There is no denying that our social media and networks have transformed the landscape of our entire lives. It is what we live and breathe for every day. They disrupt our sleep schedules, decision-making process, and most importantly our learning and growing development. As a future teacher myself, I am beginning to see the shift in children as young as six and … [Read more...] about Social Media and Its Effects on the Classroom
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The Poison that Failed
So the poison pill did not work. The $44 billion Twitter deal is done, despite skepticism among critics whether Elon Musk could raise that kind of money to make the platform a private entity. And with the takeover of 15% of Twitter comes a barrage of fears from concerns over complete private control to private monopoly issues, from the impacts of the promised decontrol over … [Read more...] about The Poison that Failed
Breaking Boba: Walter White’s Transformation vs Boba Fett’s Puzzling Rebirth
When the dust settled on episode 7 of the Book of Boba Fett and one surveys the rubble, it's clear that both Mos Espa and the future of Star Wars need some serious rebuilding. A long, long time ago, in a country situated on top of the Mediterranean Sea a philosopher and scientist named Aristotle set his sights on what makes for good fiction. A couple thousand years later we can … [Read more...] about Breaking Boba: Walter White’s Transformation vs Boba Fett’s Puzzling Rebirth
Just Look Up!: The Sixth IPCC Report, Polar Temperature Spikes, and the Slap Seen Around the World
Don’t Look Up, the Oscar-nominated Netflix film warning of the dangers of an impending planetary crisis, was repeatedly criticized because its satire of US politics and media was seen as a heavy handed and melodramatic caricature. But the spectacle of Will Smith’s live TV assault on Chris Rock during the 94th Academy Awards ceremony and how it obscured alarming climate news, … [Read more...] about Just Look Up!: The Sixth IPCC Report, Polar Temperature Spikes, and the Slap Seen Around the World
Lifelong Learning Culture Demands “Multidimensional Literacy”
Some generations grew up hearing from their parents that if they chose to pursue a career in Medicine or Law, they would carry the "burden" of studying for the rest of their lives. Times have changed; nowadays it must not be considered a “burden.” Today, lifelong learning is the watchword for any citizen and for the development of nations; moreover, it cannot be seen as a … [Read more...] about Lifelong Learning Culture Demands “Multidimensional Literacy”
The Twists of Turning Red
I had the distinct pleasure the other day of sitting down to watch Pixar/Disney's new feature called Turning Red. Now why was it a distinct pleasure? Because my guest for the screening was my 8-year-old godchild. She happens to be the daughter of Moroccan and Arabic parents. She has a very outsized personality and a vocabulary to match. She had seen the film once before me and … [Read more...] about The Twists of Turning Red
Cartoons: Stereotypes and Social Awareness
A topic that I’ve thought about for a while is how cartoons are changing in the midst of our modern society with cancel culture. In recent times, people have spoken out against certain cartoon characters as they portray qualities that reflect current social issues. One example of recent controversy was the removal of the character Apu Nahasapeemapetilon from The Simpsons. Apu … [Read more...] about Cartoons: Stereotypes and Social Awareness
The Odessa Steps 1905, 1925, 2022
The best film you've probably never seen comes from 1925 and has never been more relevant than today. In 1905, Russian sailors mutinied on a battleship because of their deplorable living conditions under the officers of Czar Nicholas II. After being forced to eat rotten meat they took over the ship and threw the Russian Czar's officers overboard. In that same year, … [Read more...] about The Odessa Steps 1905, 1925, 2022
Dopesick Reaches Back to Try to Tell a New Story
I never need to see Citizen Kane again. After teaching it for 20+ years, I’m done. I first saw Citizen Kane in 1991. It was, of course, number one on the American Film Institute's (AFI) top movie list and as a film enthusiast I thought it was important to see it and find out why. I sat down with a friend and she angrily exclaimed at the end of the film that it was probably the … [Read more...] about Dopesick Reaches Back to Try to Tell a New Story
Cybersecurity and the Internet of Things
The modern issue with media literacy is our production of big data without any knowledge of how it is being used. As technology advances our understanding of how it operates decreases. I feel it is the media’s job to help inform the public more about ways they can learn and prevent possible threats from appearing in their own homes. One huge area with little attention is the … [Read more...] about Cybersecurity and the Internet of Things
