New: Media Literacy in Massachusetts

The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary’s (DESE) Office of Literacy & Humanities partnered with Media Literacy Now and the Media Education Lab to produce a landscape scan of media literacy education reflecting both Massachusetts and the nation and develop detailed recommendations for how the Department can improve media literacy through state education policy.

National Survey Finds Most U.S. Adults Have Not Had Media Literacy Education in High School

A survey found that most people did not learn to reflect on media messages in school, and few learned to use media literacy skills when considering science news. Only 38% of survey respondents reported learning to analyze media messaging in high school. However, a majority of respondents – 84% – said they supported required media literacy education in schools.

Collecting Data, One School at a Time

Gracie Gilligan, a former student at Maynard High School in Massachusetts, realized the effect of media on her and her peers in middle school. For her senior project, Gracie decided to look at media literacy among her peers and students in younger grades. She worked with Media Literacy Now and Media Education Lab to administer a survey to more than 500 students and gained insight to how pervasive media’s influence is – from the information or misinformation we absorb, perpetuating harmful stereotypes, and the body image issues. Maynard teachers and administrators supported the effort and as a result of the survey findings, they are now moving forward with a broader study in the school district.