Media Literacy and Civic Engagement: Report from the Field
1. Media Literacy and Adolescent Civic Engagement: Report from the Field Hans Martens Renee Hobbs Shay Taylor Montgomery Blair High School Presentation at the National Association for Media Literacy Education, July 24, 2011
2. Goals for this Session Learn about how media literacy is integrated into a high-functioning American high school Share research results examining the relationship between news analysis and civic engagement Explore the opportunities and challenges of empirical research in media literacy education
7. Selective Admission Programs Communication Arts Program (CAP) Science, Mathematics and Computer Science Magnet Program Open Admission Programs Media Literacy Entrepreneurship International Studies and Law Human Service Professions Science, Math and Technology
9. Communication Arts Program (CAP) GRADE 9 INTERDISCIPLINARY INTERDISCIPLINARY PROJECTS The projects synthesize information from various disciplines into comprehensive presentations that highlight the events of the era assigned. MOVIE REVIEWS Each quarter the students will watch a movie in the auditorium that relates to the historical period focused on in History class. They write a movie review and for homework, watch movies from a list compiled by the faculty. CRITICAL THINKING PAPER The project entails an in depth argument and analysis for a major social issue facing humanity. A comprehensive program that connects the humanities to the media, now in its 24th year
10. Communication Arts Program (CAP) Crystal Ball Students research demographic and voter characteristics and then predict the Presidential, US Senate, US House of Representatives, and gubernatorial races throughout the United States. Critical Thinking Essay The Critical Thinking Essay requires students to select an issue of national importance and write a persuasive essay arguing one side of that issue, supported by documented and cited sources. In 10th grade, each student will support the issue from the side opposite to the one advocated in the 9th grade essay CAP Congress – Foreign Policy Students research foreign policy issues concerning seven “hotspots” from around the world, draft resolutions, debate the issues, and prioritize the foreign policy needs of the US. CAP Court Students hold mock trials on court cases drawn from each of the four 10th grade subjects: English, Government, Journalism and Media. Students will act as lawyers trying the case and also role-play the defendants and witnesses. GRADE 9 INTERDISCIPLINARY
13. MEDIA LITERACY ACADEMY Students in the Media Literacy Academy develop the ability to read, analyze, evaluate, and produce communications in written text, moving images, still images, and sound. Students will learn to read critically, interpret analytically, communicate effectively, and produce messages for both meaning and persuasion. Any field involving art, music, film, radio, video, television, theater, literature, journalism, or photography requires an understanding of effective communication.
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16. Research Design Quasi-experimental study 2 x 2 factorial Treatment Media Literacy No ML CAP ML ACADEMY CONTROL CONTROL Academy Level Open Selective Admission Admission
17. MEASURES To distinguish between students’ actual use of the Internet and their motives for using the Internet to seek information, we first asked respondents to identify how much they use the Internet on an 8-point scale ranging from never to every day. Internet use Information Motives (U&G) Civic Engagement News Analysis Ad Analysis Media Knowledge
21. because it provides me with a new and interesting way to do research Internet use Information Motives (U&G) Civic Engagement News Analysis Ad Analysis Media Knowledge
29. collect signatures for a petition, and participate in a peaceful rally or protest. A 4-point scale was used, scaled as certainly will not do, probably will not do, probably will do, and certainly will do. Internet use Information Motives (U&G) Civic Engagement News Analysis Ad Analysis Media Knowledge
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31. identify the target audience & explain what specific information from the reading supports your answer
35. Identify omitted informationScores were summed to form an additive index which ranged from 14 to 0. Internet use Information Motives (U&G) Civic Engagement News Analysis Ad Analysis Media Knowledge
41. Identify omitted informationScores were summed to form an additive index which ranged from 14 to 0. Internet use Information Motives (U&G) Civic Engagement News Analysis Ad Analysis Media Knowledge
45. Newspapers make most of their money through the price paid by the consumers who buy themInternet use Information Motives (U&G) Civic Engagement News Analysis Ad Analysis Media Knowledge
46. TheoreticalFramework Media literacyeducation ->activelyconsuming and producing media messages ->seek out information on relevant issues, evaluate the quality of information available, engage in online publishing, debate and more RQ1: Are differences media knowledge and media analysis skills associated with participation in a media literacy program?
