Learn to think critically about the media you’re consuming and begin making informed decisions about what’s fake news and what’s the reality. Here’s why it matters and the way you’ll be able to start today!
Media literacy is the ability to think critically about what you’re seeing, reading, and hearing. It helps us to research information from a range of viewpoints. With such a lot of sources of knowledge today, critical thinking skills can help people identify reliable sources and filter through the noise to urge at the reality. for instance, we may spot fake news faster or understand why certain products are advertised over others on social media sites like Facebook or Instagram. we would also notice that content shared on those platforms often comes with an agenda – like promoting an organization’s political ideology or persuading someone to shop for something they don’t need.
The inherent bias in media
Media literacy can help people recognize biases within the media and the way they’ll affect their perception of an incident or issue. for instance, a conservative news outlet might only cover terrorist attacks to form people afraid. that very same media organization can also use emotional language to form readers feel negatively towards refugees and immigrants coming into their country.
Media literacy as an academic tool
Media literacy can even be accustomed study new ideas, cultures, and perspectives which will not be previously considered. Media literacy may help people decide what they need to find out more getting ready to fill within the gaps in knowledge the standard media may have not noted.
Taking charge
The more aware we are of what’s happening around us in our communities, schools, and workplaces – the higher equipped we’ll be to form change. for instance, we are able to use the media we consume to tell ourselves about what’s happening in our nation and world. The more aware we are of how certain groups are underrepresented or misrepresented by mainstream media, the more impetus for these groups to require a charge of their representation through social media platforms like Twitter and blogs.
Critical Thinking
Learning a way to critically analyze media provides students with skills they have when entering college or starting their careers. A student who has mastered media literacy skills may comprehend a newspaper article and understand how the reporter is framing it, read between the lines of social media posts for bias or intent, spot a commercial from afar on TV.
Conclusion
Media literacy could be a skill that has been a component of the curriculum for many years, but its importance is on an all-time high. Not only does it allow students to investigate media in their lives and communities critically, but it also prepares them for school or careers.