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Media Literacy in the Ontario Curriculum

Alison MannOctober 31, 2012

CTL 1000

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I have been teaching English Media Studies and Arts courses for 13 years now, and seven years

ago, I completed my Media Specialist. Most recently, I have been using my Media Literacy

skills in teaching IB Film Studies and Media Arts. Media Literacy plays a large role in all the work

that I do both in class and extra-curricular activities. For this reason, I was interested in

analyzing the content of the Media Strand throughout the English Curriculum at the

Secondary Level with an overview of how it connects to the Media Literacy Strand in the

Elementary Language Curriculum.

Rationale and Identity of the ‘content reviewer’

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In July 2012, I was invited by Kyoto University and the media literacy organization “Television for Children” to speak about the Media Literacy program in Ontario. Currently in

Japan, there are no Media Literacy courses in schools, but there is a ground swell of support from teachers, students and parents to include this in future curriculum documents.

Japanese educators look to Ontario for our progressive curriculum documents and teaching approach. Below are some photos of a workshop with Japanese teachers at a middle school

just outside of Kyoto. I provided an overview of the Ontario curriculum followed by a brief lesson using curriculum expectations.

A leading Curriculum Document

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ContextOntario was the first educational jurisdiction in North America to make media education a mandatory part of the curriculum. Founded in 1978, the AML (Association for Media Literacy) was the first comprehensive organization for media literacy teachers in Canada. (Duncan and Wilson, 2009).

In 1995, Media education was introduced to the Ontario Language Curriculum for grades 1-8

Media Literacy has been a part of the Ontario English curriculum at the Secondary level since 1987.

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Overall Expectations for Media Literacy Strand in Elementary Language Curriculum

• There are four overall expectations for students at both the elementary and secondary level in media literacy. Students are expected to:

• * Demonstrate an understanding of a variety of media texts.• * Identify a variety of media forms and explain how the conventions and

techniques associated with them are used to create meaning.• * Create a variety of media texts for different purposes and audiences, using

appropriate forms, conventions and techniques.• * Reflect on and identify their strengths as media interpreters and creators,

areas for improvement, and the strategies they found most helpful in understanding and creating media texts (Ministry of Education, 2006: 147)

In 2006 and 2007, the Ontario Ministry of Education released revised curriculum documents that mandate media literacy from grades 1 to 12. Specifically, media literacy is now a distinct strand in the Language programme at the elementary level (grades 1-8) and in the English programme at the secondary level (grades 9-12). The curriculum documents identify media literacy as one of four program strands that also include oral communication, reading and writing (Ministry of Education, 2006: 13)

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•I will be looking a Media Literacy in both the Grade 9-10 as well as the Grade 11-12 English Curriculum Documents. I will also look at the dedicated course, Gr 11 English Media Studies•A series of questions modified from the U.S. Department of Education’s Criteria for Content Analysis

•Connections to foundational figure

• Final Thoughts

Approach

1. Are the program’s learning goals challenging, clear, and appropriate; is its content aligned with its learning goals?

2. Is it accurate and appropriate for the intended audience?

3. Is the instructional design engaging and motivating for the intended student population?

4. Is the system of assessment appropriate and designed to guide teachers’ instructional decision making?

5. Can it be successfully implemented, adopted, or adapted in multiple educational settings?

6. Does it address important individual and societal needs?

(National Research Council, p.68)

Questions adapted from the U.S. Department of Education’s Criteria for Content Analysis (1999)

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Word Cloud created with Curriculum Document Text

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The Word Cloud created on Wordle using text from the Grade 11 English Media Studies curriculum document. It was helpful for looking at the initial language used in the document.

Observations:Fourth most commonly used word in the document is television. “Social Media” is not represented although it is one of the most discussed themes in English Media Studies. The same goes with gaming

Teacher is more commonly used than Student.

TEACHER, EXPLAIN MEDIA

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Are the program’s learning goals challenging, clear, and appropriate; is its content aligned with its learning goals?

The learning goals, or Overall Learning Expectations use clear and consistent language through all grade levels. At each grade, the specific learning goals build on the year previous. The content also includes a ‘teacher prompt‘ to help generate ideas or discussion. The Specific Expectations all provide examples in brackets following the description. While there is some choice as to how the expectation will be met, the degree of challenge will be dependent on a number of factors. It is evident to see that the content is aligned with the Overall Expectations.

