Ithaca College

Chris Sperry of Ithaca College’s media literacy organization, Project Look Sharp, recently authored an article titled “Constructivist Media Decoding in the Social Studies: Leveraging the New Standards for Educational Change.”

The article was published in the Journal of Media Literacy, Vol. 62, and focuses on how to incorporate media literacy skills and analytical thinking into social studies lessons. Additionally, Sperry writes about the integration of media literacy with C3 and the Common Core requirements that are now developing. 

The research addresses the need of media literacy lessons in social studies educational curriculums. With more information mediums (such as videos, photos, and graphics) present and interacting with society, curriculums need to be modernized to include analytical thinking - not purely a traditional fact-based approach. The article explains how teachers can facilitate students to build these skills through referencing lessons that are free to access via Project Look Sharp’s website at: http://www.projectlooksharp.org/. Chris Sperry encourages the Common Core and C3 standards to include requirements to teach media literacy skills that are crucial in delivering a well-rounded education.

“Constructivist Media Decoding in the Social Studies: Leveraging the New Standards for Educational Change” by Chris Sperry of Project Look Sharp can be accessed for free online at:

http://www.frankwbaker.com/mlc/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/jml-ccs.pdf

Project Look Sharp is Ithaca College’s Media Literacy Initiative. Project Look Sharp supports the integration of critical thinking through media literacy in school curriculum and teaching. They do this through developing and providing lesson plans, media materials, training, and support for educators at all education levels. The purpose of media literacy education is to help individuals of all ages develop the habits of inquiry and skills of expression they need to be critical thinkers, effective communicators, and active citizens in today’s world.