47. TheoreticalFramework Media literacycompetencies ->notequallydistributedamong adolescents ->variety of both informal and formal learning experiences as well as through family, peer, social class and other influences RQ2: Are differences in media knowledge and media analysis skills associated with student’s academic level?
48. TheoreticalFramework Motivationsfor digital media use ->Putnam: Decline in civic engagement ->Uses and gratifications research: Differential media effects. Informational media use patterns are positively related to civic engagement. RQ3: What is the relationship between participation in a ML program, Internet use, information motivation, media literacy and civic engagement?
50. Data Analysis Comparison of means ->Students in the Selective Admission Program score better on measures of media knowledge and media literacy than students in the Open Admission Program
51. Data Analysis Comparison of means ->In both the Open Admission Program and the Selective Admission Program, the ML group scores better than the other group on media knowledge and media literacy measurements
52. Data Analysis ->Both educational level and participation in a media literacy program influence media knowledge and media literacy measurements
54. Data Analysis Correlation matrix ->Academy level is positivelyrelatedwithinformationmotive, media knowledge, newsanalysis and ad analysis. Note the negativerelationwithfrequency of Internet use
55. Data Analysis Correlation matrix ->Participation in a ML program is positivelyrelatedwith media knowledge, newsanalysis and ad analysis
56. Data Analysis Correlation matrix ->Frequency of Internet use is negativelyrelatedwithinformationmotive, media knowledge, newsanalysis, and ad analysis
60. Data Analysis Multiple regression ->Participation in a ML programindependentlycontributes to civic engagement
61. Data Analysis Multiple regression -> Aftercontrollingforgender, academy level, and ML program, informationmotive, media knowledge and newsanalysiscontribute to civic engagement
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63. RQ2: Are differences in media knowledge and media analysis skills associated with students’ academic level?
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65. Limitations of the Study Research design: no random assignment to condition unobserved factors may be causing the differences between the two groups What led to some people to select the ML treatment and others not? Link between instructional treatment and outcomes what specific dimensions of the learning environment contributes to skills of news analysis and media knowledge? Need for additional measures what about media production? broader patterns of media use? how should we measure civic engagement in a digital age?
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67. Next Steps: Research Agenda What are the next questions that need to be answered about the relationship between media literacy and civic engagement?
68. Renee Hobbs Email: renee.hobbs@temple.edu Hans Martens Email: Hans.Martens@ua.ac.be
Notas del editor
The Communication Arts Program (CAP) at Montgomery Blair High School was established in 1988, three years after the Math, Science and Computer Science Magnet Program opened. The program strives to provide a comprehensive approach to the humanities and the media by offering accelerated, interdisciplinary courses in English, social studies, and media production for participating students. The CAP also places a great deal of importance on social awareness and community service.In ninth grade, students take courses in photography, drama, American history and English. Tenth grade requires journalism, media, AP U.S. Government and Politics and English. In eleventh grade, students have AP World History, AP English Language and Composition and one semester of Research Methods. Finally, students need to take a portfolio prep class in the last semester of their junior and first semester of their senior year.The CAP Portfolio is the final, defining, and most important project of the CAP experience. During their junior and senior years, students select their best work in a variety of categories (including writing skills, media literacy skills, and social awareness) completed for classes that are a part of the program's curriculum. After students have put together their Portfolio to the satisfaction of CAP faculty members, they undergo interviews wherein they present and discuss the contents. Failure to put together a Portfolio or failure of the interview process results in removal from the program.The CAP attracts highly able students from all around the county. Admission to the program, like that of the Magnet, is highly selective. Students may be eligible to join the CAP if they are a member of the Downcounty Consortium of high schools, or were a member of the middle school Magnet Programs at Eastern Middle School or Takoma Park Middle School. Applicants must have at least an average grade of a B in honors-level English and social studies courses. The CAP admits approximately 75 ninth grade students each year, occasionally admitting students to the program even after the first semester of freshman year. Once admitted to the program, students are required to successfully complete the twelve CAP courses, maintain a minimum GPA of 2.75, and complete the CAP Portfolio to graduate with the CAP diploma.