Battle with Barbie Imagery
When people think of media in the modern-day, it's often toxic, which should not be the case. Every adult over fifty had brought up the good old times where not everyone focused on media, technology, and appearance and how wonderful that was. Today we see even the youngest generations manipulated by the media, especially young women, and their desire for the "perfect image." … [Read more...] about Battle with Barbie Imagery
Don’t Look Up! Getting the climate conversation started in Media Literacy
We cannot solve the climate crisis if we don’t discuss it. And the fossil fuel industry knows this. Big Carbon understands that if society takes the climate crisis seriously, it’s the end of their business model. To delay climate action and regulation of their industry, Big Carbon plays the long game to generate climate silence and inaction through public relations and … [Read more...] about Don’t Look Up! Getting the climate conversation started in Media Literacy
Media in America… The Road Ahead of Us
Media is all around us at all times. Every screen we have is a source of information: from the big screen on your wall, to the small screen in your pocket. According to corparitech.com, “the average American spends 7 hours and 11 minutes looking at a screen every day” (CompariTech). We are more surrounded by media than ever. Simultaneously, public trust in media is falling … [Read more...] about Media in America… The Road Ahead of Us
From practice to policy? What lies beneath
Can media literacy policy be developed to deliver social justice, to empower the most vulnerable subalterns so that they can feel represented? There are technological, ideological, and socio-political structures that govern media messages and this creates the paradox that media literacy cannot study what remains unarticulated. An upcoming virtual global summit holds the rich … [Read more...] about From practice to policy? What lies beneath
Social Media and the Secret Struggles of Athletes
Mental health is a growing conversation all around the world. We connect with many people in similar situations as us through social media. While researching mental health and the stigma around it, I had found the topic of athletes. Professional, collegiate, or even high school athletes are under immense pressure to perform to the peak of their ability, along with the many … [Read more...] about Social Media and the Secret Struggles of Athletes
Underrepresentation of Women in Sports Media
Sports have played such an important role in who I am today, especially softball. My earliest memory is playing waffle ball at five years old with my dad in our driveway. My parents are big sports fans so the television in my house always has sports on. I grew up idolizing the New York Yankees. I have been to more games than I can count and have been fortunate enough to see so … [Read more...] about Underrepresentation of Women in Sports Media
The Harm and Cost of What Misinformation/Fake News Is Doing to Us as a Nation
We live in a world with misinformation, and fake news exists and is at an all-time high. From social media to the internet as a whole, the number of people making fake accounts with false information to get views and money is rising rapidly. For example, on a website like Wikipedia, you can edit and put whatever information you want, and an unsuspecting visitor to that page … [Read more...] about The Harm and Cost of What Misinformation/Fake News Is Doing to Us as a Nation
The Happiness Effect: How Social Media Is Driving a Generation to Look Perfect at Any Cost
The Happiness Effect, written by Donna Freitas, is a book that dives into the effects social media has on the current generation and the image it is constantly trying to portray. Freitas does this by conducting multiple different interviews and surveys within different college campuses which seems like the heart of where your answers to social media effects and usage would come … [Read more...] about The Happiness Effect: How Social Media Is Driving a Generation to Look Perfect at Any Cost
2021 Year End Reflection
It is hard to believe that one year has passed since our Executive Director and force of nature, Marieli Rowe passed. And, yet, here we are. To say that she is missed would be an understatement, there are many times over the course of the year that I have wanted to reach for the phone and call her. She was my Sunday call on my drives home from visiting my Mom and sometimes my … [Read more...] about 2021 Year End Reflection
How Fake News Leads to Conspiracy Theories
Besides being potentially avoidable tragedies, what do the Nashville Bomber, Russian Trolls, Black Lives Matter, Covington Catholic, Pizzagate, Sandy Hook, Anti-Vaxx, Capitol Riot, and COVID Conspiracies all have in common? They’re all instances where a lack of media literacy led to destruction of property, health, or life… and, they were all … [Read more...] about How Fake News Leads to Conspiracy Theories