Left: English Curriculum Grade 9, Right: English Curriculum Grade 10Language used changes by grade

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Is it accurate and appropriate for the intended audience?

-Although the overall outcomes are the same for all grades, there is a reasonable amount of progression under the specific expectations. The suggested activities are age and skill appropriate.

This document also takes into account diverse audiences: Note the specific expectation below ‘explain why different audiences (e.g. with respect to nationality, ability/ disability, income level) might have different responses to a variety of media texts.At each grade level, students are asked to consider the backgrounds, attitudes and beliefs of others and not just of themselves. In this way, I think that students can see themselves reflected in the curriculum.

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Is the instructional design engaging and motivating for the intended student population?

Curriculum planning is flexible; unit planning can be thematic, genre or media based. Students are often ‘experts’ in the class as they have plenty of experience with a variety of forms of media. The Media Studies strand and Media Studies course provides a framework to better understand the mediated environment. Media Studies are explored through three interconnected areas: text, audience, production. As a result of our ever changing media environments, the course works best when it’s modified each year with student input. What appears to be of particular interest to the student population is the ‘production’ aspect in the course in which students create their own media products.

“There are several approaches for teaching media literacy. Many teachers make use of more than one approach in the classroom, shaping the curriculum to meet the needs and interests of their students. Whichever is pursued, there is a strong emphasis on the importance of analysis--the deconstruction of a media text or message, and production--learning how media industries operate and developing the skills and knowledge needed for students to produce their own stories” (Duncan and Wilson, 2009).

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Is the system of assessment appropriate and designed to guide teachers’ instructional decision making?

Sample of ‘Thinking’ category in the achievement chart for the English Gr. 9-10 Curriculum

The English Curriculum document clearly takes the reader through the details of the achievement chart:

categories of knowledge and

skills criteria

descriptors

qualifiers

Again, as mentioned in other parts of this presentation, the language used provides enough detail and support for teachers to develop their own rubrics/ frameworks for assessment and at the same time, leaves space for teachers to make tailored rubrics/ assessment tools to suit the task and students needs

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Can it be successfully implemented, adopted, or adapted in multiple educational settings?

Technology Issue:Depending on teacher’s level of experience with technology and accessibility, the course can look very different for students across OntarioEG: In ENG3U, students are expected to produce ‘increasingly complex texts’ and the example given is a website. Whether this can happen comes down to accessibility, funding and teacher experience with technology in the classroom. With that said, using available technology, students can still fulfill the curriculum expectations. The result can be an equity issue due to the imbalance of Media experiences and ‘products’ from schools across Ontario.

“These and other studies collectively depict the material conditions of technology(dis)use in formal K-12 education, where digital technologies are very much inschools, but very infrequently in pedagogical practice. While ‘good news stories’abound in regards to students and teachers using digital technologies in innovativeand educationally significant ways, the overall context remains that of substantial,persistent and complex barriers to the consistent implementation and recognition ofICT-enabled teaching and learning” (Jenson, p.39)

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Does it address important individual and societal needs?

“ Studies explores the impact and influence of mass media and popular culture by examining texts such as films, songs, video games, action figures, advertisements, CD covers, clothing, billboards, television shows, magazines, newspapers, photographs, and websites.3 These texts abound in our electronic information age, and the messages they convey, both overt and implied, can have a significant influence on students’ lives” (Ministry of Education).

“To develop their media literacy skills, students should have opportunities to view, analyse, and discuss a wide variety of media texts and relate them to their own experience”. (Ministry of Education)

The Curriculum document appears to take into account the needs of both the student and societal needs. Teachers are able to take advantage of up to date news media stories for use in class. Media Logs and Journals are strongly encouraged in Media AQ classes for student use to provide a space for expression and an opportunity to make sense of the world around them. Under the ‘reflecting on skills and strategies’ expectation, there is mention of the use of a log to keep track of their process workAdditionally, the Media Studies strand and course offer ample opportunities for civic-minded teachers and students. There are a number of examples and ‘teacher prompts’ in the document that encourage students to create a public service announcement, civic minded texts etc.

