Overview of three studies on media literacy in K-12 education and impact on civic engagement, plus an introduction to Mind Over Media, a new resource designed to teach about contemporary propaganda.

1. Media Literacy and the Emergence
of Adolescent Civic Engagement
Renee Hobbs
Professor of Communication Studies
Harrington School of Communication
and Media, University of Rhode Island
USA
Email: hobbs@uri.edu
Twitter: @reneehobbs

3. http://mediaeducationlab.com

5. Partnerships with School Districts: Professional Development

6. Motivations
for Using Media & Technology
in Education
12

7. http://jmle.org

9. Media Smart Libraries
Children’s Librarians & Children’s Media Professionals
In Partnership with the Providence Children’s Film Festival and the
Rhode Island Office of Library and Information Services

10. www.harrington.uri.edu

11. Graduate Certificate in Digital Literacy
A 12-credit graduate program that enables educators, librarians and media
professionals to acquire the knowledge and skills required for full
participation in a read/write culture where active participation in a
knowledge community requires the skillful use, creation and sharing of
digital texts, tools and technologies.

12. Summer Institute in Digital Literacy
July 26 - 31, 2015
Providence RI USA

13. Media Literacy and the Emergence
of Adolescent Civic Engagement
Renee Hobbs
Professor of Communication Studies
Harrington School of Communication
and Media, University of Rhode Island
USA
Email: hobbs@uri.edu
Twitter: @reneehobbs

14. PEER-TO-PEER FILE SHARING
Medium Theory. Media & technology are immersive cultural
environments; media structures re-shape human perception & values.
Active Audience Theory. Audiences are active; meaning-making is
variable; lived experience & social context are key dimensions of
interpretation.
Communication & Education. Institutions of education, communication
practices & democratic values are interconnected.
Inquiry Learning. People learn best from experiences that engage them
in active work that promotes intellectual curiosity and collaboration.
Critical Pedagogy. Awareness, analysis, and reflection enable people to
take action to make society more just and equitable.
Theoretical Framework

16. expanding the concept of text

17. ACCESS
expanding the concept of literacy

18. expanding the concept of literacy
open access
multitasking
transmediation
curation
play
data ownership
identity
representation
privacy
addiction

24. PEER-TO-PEER FILE SHARING
How can media literacy education support the
emergence of adolescent civic engagement?
Question

25. PEER-TO-PEER FILE SHARING
Participatory action research uses iterative cycles of planning,
reflection, action and evaluation. Key characteristics:
• Participants collaborate at every stage
• Intended to result in some action, change or improvement
Approach

26. PEER-TO-PEER FILE SHARING
Montgomery Blair High School: How do media literacy
competencies develop in learners enrolled in programs
designed for different groups?
PBS News Hour Student Reporting Labs: What is the
impact of a high school program in broadcast journalism on
adolescents?
Mark Day School: Can a media literacy program combined
with the use of social media help promote global
understanding?
Overview of Three Studies

27. Communication Arts Program (CAP)
Montgomery Blair High School
Silver Spring MD

28. Communication Arts Program (CAP)
INTERDISCIPLINARY
INTERDISCIPLINARY PROJECTS
The projects synthesize information
from various disciplines into
comprehensive presentations that
highlight the events of the era
assigned.
MOVIE REVIEWS
Each quarter the
Students watch a movie in the
auditorium that relates to the
historical period focused on in History
class. They write a movie review and
for homework, watch movies from a
list compiled by the faculty.
The project entails an in depth
argument and analysis for a major
social issue facing humanity.
A comprehensive program
that connects the
humanities to the media,
now in its 25th year
9

29. Communication Arts Program (CAP)
Crystal Ball
Students research demographic
and voter characteristics and then
predict the Presidential, US Senate,
US House of Representatives, and
gubernatorial races throughout the
United States.
Critical Thinking Essay
The Critical Thinking Essay requires
students to select an issue of
national importance and write a
persuasive essay arguing one side
of that issue, supported by
documented and cited sources. In
10th grade, each student supports
the issue from the side opposite to
the one advocated in the 9th grade
essay
CAP Congress – Foreign Policy
Students research foreign policy
issues concerning seven regions
from around the world, draft
resolutions, debate the issues, and
prioritize the foreign policy needs
of the US.
CAP Court
Students hold mock trials on court
cases drawn from each of the four
10th grade subjects: English,
Government, Journalism and
Media. Students act as lawyers
trying the case and also role-play
the defendants and witnesses.
INTERDISCIPLINARY
10

