Media, Internet Literacy Needs Increase in US Schools

Media, Internet Literacy Needs Increase in US Schools

More educators and researchers are bringing attention to misinformation spread through the internet and social media.

Teachers already face many difficulties. Adding what is called media literacy can be another be a problem. The concern is how some subjects are seen only as political issues. This could include issues like misinformation about vaccines¹, increasing world temperatures and even Russia's war in Ukraine.

The Associated Press says that those opposed to teaching internet literacy say it is the same as thought control. This prevents some teachers from using it in their classes.

Julie Smith is an expert on media literacy. She teaches at Webster University in the state of Missouri. She said teaching media literacy is not teaching what to think, but how to think.

She said: "It's engaging about engaging your brain. It's asking, 'Who created this? Why? Why am I seeing it now? How does it make me feel and why?'"

Erin McNeil is a mother from Massachusetts who has worked as a reporter. She said that media literacy is a skill that is just as important as computer engineering for the economy. She created a nonprofit group called Media Literacy Now. The organization supports digital literacy education.

"Basic communication is part of our information economy, and there will be huge implications for our economy if we don't get this right," McNeil said.

Shawn Lee teaches social studies in Seattle, Washington. He sees internet and media literacy as important for modern life as driver's education in high school.

He has taught about double-checking online reports, getting information from more than a few places and using critical thinking. He also created an organization for teachers to share resources.

"This technology is so new that no one taught us how to use it," Lee said. "People are like, 'There's nothing we can do...I disagree with that. I would like to think the republic can survive an algorithm."

Teaching internet literacy to fight misinformation may be more effective than new laws and changes to algorithms. Some US states like New Jersey², Illinois, and Texas have added new standards for teaching internet literacy. Subjects can include how the internet and social media work, how to find misinformation by looking at many sources. Other ways of identifying misinformation might include looking for missing background information or recognizing emotional headlines.

Media literacy is often included in social studies classes like history or government classes offered at the high school level. But experts say it is never too early or late for people to become better internet users.

Media and internet literacy is taught around the world. In Finland, children learn about the internet in preschool when they are about four or five years old. The program is part of an anti-misinformation program for the population to be more aware and resistant³ to false internet claims.

Finland and Canada have developed programs over the years to teach young people about the media. The goal is to get young people to understand what in the news and on the internet is a fact, and what is not.

Finland has fought misinformation spread by its neighbor, Russia. Finland expanded its programs after the 2014 Russian invasion of Crimea.

Learning about misinformation does not stop in school. Finland has public service announcements and programs for older adults who are more at risk of misinformation than younger people, who seem more at home on the internet.

Petri Honkonen is Finland's minister of science and culture. He spoke⁴ to the Associated Press during a recent trip to Washington, DC. His trip included discussions of Finland's actions to fight internet misinformation.

"Media literacy was one of our priorities before the time of the internet. The point is critical thinking, and that is a skill that everybody needs more and more. We have to somehow protect people. We also must protect democracy," he said.

Media literacy programs in Canada began many years ago but have been expanded to the digital age. Mathew Johnson is the director of education at MediaSmarts, a nonprofit organization that runs media literacy programs. Johnson said media literacy is accepted as an important part of preparing students in Canada.

Media and internet literacy is often compared to driver's education.

"We need speed limits, we need well-designed roads and good regulations to ensure cars are safe. But we also teach people how to drive safely," Johnson said.

Johnson added that people need to have the tools to think critically about what they see and read.

The internet and social media can be seen like the wave of new automobiles⁶ about 100 years ago. It took almost 30 years before the first driver's education classes were offered. The government passed laws for vehicle safety and driver behavior. The auto⁵ industry added safety devices like seat belts and air bags.

This combination of government, industry and educators is considered the model that is needed for internet and media literacy. Education is needed for an effective answer to fight internet misinformation.

Words in This Story

literacy –n. enough knowledge about a subject to ensure that someone understands what it is; literally⁷ the ability to read and write

engage – v. to get involved or be interested in something

digital – adj. characterized by electronic and computerized technology

implication – n. a result or effect

double-checking –to consider something twice to make sure you have not missed something or left something undone⁸

algorithm – n. a set of steps that are followed in order to solve a mathematical problem or to complete a computer process

standards –n. (often pl.) the basic level of ability acceptable for the understanding of or ability to use something

aware – adj. knowing that something (such as a situation, condition, or problem) exists

priority – n. something that is more important than other things and that needs to be done or dealt with first

ensure – v. to make sure that something happens

1 vaccines   

疫苗，痘苗( vaccine的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His team are at the forefront of scientific research into vaccines. 他的小组处于疫苗科研的最前沿。
• The vaccines were kept cool in refrigerators. 疫苗放在冰箱中冷藏。

2 jersey   

n.运动衫

参考例句：

• He wears a cotton jersey when he plays football.他穿运动衫踢足球。
• They were dressed alike in blue jersey and knickers.他们穿着一致，都是蓝色的运动衫和灯笼短裤。

3 resistant   

adj.(to)抵抗的，有抵抗力的

参考例句：

• Many pests are resistant to the insecticide.许多害虫对这种杀虫剂有抵抗力。
• They imposed their government by force on the resistant population.他们以武力把自己的统治强加在持反抗态度的人民头上。

4 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

5 auto   

n.(=automobile)(口语)汽车

参考例句：

• Don't park your auto here.别把你的汽车停在这儿。
• The auto industry has brought many people to Detroit.汽车工业把许多人吸引到了底特律。

6 automobiles   

n.汽车( automobile的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• When automobiles become popular,the use of the horse and buggy passed away. 汽车普及后，就不再使用马和马车了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Automobiles speed in an endless stream along the boulevard. 宽阔的林荫道上，汽车川流不息。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

7 literally   

adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实

参考例句：

• He translated the passage literally.他逐字逐句地翻译这段文字。
• Sometimes she would not sit down till she was literally faint.有时候，她不走到真正要昏厥了，决不肯坐下来。

8 undone   

a.未做完的，未完成的

参考例句：

• He left nothing undone that needed attention.所有需要注意的事他都注意到了。