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Connections to foundational figures:

The Reconceptualist Movement (Grumet and Pinar) in education has built on the ideas of John Dewey. From my understandings, the reconceptualists focus on the learner and the ever evolving curriculum as a social, interactive and reflective process (Graham, page 7). They argue that the purpose of curriculum studies is less about curriculum management and more to do with a scholarly understanding of educational experience, with regards to political, cultural, historical and gender dimensions.Under reconceptualism, there is a move towards ‘curriculum understanding’ (Cupp, page 2).

While I have not come across any perspectives on the Ontario Curriculum by Pinar (currently a Professor and Canada Research Chair in Curriculum and Pedagogy at the University of British Columbia) it would be likely that he would be concerned about the lack of opportunities teachers have to engage with scholarly issues around curriculum (unless teachers take it upon themselves to return to school for further education). Reconceptualists may also object to how seldom the curriculum documents are revised to address changes or how the curriculum document is static until revised.

Pinar is also deeply involved with equity issues and gender studies throughout his career. The Media Studies strand does appear to be civically minded and written in consideration of the diversity of Ontario students, and is concerned with equity issues such as representation, gender in the media and diversity of audience.

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final thoughts and musings:Having worked with this curriculum document since its release in 2007, I would consider it to be quite a well planned and executable document. As a teacher, there are of course some final thoughts I’d like to share about possible amendments for consideration:

Updating language/terminology: Any Media Literacy document/ text can run the risk of becoming outdated fast. The Ontario Curriculum document is carefully worded so as not to outdate itself, in my opinion. However, as mentioned previously in the word cloud example, it would be helpful if some updates to the language used could be modified during the next revision. In our quickly changing times, media can become obsolete and unfamiliar to our students in no time. Much of the media students consume today cannot all be considered ‘mass media’ anymore. Such terms as ‘social media’ ‘citizen media’ and web ‘2.0’ should be added to curriculum documents and corresponding examples should be used. It should be noted that the AML (Association for Media Literacy) updates their online resources regularly to reflect the changes in contemporary media.

Media Studies in the English/ Language Curriculum: For now, it is well situated in the English and Language curriculum. This means that Media Studies will be experienced by all students each year in Ontario schools. However, with the interdisciplinary nature of post-secondary schools, it would be helpful to see Media Studies as a series of stand alone courses, much like Gr. 11 English Media Studies. It is a challenge to study Media in isolation as it can fit into almost every other subject area.

More teacher training: More teacher training specifically in the Media Studies strand is greatly needed.

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Re fe re nc e s

The Ontario Ministry of Education (2007), The Ontario Curriculum Grades 11-12 English: Revised, Queen’s Printer for Ontario.

The Ontario Ministry of Education (2006), The Ontario Curriculum Grades 1-8 Language: Revised, Queen’s Printer for Ontario.

The Ontario Ministry of Education (2007), The Ontario Curriculum Grades 9-10 English: Revised, Queen’s Printer for Ontario.

The Ontario Ministry of Education (2007), The Ontario Curriculum Grades 11-12 English: Revised, Queen’s Printer for Ontario.

Duncan, Barry, and Carolyn Wilson. Implementing mandates in media education: the Ontario experience." Comunicar 16.32 (2009): S127+. Academic OneFile. Web. 30 Oct. 2012.

Committee for a Review of the Evaluation Data on the Effectiveness of NSF-Supported and Commercially Generated Mathematics Curriculum Materials, National Research Council. "4 Content Analysis." On Evaluating Curricular Effectiveness: Judging the Quality of K-12 Mathematics Evaluations. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press, 2004

http://chelangat.hubpages.com/hub/RECONCEPTUALISTS-VERSES-TRADITIONALISTS-CURRICULUM-THEORISTS

http://www.infed.org/biblio/b-curric.htmAccessed October 27, 2012

Jenson, Dr. Jennifer, Critical Review and Analysis of the Issue of “Skills, Technology and Learning”:Final Reportwww.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/research/Jenson_ReportAccessed October 26, 2012

Graham, Robert J. (1992): Currere eand reconceptualism: the progress of the pilgrimage 1975 1990‐ , Retrieved September 29, 2012, Journal of Curriculum Studies, 24:1, 27-42