30. Selective Admission Programs
Communication Arts Program (CAP)
Science, Mathematics and Computer Science
Magnet Program
Open Admission Programs
Media Literacy
Entrepreneurship
International Studies and Law
Human Service Professions
Science, Math and Technology

31. Research Design
Quasi-experimental study
2 x 2 factorial
Open Selective
Admission Admission
Media
Literacy
No ML
CAPML ACADEMY
CONTROL CONTROL
Academy Level
Treatment

32. MEASURES
Internet use
Information Motives (U&G)
Civic Engagement
News Analysis
Ad Analysis
Media Knowledge
We asked respondents to identify how much
they use the Internet on an 8-point scale
ranging from never to every day.

33. MEASURES
Internet use
Information Motives (U&G)
Civic Engagement
News Analysis
Ad Analysis
Media Knowledge
To assess students’ motives to seek out
information as a part of daily life, we used an
instrument developed to assess Internet uses
and gratifications by Papacharissi & Rubin
(2000). Using a five-point scale, students were
asked to respond to four statements:
I use the internet:
• to search for information
• to see what is out there
• to keep up with current events and issues
• because it provides me with a new and
interesting way to do research

34. MEASURES
Internet use
Information Motives (U&G)
Civic Engagement
News Analysis
Ad Analysis
Media Knowledge
Students were asked to report if they expect to
engage in the following activities when they
become an adult:
• vote in national elections
• get information about candidates before
voting in an election
• join a political party
• write letters to a newspaper about social or
political concerns
• be a candidate for a local or city office
• volunteer time to help poor or elderly
people in the community
• collect money for a cause
• collect signatures for a petition, and
participate in a peaceful rally or protest.
A 4-point scale was used, scaled as certainly
will not do, probably will not do, probably will
do, and certainly will do.

35. MEASURES
Internet use
Information Motives (U&G)
Civic Engagement
News Analysis
Ad Analysis
Media Knowledge
In the news analysis task, students were given
a short Time magazine piece and asked to read
it, responding to open-ended questions
including:
• summarize the main point of the article
• identify the target audience & explain what
specific information from the reading
supports your answer
• identify the message purpose
• identify what techniques were used to
attract and hold attention
• list some different points of view presented
• identify omitted information
Scores were summed to form an additive index
which ranged from 14 to 0.

36. MEASURES
Internet use
Information Motives (U&G)
Civic Engagement
News Analysis
Ad Analysis
Media Knowledge
In the ad analysis task, students were given a print
ad and asked to respond to open-ended questions
including:
• identify the target audience & explain what
specific information from the reading supports
your answer
• identify the message purpose
• Identify the ad’s implied message or subtext
• identify what techniques were used to attract
and hold attention
• list some different points of view presented
• identify omitted information
Scores were summed to form an additive index
which ranged from 14 to 0.

37. MEASURES
Internet use
Information Motives (U&G)
Civic Engagement
News Analysis
Ad Analysis
Media Knowledge
We asked students to complete short tests
relating to different facets of the media
industry, including information about history,
economics, institutions, audiences and
effects.
MULTIPLE CHOICE (6 items):
• identify the main purpose of photos in a
newspaper
• recognize the most common kind of economic
control over mass media
• name the system of financing used to pay for
commercial radio.
TRUE FALSE (11 items)
• The number of companies that own mass media
outlets is growing
• Newspapers make most of their money through
the price paid by the consumers who buy them

38. Students in the Selective Admission media literacy program
have stronger media knowledge and news and advertising
analysis skills than students in other programs.
Table 1 Comparing means
Open Admission Program Selective Admission Program
Other program ML program Other program ML program
Mean (SD) Mean (SD) Mean (SD) Mean (SD)
Media knowledge .53 (.17) .62 (.22) .71 (.17) .75 (.13)
News analysis 4.80 (3.09) 4.27 (3.32) 7.60 (3.16) 8.86 (2.58)
Ad analysis 8.20 (3.45) 8.38 (4.02) 9.31 (3.18) 11.10 (3.16)
n = 191 n = 55 n = 87 n = 59

39. Students who participate in media literacy programs are
more likely to be civically engaged than students enrolled in
other programs.
Predictors of Civic Engagement

