Links

[Pyrrho]

Some links

http://pbskids.org/dontbuyit/parentsguide.html

This guide helps families explore the effects of media in their lives, and stimulates family discussion on media. Talking points and activity suggestions help families understand differences between media entertainment and real-life values.

http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/index.cfm

Resources and support for everyone interested in media and information literacy for young people.

http://www.medialit.org/default.html

A pioneer in its field, the Center for Media Literacy (CML) is a nonprofit educational organization that provides leadership, public education, professional development and educational resources nationally. Dedicated to promoting and supporting media literacy education as a framework for accessing, analyzing, evaluating and creating media content, CML works to help citizens, especially the young, develop critical thinking and media production skills needed to live fully in the 21st century media culture. The ultimate goal is to make wise choices possible.

(edited to add information about each link)

[Kiless]

http://www.ratbags.com/greenlight/

[JJM]

What is the purpose of these links?

[Kiless]

What is the purpose of these links?

Well, they're useful for educational purposes.

The one that I gave a link to is something that I've found useful for my own education, as the Ratbag site has some pointers to neat summations about pseudoscientific and paranormal claims. Used a few for student assignments.

The ones that Mr Dominic appears to have posted are along the lines of Viewing Literacy. Media criticism, analysis of print and film promotions and general advertising analysis.

It's something we do in English classes as a part of the Viewing outcomes strand and if English classes aren't doing such lessons... then they should. Since PBS (an education / documentary broadcasting division?) do documentaries on the topic, they should be supported for making leeway into that field. If parents could, mentioning such materials for use in classes would be a big help for English teachers. Students write excellent responses and are far more visually literate than we realise... but often don't consider the effect of such manipulations and the notion of 'target audience'.

I'd mention along the same lines the site (and magazine) - Adbusters: Culture Jammers. A media kit for teachers is here: https://secure.adbusters.org/orders/mediakit/

I have these posters by them in my classroom.


If you'd like to learn more yourself (since Education should not only be for kids), I'd suggest this documentary too: The Merchants Of Cool.

[JJM]

Well thanks. I think a brief description should always be attached to links so people can tell if they are interested in them.

[Kiless]

Well thanks. I think a brief description should always be attached to links so people can tell if they are interested in them.

Excellent point, I'll endeavor to do so in future. A paragraph on suggested applications is never awry.

Useful software in regards to encouraging young children to brainstorm and investigate reasoning strategies:

Inspiration - I've used Inspiration with English as a Second Language kids in grades 1 to 3 and with high school students; it's particularly enjoyed by one of my students who has a motor-function disability who uses the computer program to demonstrate brainstorming skills for the processes and strategies strands of Writing outcomes.

I've yet to use 'Inspire Data', which appears to be a new version, but as you can see there's 30 day free trials available. I've used Inspiration myself to make a brainstorm on issues in the film 'Mean Girls' and the expository text 'Queen Bees and Wannabes'. It translates neatly over to a word document.

Reason!Able has been superceeded by Rationale- it does argument mapping for you. I've used it a few times when untangling some posts by a user called Mercutio in discussions with other forum board members as an exercise and I'd suggest that perhaps if people would like to try it out themselves before recommending it to others. There's also a trial download available on the site. I am biased however - it's an Australian Uni product (Melb Uni).

[Pyrrho]

Well thanks. I think a brief description should always be attached to links so people can tell if they are interested in them.

Agreed...I've edited my post to add such information.

[JJM]

Well thanks. I think a brief description should always be attached to links so people can tell if they are interested in them.

Agreed...I've edited my post to add such information.

Thanks, again. Since your post concerned media literacy, here are two articles criticizing coverage of “Intelligent Design” by reporters. The basic problem is the journalistic practice of allowing “equal time to both sides” rather than reporting that there is really no scientific controversy. This applies to science reporting, in general.

For example, I recently complained to my NPR station because they gave time to anti-vaccination fear-mongers. The news director just could not understand that there is no controversy among health professionals.

In short, journalists covering scientific topics too often accept screwball opinion as on a par with scientific facts.

http://www.cjr.org/issues/2005/5/mooney.asp

http://www.csicop.org/scienceandmedia/id/

[sashie]

Hi Guys,

I have here some links to share with you, I hope it can help in terms of languages; these links is related to foreign languages:

http://www.language-learning.net
http://www.esl.ch/fr/sejour-linguistique.htm

Sashie

[arn]

sorry folks, i'm a newbie. i've noticed "edu"sites and wondered what they are all about. haven't noticed recommended links, so maybe you could help me out.

[JJM]

sorry folks, i'm a newbie. i've noticed "edu"sites and wondered what they are all about. haven't noticed recommended links, so maybe you could help me out.

If I understand you- sites with the .edu extension should be legitimate educational institutions (colleges, etc.) just as the extension .org should be nonprofits. However, there is a problem with .edu; some illegitimate groups acquired that extension and the powers-that-be on the Net are reluctant to strip them of that extension.

[arn]

thanks JJM. just wondered if an edu was viable/possible to own. how does an "illegitimate" edu come into being? just trying to understand.