Get ’em Thinking! Using the "3 Rs" of Media Literacy Today, I’ll

Get ’em Thinking! Using the "3 Rs" of Media Literacy
    "Media literacy" is slowly becoming part of the educational vernacular, but many people in our schools and communities are unaware of the topic. How can this field of inquiry be introduced in the classroom, given the demands already placed on teachers and on instructional time? Is there a quick and logical approach that would enable students to get started in the process of becoming media literate? Today, I’ll introduce to you the "3 Rs" of media literacy—review, reflect, and react— and I’ll focus on how to facilitate students’ critical thinking within a cultural blur of messages.
    Media literacy encompasses the skills and knowledge needed to question, analyze, interpret, and evaluate the messages of the mass media. In essence, media literacy is the application of critical thinking to the messages of print and electronic media. Critical thinking extends beyond the ability to restate and reconstruct a situation; it encompasses higher level thinking that involves the ability to analyze or deconstruct and then to examine all of the ramifications.
    My intention with this approach was to create a structure through which to integrate media literacy into schools, homes, churches, and communities. I have therefore undertaken to design a basic approach through the "3 Rs of media literacy."Using this method, the essence of critical thinking can be modeled for those new to media education.
    Effective teachers already teach critical thinking within their curricula, encouraging students to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate the items presented to them. Whether any of these higher level thinking skills are then applied to messages received outside the classroom walls is questionable. Media literacy instruction focuses on just that:helping learners apply critical thinking to the everyday messages conveyed in advertising, movies, television programs, music, radio talk shows, newspapers, magazines, posters, clothing, and the Internet.
    The 3 Rs—review, reflect, and react—can be applied to any message from any medium.
    First, review the actual content of that message. After viewing a television comedy program, for instance, take time to think about the story, its message, the characters, the setting, the dialog, and so on. Some appropriate questions to ask are:
    How realistic was it?
    Was there a moral?
    Was some of the language offensive?
    Was it realistic?
    Was it entertaining?
    How timely was the message?
    Next, reflect on both the content and the format of the message. Writing in a journal can encourage this aspect of critical thinking. Take time to consider what the message was and why you reacted to it the way you did. Our personal beliefs, ideas, and opinions come into play when we evaluate any incoming message. After reading a magazine ad, for example, consider:
    Do I agree or disagree with the ad’s statements?
    What, if any, difference will it make in my life?
    How do I feel about the content and the format?
    Who was the intended audience? Was it directed at me?
    Did the people in the ad represent me, my family, or my friends?
    Did it encourage or offend me?
    Who sponsored this message and why?
    Is this information reliable?
    Does it present a biased viewpoint?
    Finally, react to the message. Take a stand or decide on an action to take in response to it. After watching a newscast, for instance, you may find that your opinion on a social issue has changed. Perhaps this will cause you to vote for a particular political candidate or against a new ordinance. Reaction to a message might merely reaffirm an existing idea or opinion. After reading an editorial you may feel more convinced than ever about your opposition to a new shopping mall in your area. At this stage, some considerations might be:
    What can I do to support this issue?
    What can I do to oppose this project?
    Should I buy that product?
    Is this something I would like to know more about?
    Have students use this 3 Rs approach to think critically about a local news story, a controversial billboard, a current movie, or even the emergence of commercial messages within their school? The following activities will encourage students to be critical thinkers through application of the 3 Rs model:
    Give students copies of the newspaper to evaluate the selection of news stories and photos that are on the front page.
    Ask students to view selected music videos and think about their blatant and subtle messages.
    Have students research the newest give-away items included in children’s meals at various fast-food restaurants. Discuss what the real purpose of these free items might be.
    Have students interview their parents and other adults to gain information about personal heroes. Have students share the gathered information and draw conclusions about the characteristics of heroes.
    For many students the curriculum of today’s schools just doesn’t seem relevant to their lives, but by studying media literacy and developing critical thinking skills, they can evaluate their personal worlds and become healthy skeptics and discerning citizens.
    In a society that has grown dependent on television news and e-commerce on the Internet, it is necessary to help individuals travel through the daily maze of constructed messages they encounter. The 3 Rs of media literacy—review, reflect, and react—are easy to embrace and apply to all media messages of today and those coming tomorrow. This approach can become a lifelong strategy for higher level thinking, both within and outside of classrooms.