40. News analysis skills, media knowledge & information motive
predict civic engagement. Amount of Internet use and
advertising analysis skills are not associated with civic
engagement.
Predictors of Civic Engagement

41. PEER-TO-PEER FILE SHARING
How do media literacy competencies develop in learners
enrolled in programs designed for different groups?
 Students have differential skills in analyzing news and
advertising
 News analysis, media knowledge and information
seeking motives are associated with higher levels of
civic engagement
Finding #1

42. www.studentreportinglabs.com

43. http://www.studentreportinglabs.com/video/philly-teens-examine-possible-
solutions-dropout-epidemic
Benjamin Rush High School, Philadelphia PA

44. PILOT STUDY
N = 85 HS students
61% African American
33% Caucasian
3% Hispanic/Latino
MAIN STUDY
N = 544 HS students
36% Hispanic
30% Caucasian
13% African American
RESEARCH DESIGN
Pre-Post Online Survey
Teacher Interviews
Analysis of Student Work
Samples

45. PRODUCTION SKILLS
Communication skills
Technical skills
MEDIA LITERACY
CIVIC
ENGAGEMENT
Sign an online
petition
Express an
opinion to news
media
Blog about an
issue
Write an opinion
letter

46. PRODUCTION SKILLS
Non-technical skills
Technical skills
IN-CLASSROOM
ACTIVITIES
Gathering &
Synthesizing Info
Using Digital Media
Revision
MEDIA LITERACY
CIVIC
ENGAGEMENT
Sign an online
petition
Express an
opinion to news
media
Blog about an
issue
Write an opinion
letter
Gathering and Synthesizing Information
Percentage
Analyzed videos 70%
Created a story board 65%
Conducted interviews 68%
Fact-checked information 49%
Pitched a news story 54%
Discussed different points of view about
social and political issues 53%
Using Digital Media to Communicate Ideas
Used a video camera to record visuals 69%
Wrote a script 64%
Performed in front of the camera 65%
Worked behind the scenes/different roles 64%
Logged footage 43%
Edited visuals and sounds 68%
Used images/sounds to tell a story 54%
Posted videos online 38%
Engaging in Cycles of Revision & Feedback
Edited reports in response to feedback 38%

47. PRODUCTION SK]ILLS
Communication skills
Technical skills]
MEDIA LITERACY
ANALYSIS
CIVIC
ENGAGEMENT
Sig an online
petition
Express an
opinion to news
media
Blog about an
issue
Write an opinion
letter

48. ATTITUDES
Intellectual Curiosity
Giving & Receiving
Feedback
Confidence

49. PRODUCTION SKILLS
Communication skills
Technical skills
ATTITUDES
Intellectual Curiosity
Giving & Receiving
Feedback
Confidence
MEDIA LITERACY
ANALYSIS
CIVIC
ENGAGEMENT
IN-CLASSROOM
ACTIVITIES
Gathering &
Synthesizing Info
Using Digital Media
Revision

50. PRODUCTION SKILLS
Communication skills
Technical skills
ATTITUDES
Intellectual Curiosity
Giving & Receiving
Feedback
Confidence
MEDIA LITERACY
ANALYSIS
CIVIC
ENGAGEMENT
IN-CLASSROOM
ACTIVITIES
Gathering &
Synthesizing Info
Using Digital Media
Revision

51. PRODUCTION SKILLS
Communication skills
Technical skills
ATTITUDES
Intellectual Curiosity
Giving & Receiving
Feedback
Confidence
MEDIA LITERACY
ANALYSIS
CIVIC
ENGAGEMENT
Sign an online
petition
Express an
opinion to news
media
Blog about an
issue
Write an opinion
letter
IN-CLASSROOM
ACTIVITIES
Gathering &
Synthesizing Info
Using Digital Media
Revision

52. OTHER VARIABLES
THAT DID NOT AFFECT
CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
• Attitudes Towards
School
• Leadership
• Cynicism towards
Media
• Vocational Interest in
Media
• News Media Use

53. PEER-TO-PEER FILE SHARING
How does a production-focused media literacy program
affect participating youth?
 Media pre-production activities support media analysis
skills and contribute to intellectual curiosity, practices of
creative collaboration & civic engagement
Finding #2

54. University-school partnership program
Six-week pilot project designed to explore media
literacy pedagogy in the context of global
communication
Subjects: Middle-school children ages 11 – 13 and
their teachers
• MARK DAY SCHOOL – San Rafael CA USA
• Gokkusagi MIDDLE SCHOOL, Canakkale, Turkey
Method
Interviews with teachers
Analysis of student work samples
Classroom observation

