Student Pre-Work

Conduct a short interview about life before mobile phones, internet, email, eBooks and other emerging technologies, with someone who is in a different age bracket than you: a parent, grandparent, younger sibling etc.

Ask them:

• Where do you get your news?
• Which types of emerging technology do you use most?
• What is better about your life today as a result of technology? What is worse?
• Do you think people have changed?
• Are there some technologies you purposely avoid? Why?

Opener:

Discussion (10 mins.)

Ask 3-4 students to share their findings from the interview task.

• Where do your subjects get their news?
• Which types of emerging technology do they use most?
• What is better about their life today as a result of technology? What is worse?
• Do they think people have changed?
• Are there some technologies that they purposely avoid? Why?

Class Activities

Where Do We Get Our News? (5 mins.)

Lecture/Discussion

A 2011 YouGov poll asked British people about which media outlet they trusted most.

• 64% of adults said TV is the most trusted outlet
• 55% said websites
• 58% said radio
• 38% said newspapers, 25% said magazines
• Facebook & Twitter had only 15% of people’s trust

Do you think these responses would be different if the same poll was taken this year?

A 2014 poll saw 64% of people trust the authors of Wikipedia entries, over 61% trust in BBC News journalists, and 45% trust in journalists from upmarket newspapers (Times, Telegraph, Guardian etc.)

Do you think this trust in Wikipedia over journalists is well-founded? Why?
How do you stay up-to-date on current events?

The Shift Towards Online Media (10 mins.)

Discussion

How have publishing & broadcasting moved online?
What are the digital alternatives to traditional mediums?

• Television:  YouTube, downloadable shows via iTunes, streaming via Netflix
• Radio: Pandora, Spotify, podcasts
• Newspapers – blogs, websites, social media
• Magazines – blogs, websites, Apple Newsstand, Flipboard
• Books – iBooks, audiobooks
• Billboards – pay-per-click ads, banner ads
• Direct Mail – email newsletters, social media
  

What advantages do online vs. traditional media have over one another?

• Traditional media seen as more trustworthy
• Online media can move more quickly
• Emerging media has a level of flexibility that traditional media doesn’t (up-to-the-minute information, citizen participation)
• Traditional media often has political leanings/affiliations, where online media can be more independent – this is particularly important in countries with government-controlled media when there is political strife (i.e. the Middle Eastern uprisings)

During a crisis (i.e. pandemic or natural disaster), which outlets would you turn to for information?

Case Study (30 mins.)

Group Research Task

In groups of 3-4, look for information on a major news event that has occurred in the past few years. [Suggestions: The Boston Marathon Bombings, Middle East Conflict/ISIS, 2015 UK Elections]

Find out:

• How were these events reported on in traditional vs. emerging media?
• How different was reporting within and outside of the affected country?
• What concerns are there about accuracy of online information?
• How did citizens participate in the journalistic process?

Give groups 15 minutes to research, then share their findings with the class.

Closing Response

Free Writing (5 mins)

• How do you participate in the media cycle?
• In what ways are you an information producer or consumer?
• What opportunities exist for citizens to be involved in the creation and distribution of information?

Homework

None

Subject

Communication, Media Studies

Unit

Media Literacy (Lesson 2)

Level

Key Stage 5, Undergraduate

Duration

60 minutes

Curriculum Points:

Pupils and students test their knowledge of digital media and
talk about the role media plays in their lives.

Materials & Preparation

Assign pre-work task in previous class
Students will need access to internet-connected devices in order to conduct research

Assets