The Media Spot
Essential Competencies ACCESS: Finding and using media and technology tools skillfully and sharing appropriate and relevant information with others ANALYZE & EVALUATE: Comprehending messages and using critical thinking to analyze message quality, veracity, credibility, and point of view, while considering potential effects or consequences of messages CREATE: Composing or generating content using creativity and confidence […]
Media Literacy Education expands the concept of literacy (i.e., reading and writing) to include all forms of media.
The TMS Media Literacy Unit Planner is used as a tool for the development of units of study that connect curriculum objectives, core concepts of media literacy, technology standards, and the Common Core State Standards. The publically available and reproducable Google Doc template has been, and will continue to be, finessed and refined through planning sessions with the teachers we work with.
21st Century Kindergartners show you what they know, and how they are building skills to participate in the emerging media landscape.
This Friday, I am going to be participating on a panel discussion, “Beyond The Screen: Incorporating Media Into Your Lesson Plan”, at the Arts Engine, Media that Matters Film Festival free day-long series of conversations for filmmakers, activists, and educators.
Over the past year, I had the opportunity to work with the inspirational staff at the Brooklyn School of Inquiry, PS 686, on a series of documentary videos on their arts, enrichment and media literacy programs.
I was recently consulting The Media Education Lab’s website for ideas on how to explain the concept of Media Literacy and describe the field of Media Education to a group I was speaking to in Florida. I was delighted to find themediaspot.org listed as one of seven resources linked to from The Media Education Lab’s Key Resources page, where TMS […]
Last fall TMS established a “blended” (in-person + online) professional development relationship to develop a Voicethread unit plan for student multimedia productions involving participation from older adults in the community with English classes of Elizabeth Smith at Hume-Fogg Academic Magnet, a public high school in Nashville, TN. Hume Fogg has been recognized as a national Blue […]
The goal of working with TMS is primarily to increase media literacy for youth and educators alike. The production projects deal with a range of topics and content, but always support <a href="resources/media_literacy”>the core concepts of media analysis and our <a href="services/objectives”>objectives. Below are some of the benefits of working with us (see also: <a href="resources/learning_standards”>Learning Standards).
Connecting with the world of 21st Century youth
We believe that at whatever age, youth can apply their own experiences to uniquely enrich projects in ways that inherently promote media literacy. The TMS production process is designed to connect students’ comfort, or “ways of knowing”, with new media to existing curricula.
Foundations: <a href="resources/glossary#spiral_curriculum”>Spiral Curriculum, <a href="resources/reading_list#youthmedia”>Goodman, <a href="resources/reading_list#litdigworld”>Tyner, <a href="resources/reading_list#plugindrug”>Winn, <a href="resources/viewing_list#cool”>PBS
Professional producers working with you
TMS media professionals provide the technical expertise to help educators complete projects with confidence while focusing on new and traditional teaching opportunities during the production process. (see also <a href="about/philosophy”>our philosophy‘s section on “collaborative production”)
Foundations: <a href="resources/reading_list#sevendebates”>Hobbs, <a href="resources/reading_list#litdigworld”>Tyner
Curriculum-based content
Our projects start with language-based subject matter drawn from existing curricula. This adds new perspective and learning opportunities to existing teaching strategies.
Foundations: <a href="resources/reading_list#sevendebates”>Hobbs
Technology planning and support
Any computer use in a group setting requires professional technical support and planning. The rush to acquire new media has left many groups with more computers than they can maintain and no realistic plan for using them to increase learning. Collaborative production with TMS can include long-term technology planning and technical support to allow educators to capitalize on potential learning opportunities instead of troubleshooting technical glitches they are not trained to handle.
Foundations: <a href="resources/reading_list#litdigworld”>Tyner, <a href="resources/links#cosn”>COSN
Create new media voices in your community
We believe that if a child knows their work will have a life beyond their immediate surroundings, they will be more invested in the process. Digital audio and video, and the Internet have made it possible for virtually anyone to create a voice in these dominant forms of 21st Century public discourse. Aside from helping youth create these voices, TMS works to distribute and share your group’s work through community screenings and, with your permission, on the Internet.
Foundations: <a href="resources/reading_list#youthmedia”>Goodman
Custom educational resources created by YOU
Material produced through TMS can be distributed within your educational community as teaching material with cross-curricular value. With your permission, your projects can become part of The Media Spot’s <a href="productions”>production archive for others to use in their pursuit of media literacy.
The Media Spot