55. 1. Getting to Know You
2. Learning about Two Countries
3. Creating Videos about our Lives
4. Analyzing TV Shows that Feature Schools & Teachers
5. Discussing Current Events

58. American students have
only basic information
about Turkish history,
daily life and culture

59. Information sharing about
Turkey includes student-
curated images and links

60. American students lack
knowledge of Turkish
history, life and culture

61. As a result of popular
culture, Turkish students
have significant
information about
American culture

65. Students recognize how
values are
(mis) represented in
entertainment television

67. Feelings of social and
emotional connectedness

68. ANALYSIS OF POPULAR CULTURE IN SCHOOL. Students can identify
cultural values in the representation of school in popular television
programs. They can identify misrepresentations only from home country
programming.
DISCUSSING CURRENT EVENTS IN SCHOOL. Turkish students are not
comfortable talking about national politics in their country.
MEDIA LITERACY SUPPORTS CULTURAL KNOWLEDGE. For adolescents, the
asymmetrical knowledge gap between Turkish and U.S. students can be
mitigated through media literacy activities involving online interpersonal
communication. American students gain new awareness
of the power imbalance in their own lack of access to global popular
culture.

69. PEER-TO-PEER FILE SHARING
Can a media literacy program using social media help promote global
understanding?
 Social media activities that involve global dialogue combined with
critical analysis of entertainment media can promote an awareness
of inequalities in information flows
Finding #3

70. PEER-TO-PEER FILE SHARING
 Students have differential skills in analyzing news and advertising;
news analysis, media knowledge and information seeking motives
are associated with higher levels of civic engagement
 Media pre-production activities support media analysis skills that
contribute to intellectual curiosity, creative collaboration & civic
engagement
 Social media activities that involve global dialogue combined with
critical analysis of entertainment media can promote an awareness
of inequalities in information flows
Overview of Findings

71. PEER-TO-PEER FILE SHARING
 How could news and current events best be used in classrooms to
promote intellectual curiosity, critical analysis & civic engagement?
 How could critical analysis of entertainment media be incorporated
into work with younger adolescents?
 How can social media support other media literacy learning
outcomes?
 What are the consequences of adolescents’ increased
understanding of the inequalities in global information flows?
 What are best practices in teacher professional development in
implementing and assessing media literacy programs?
Future Questions

74. Martens, H. & Hobbs, R. (in press). How media literacy supports civic engagement in a digital age.
Atlantic Journal of Communication.
Hobbs, R. & Tuzel, S. (2014). The Use of Media Literacy Instructional Strategies for Promoting Intercultural
Communication in U.S. & Turkish Middle Schools. Paper presentation to the International Association for
Intercultural Communication Studies (IAICS). Providence, RI. August 1, 2014.
Hobbs, R. & McGee, S. (2014). Teaching about propaganda: An examination of the historical roots of media
literacy. Journal of Media Literacy Education 6(2), 56 – 67.
Hobbs, R., Donnelly, K., Friesem, J. & Moen, M. (2013). Learning to engage: How positive attitudes about the
news, media literacy and video production contribute to adolescent civic engagement. Educational Media
International 50(4), 231 – 246.
Hobbs, R. (2013). The blurring of art, journalism and advocacy: Confronting 21st century propaganda in a
world of online journalism. I/S: A Journal of Law and Policy for the Information Society 8(3), 625 – 638.
Hobbs, R. & Donnelly, K. Friesem, J. & Moen, M. . (2013, August). Evaluation of PBS NewsHour Student
Reporting Labs. Kingston, RI: Media Education Lab. University of Rhode Island.
Hobbs, R. (2013). “Global Developments in Media Literacy Education,” Media and Digital Literacy Lab
(MDLAB). Keynote address at the American University of Beirut, Lebanon. August 18.
Hobbs (2011). “How Digital and Media Literacy Supports Global Understanding,” Arab-US Association of
Communication Educators (AUSACE), Beirut, Lebanon, October 30.
Hobbs, R. (2011). Digital and media literacy: Connecting culture and classroom. Beverly Hills: Corwin/Sage.

75. Renee Hobbs
Professor of Communication Studies
Harrington School of Communication and Media
University of Rhode Island USA
Email: hobbs@uri.edu
Twitter: @reneehobbs