Science in the Media

Media literacy should help our students to correctly evaluate the credibility of their own knowledge and beliefs. This article helps students decode media so they could make a connection bet... See More

Media literacy should help our students to correctly evaluate the credibility of their own knowledge and beliefs. This article helps students decode media so they could make a connection between scientific information and their everyday lives. This article helps educators to help their students to address critical thinking skills based on analysis of information to revise conclusions based on evidence, to explain clearly explain reasoning so others can test your arguments, and to assess the credibility and accuracy of sources. With so much information presented to the public learning how to decipher it becomes essential to extending scientific knowledge in today’s world.

Why teach using media-literacy?

An excellent article! Today more than ever, teachers want their students’ school experiences to be more relevant. Students live and learn in a media-saturated environment where they can fin... See More

An excellent article! Today more than ever, teachers want their students’ school experiences to be more relevant. Students live and learn in a media-saturated environment where they can find information at the touch of a button, but wisdom to use this information is often lacking. In this article, a team of librarians and science teachers developed lessons and units to integrate critical thinking skills and media literacy into science curriculum. They provide a web site in which most of the lessons referenced in the article are provided, along with hundreds of related materials that can be accessed for free. This article discusses strategies for integrating media literacy and critical thinking into classroom instruction, how to use constructivist media-decoding (described in the article) to interpret and evaluate information provided through carefully selected documents (film excerpts, web pages, TV commercials, etc.). Any and all teachers regardless of grade or content, will find this article well worth the time to read and explore the possibilities discussed. There is something in this article that everyone can use.