Book Review – Mediacology: A Multicultural Approach to Media Literacy in the Twenty-First Century

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Mediacology: A Multicultural Approach to Media Literacy in the Twenty-First Century. Antonio López. New York, NY: Peter Lang Publishing, 2008. 178 pp.

To be media literate is to possess the tools and critical skills necessary to analyze and produce media content. The ability to deconstruct the production process and effects aspects of media is a survival skill not only for media educators, but also — and perhaps most important — for us all. According to the Journal of Media Literacy Education, learning to do this “helps individuals of all ages develop habits of inquiry and skills of expression needed to become critical thinkers, effective communicators and active citizens in a world where mass media, popular culture and digital technologies play an important role for individuals and society.”

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Increasing Visibility for Digital and Media Literacy

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By Renee Hobbs, Temple University | Mass Communication and Society

On October 2, 2009, the Knight Commission on the Information Needs of Communities in a Democracy released their report, “Informing Communities: Sustaining Democracy in the Digital Age.” Among the main recommendations, the Commission urges that the nation (1) maximize the availability of relevant and credible information to all Americans; (2) strengthen the capacity of individuals to engage with information; and (3) promote individual engagement with information and the public life of the community.

In particular, the report recommends that digital and media literacy be integrated as critical elements of education at all levels through collaboration among federal, state and local education officials. Young people, in particular, have a special role to play in efforts to develop the digital information and communication capacities of local communities. Other recommendations call for universal broadband, open networks, transparent government, vibrant local journalism, public media reform, and local public engagement. [Read more...]