A topic of this week that I found to be particularly pertinent is “Media Literacy.” Media Literacy refers to the ability to access, analyze, create, and essentially, use media. So much of information is consumed or transferred via forms of media. This could include a film, a website, or even an e-mail or text message. However, with fake news running rampant throughout media, media literacy is something that is incredibly difficult to hone. Developing skills of media literacy can lead to critical thinking and being a well informed consumer of information, but the role of media in culture must also be understood to consume media nowadays. Teaching media literacy now proves to be a tricky situation. When students are writing their first research papers, or any paper for that matter, it is not as simple as googling the topic. Because of the recent surge of fake news and falsities in the media, media must now be vetted well to ensure at least some truth is enclosed.
What can be done in curriculums to teach media literacy in tandem with fake news? Do you think for the most part, media can still be trusted, or do you think students must start learning to properly examine for falsities at a young age?