– What is media literacy?
Media literacy has become a necessary ability for students in the 21st century. In a world dominated by various media platforms, students should deal with social media in several aspects. First of all, they should get familiar with all kinds of media forms, including animation, audio, video, and so on, and know clear about their features and applications. Then, they should apply such platforms properly in their daily life and work. To do that they may need to think about which platform can be used to expand my PLN, or which platforms can help me with job seeking. Thirdly, they could use the platform to express themselves and build their own brand. Social media platforms actually make it possible for everyone to engage in social issues and enhance their own influence. The students who have the ability to capitalize on the platforms can earn more edge in the job market.
– Why is it important?
As far as I am concerned, there are two reasons which can explain why media literacy is important in today’s society. On one hand, it is one of the requirements of today’s jobs. People who are equipped to use social platforms can have an advantage over others in job landings. For example, many marketing posts require applicants to be familiar with the functions of new media apps and it’s better to have some fans basis. On the other hand, without media literacy, people may magnify the weaknesses of the internet platforms and fear its threats. Julie Smith has mentioned the concerns of many parents about their children using the internet. Media literacy can allow people to have a good understanding of online platforms and make use of them for their own good.
– Why is it dismissed?
Julie smith talked about when she finds it important to share what is media literacy with people, people think of her as a librarian. This reflects that although media literacy has already been recognized by experts to be a critical ability, it hasn’t received enough attention from the public. Julie smith thought it was because media literacy hasn’t got a proper name, which hinders people to talk about it.
– Why should you aim for varied views but the factual consensus in your PLN?
I think this is associated with what Julie Smith has said about the advantages and disadvantages of social media. Once social media realizes the globalization of information, the advantage is that we can have access to different opinions held by different people, which can help us view things from different perspectives. However, this also brings problems, it becomes increasingly difficult for people to tell facts from fiction. The job of fact-finding rests on each one of us. Factual consensus should be the foundation of global information exchange, otherwise, people will get lost in the information hose.
References
Media Literacy – Facts Matter – Course YouTube Channel https://youtu.be/57r3-aEnci0
Trilling, B., & Fadel, C. (2009). 21st century skills: Learning for life in our times. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
tianqiyang
Hi again,
I enjoy your thinking process in answering why “Media literacy is important”.As you said, parents are concerning children’s online behaviour, if our education could teach children about media literacy related knowledge in school, maybe parents can be less concerned.
Your post got me into thinking. I am actually surpirsed of how writing courses in today’s education system is still focused on honing students’ academic writing skills. I am not saying that academic writing skills is not important, it certainly is. But I think what’s going to be used in workplace is not academic writing, we don’t argue, then bring evidence, and then conclude. Business writing and media literacy should be treated more seriously in my perspective.