ideabuffet

The New News

Is traditional/network news really dead? Is it being abandoned? Or, is it merely evolving to meet the demands of its consumers. If you're thinking, "So what? How does this affect me? I'm just an educator," look around. Most of the students passing through your school are getting their news from sources other than television and newspapers. Do they know how to differentiate between real news and what passes for news? Can they decode the messages being relayed by the media sources they access? Students need literacy skills--otherwise, they'll have problems in college and "real" life outside of school. Do your stduents have sufficient media literacy skills?

From Information To History

Media Specialists (as well as Social Studies teachers) should appreciate the following resource. Pennsyvania State University Libraries has a thought-provoking web-based presenation about information cycles. Penn State's instructional programs are also worthy of exploration. Take a look at the tutorials.

Edvertising: Commericialism in Education

We seen it in a lot of schools--soda and snack machines that give a cut of the profits to the campus. Some principals say that, without them, the school wouldn't be able to fund necessary expenses. But, how far reaching are the effects of commericalism in schools. The Commericalism in Education Research Unit (CERU) takes a look at the effects of commercial activities in educational settings. It's virtually everywhere so it must not be a big deal, right? Take a look at the litigation surrounding the issue and decide.