Project+Focus

=Title: Developing Student Media Communication Skills Through Analysis and Media Creation=


 * Focus**: The focus of this project will be developing critical thinking skills to allow students to be active participants in our media rich culture.


 * Rationale:** The traditional definition of literacy is no longer valid, as our students get most of the information through a combination of text, images, sound and video. According to the results of the Canadian research project “Young Canadians in a Wired World” 75% of students in grades 3 to 10 watch TV daily, 60% play video games every day and 94% access the Internet from home. Since media play a major part in their life, they need skills to understand how media messages are created, to evaluate messages and to be able to create their own.


 * Professional Learning Goals:**


 * Improving the participants’ understanding of how to teach not just with media, but about media
 * Developing teaching and learning materials to address Media strand curriculum expectations
 * Getting familiar with available media literacy resources, both print-based and electronic
 * Learning how to assess media literacy


 * Assessment:**

During the project the participants will keep an online journal where they will reflect on the process. It will also include classroom observation of student engagement level and their understanding of media language and techniques based on the analysis of student sample projects.

Upon the completion of the project the participants will comment on how the project affected their teaching practice and student learning. These comments will be posted on the website created by the project facilitator.