Ithaca College

On Wednesday Aug. 31 executive director of Project Look Sharp and professor of psychology at Ithaca College, Cyndy Scheibe presented at Longview to discuss media literacy and the current presidential election. 

Longview is a non-for-profit organization that operates as a residential living community for older adults, providing them with affordable housing and other care options. Ithaca College and Longview enjoy a unique partnership together. Just across the street from the IC campus, residents of Longview have access to educational, social, cultural and health related programs through Ithaca College’s five schools. 

Dr. Scheibe provided the residents of Longview with a perspective and education on media literacy to help them better understand the context of today’s media messages, including the upcoming presidential election. 

In her presentation Scheibe discussed:

-How media messages have constructed our understanding of presidential candidates and their campaigns from 1800-present.

-How media literacy can help us make sense of political news and the political messages that surround us today 

The presentation also included discussions about push polls, the FUD factor, and key questions about political messages.

In the U.S. in 2014, approximately 59.4% of adults 65 years and older voted in national elections. Of that percentage, 18.7% of adults 65 years and over vote in New York State according to the United States Census Bureau. 

According to the Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy, only 11% of media coverage focused on candidates’ policy positions, leadership abilities or personal and professional histories. A majority of coverage has focused on the premise of “he said, she said” between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, which makes it increasingly difficult to discern fact from fiction. 

To help seniors discern fact from fiction throughout the media’s coverage of the upcoming presidential election, the presentation offered solutions to the media’s constant overflow of information. 

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.