Media Literacy can be used effectively as a pedagogical approach for teaching core content across the K-12 curriculum, thus meeting the needs of both teachers and students by promoting critical thinking, communication, and technology skills. This article focuses on the work of Project Look Sharp at Ithaca College, a media literacy initiative working primarily with school districts in upstate New York. Basic principles and best practices for using a curriculum-driven approach are described, with specific examples from social studies, English/language arts, math, science, health, and art, along with methods of assessment used to address effectiveness in the classroom.
This would be the ability for Media Literacy to empower students in so many ways that, in the end, will lead to its growth and stability in K-12 education. By meeting the needs of teachers and administrators, of parents, and of the students themselves, we can indeed foster a deeper sense of literacy in our children.