Chapter 9:Infusing Digital & Media Literacy across the Curriculum

"Some people say that digital and media literacy gets under your skin, because once you discover how well it works with learners, you want every student in the world to experience it."

This quote is beautiful, and this is how I feel about sharing my knowledge of digital media literacy and learning strategies. I'm somewhat apprehensive about using these strategies in my student teaching this semester, but I know the inevitable increase in student motivation and achievement will inspire me to implement these learning strategies across all of my classes.

"When they[students] share ideas using digital media, students gain a sense of social responsibility as they contribute to improving their communities and the world around them."

This quote really prompted a lot of reflecting. One of the most common complaints you will here about kids today (in and out of school) is that they simply do not care about anything. They're disengaged from current events, civil responsibilities, and anything that matters.

This is where I can envision the potential that digital and media literacy education has to turn all of that around. When we give students a true voice (through the use of digital media and technology) they are inspired to take action and truly care about the communities in which they live. In other words I believe that they really do care about maintaining social responsibility, but not with the methods in which it was done 50+ years ago.


"Should digital and media literacy be offered as a separate stand-alone course or should it be integrated into the curriculum's existing subjects?"

This is where I'm torn. A part of me completely understands the need for digital and media literacy to be integrated across the curriculum, but the other part also agrees with the author of our text when they say, "...when all teachers are responsible for teaching something, then no one is really responsible." 

With that being said, I 100% agree with a blended approach to integrating these studies. In my view, it is essential that students have the opportunity to take a course in digital media studies, but there also needs to be a collaborative effort in which that teacher aids teachers of other content areas in implementing digital media learning strategies into their own curriculum.



My Motivations for Digital and Media Literacy Rankings

#1 To modernize the curriculum and make it more relevant to students.

#2 To help students use their own voices for advocacy and social change.

#3 To promote creativity and self-expression.

#4 To build students' ability to be active, thoughtful "readers" or interpreters of the media messages in their cultural environment.

#5 To increase student motivation and engagement in the classroom.