on principles developed and honed through years of research and use both in the United States and around the world.
CML Special Curriculum Programs and Services: Educator Resources
CML has developed a toolset for educators, featuring unique projects on important topics in the media literacy field. Follow these links to learn more about:
- CML's Basic Framework: a Research-Based Approach
- Literacy for the 21st Century
- Questions/TIPS (Q/TIPS)
- Beyond Blame: Challenging Violence in the Media
- Media Literacy: A System for Learning AnyTime, AnyWhere
- Five Key Questions that Can Change the World
- Breakfast Epiphanies: Project Based Learning through Media Literacy and Nutrition
- Smoke Detectors! Deconstructing Tobacco Use in Media
- A Recipe for Action: Deconstructing Food Advertising
- Teaching Democracy: A Media Literacy Approach
- Project SMARTArt
- Professional Development Slides
- Assessment
- Research and Evaluation
- Student Made Media
- CML Lesson Plan & Activity Archive
Teaching Media Literacy: Pedagogy and Praxis
Incorporating media literacy in the classroom — from kindergarten to college — can transform both teaching and learning. Come along as national experts and grassroots teachers share their journey and project the future.