This issue offers a wide variety of resources for parents and educators interested in media literacy for early childhood education. We follow a team of library researchers who discover that the accessible information technologies are helpful but not sufficient to spur early literacy development, whereas parental involvement is crucial if young children are to acquire early literacy skills. We also review the research on the quality of literacy-focused applications for young children on the market today.
In 2010, CML published the Voices of Media Literacy, a collection of interviews with 20 media literacy pioneers who were active in the field prior to 1990. Their views not only shed light on the development of media literacy, but also on where they see the field evolving and their hopes for the future. In this issue, we add one more pioneer to the list. Dorothy G. Singer is a media literacy pioneer who studied the effect of television on young children and how they play.
Since few adults in any part of the world grew up learning media literacy concepts or indeed, even knew the words “media literacy,” there is a large gap in understanding about what media literacy is and why it is important. As digital media prevails more and more in most adults’ lives, the imperative for media literacy has become more urgent, and there is more recognition of the need for media literacy education. Includes reports from Australia, UK, and US.
Television in a Networked Age -- marketing suggests that future television sets will be able to assemble an evening of programming based on individual personal profiles. SportsTelevision and the Networking of Nostalgia -- sports occupy a unique place in the world of TV entertainment. Norman Lear Center at USC released a study of local Los Angeles area TV News offering an in-depth analysis of news coverage in a major metropolitan area. CML’s Tessa Jolls was a guest panelist at The Cable Show 2010 session on digital citizenship.
The UK Office of Communications held the first International Media Literacy Research Forum and an overview of the Byron report on Children and Technology.
The British Government releases an ambitious new plan for its media and communications industries, including a national plan for media literacy education. Also, the British Office of Communications audit entitled Digital Lifestyles.
This issue introduces the use of comic books and graphic novels as tools for media literacy. We demonstrate how readers of comic books and graphic novels make complex choices to construct meaning from text, illustrations as conventions of the medium; demonstrate how comic books can be appreciated as works of storytelling art in their own right; and how writing and producing comics can help students develop complex literacy skills.
A new study from the Joan Ganz Cooney Center at the Sesame Workshop explores the potential of cell phones to revolutionize teaching and learning. Research from the William and Ida Friday Institute at North Carolina State University outlines the potential of 1:1 technology environments, and The Center on Media and Child Health at Children’s Hospital Boston launches “Ask the Mediatrician.”
In our research section, we review current research and trends in professional development for K-12 educators, and discuss the opportunities which recently developed models of professional development present for dissemination of media literacy concepts and pedagogy.