Lesson 4: News Literacy - What Has It Done For Me Lately?

Watch The World's Most Generic News Report - Charlie Brooker's Newswipe.

Objectives

At the end of this lesson, you will be able to:

Develop a more sophisticated definition of the term “news.”
Differentiate quality journalism from non-quality journalism.
Define news literacy and explain its importance.

Following Up On Previous Lessons

Let's start with a class discussion of the questions below. Based on the discussion throughout the course:

What questions, if any, still remain unanswered? What issues relating to news literacy were not thoroughly addressed?
As a result of the "quality journalism" discussion in lesson 3, did any of you need to modify your definition of news?
Why is it important for news to be as unbiased as possible? Why is it important to be able to recognize bias?
What does the VIA mneumonic represent? What about the IMVAIN mneumonic? Do you find them helpful for evaluating news stories? How about deciding which information neighborhood you are in?

Is This News?

With your group, review each of the stories listed below and determine if they are news or not. For stories that you consider news, also discuss if you consider the piece "quality journalism" or not. Individually document your determinations and the reasons for your decisions. This document will be used as the end of class assessment. There is no grade for the assignment. Feel free to include notes on any additional information you felt you needed in order to make the decision or anything else you would like to add.

Kim Kardashian Divorce: $250K for Each Day of Marriage (Update)
Several Journalists Among Those Arrested During Zuccotti Park Raid
When Sarkozy Slips Up Over Netanyahu, Should The Press Stay Silent?
Michele Bachmann Claims HPV Vaccine Made Woman's Daughter Mentally Retarded

Things to think about while examining the sources:

If a stories isn't “news,” what is it? Include your ideas in your documentation.,
Why has this storied been created and/or promoted?
What the pros and cons of using this story as a source of information?
Remember the IMVAIN mneumonic when evaluating the stories.

Taking it further:

What does the phrase "fair and balanced" mean to you?
Do you usually put so much thought into who is providing you with information?
Who do you trust to give you correct information?
Who do you think tends to give you incorrect information?

The Importance of News Literacy

With your group, discuss the meaning of the phrase "news literacy" and its importance in society. Document your discussion. Once the group discussion is finished, collaborate with the entire class on an article about news literacy. This piece should be written in the form of a news article, the intention of which is to inform other students of the concepts learned in this course. Include the concepts or ideas that you found most interesting/important in the course.

Things to think about:

What would I want friends to know about news literacy?
What topics might interest other students? What do other students need to know about news literacy?
How will news literacy skills help you in the future?
What do you think the challenges for news consumers are in today's environment?
Is the media biased? What types of media do you think exist? Do you trust the news media?
What is the role of the press in a democratic society? How does the press in the United States differ from the press in other countries? For example, China or Mexico? CPJ Census Finds '15-Year High' In Jailed Journalists.

The questions above are designed to get you thinking about the importance of news literacy. They do not need to be addressed in the article.

Preparation For Life

What changes are taking place in society that impact the news media?
How are you affected by the news?
What decisions does the news help you make? Can you make good decisions without good information?

Exploring Further On Your Own

If you are interested in some of the current issues affecting journalism and reporting, such as the impact of social media and self-publishing, check out the resources below.
TEDxThessaloniki - Paul Lewis - Citizen Journalism Journalist Paul Lewis talks about new media, citizen journalism. and how he has used social media to investigate two murders. He also talks about the new level of transparency and accountability new media offer in public life.
TEDxBoulder - Leslie Dodson - Researching Or Reporting: Revelations From The Field Leslie Dodson's research focuses on the intersection of micro-enterprise and digital technologies in developing communities. She brings more than 25 years of experience and insight from a career as a broadcast journalist to the academic community. Leslie has been posted to Tokyo, London, New York and throughout Latin America, where she covered high-tech and bio-tech for CNBC and MSNBC, and international finance and the global emerging markets for CNN, NHK-Tokyo and Reuters. Along with covering international business, Leslie has reported on environmental issues from the Arctic, India, Nepal, Ecuador, Burundi and Uganda.
TEDxSydney - Brett Solomon - Citizen Journalism and the Democratisation of News Coverage Brett Solomon is the co-founder and Executive Director of Accessnow.org - a new global movement for digital freedom. Before that he was the Campaign Director at Avaaz.org, and before that the first Executive Director of GetUp! an Australian grass roots political organisation with over 300,000 members.

News Literacy Overview
News Literacy Glossary
News Literacy Lesson 1
News Literacy Lesson 2
News Literacy Lesson 3
Porfolio Page
ETAP 623 Fall 2011