DBE#6 - A Seven-Power Lens on 21st Century Literacy

Quote: "Citizens must understand that a news story is always constructed by choosing from the information given, shaped by the "lens" of a particular writer or photographer, written for a particular audience, and told from a particular setting"

Reflection: It is important to develop a sense of "media-literacy" in this digital age. Information is available from many sources and can be difficult to verify and justify. If people learn to "consider the source" and study information on the same subject from various sources then a more informed opinion can be formulated. Often the media controls societal norms through this process. One can see that certain behaviors and attitudes once considered taboo are becoming more mainstream as the media changes its attitude and how it presents topics to the audience. It is really dangerous to limit ourselves and "jump on the bandwagon" so to speak without first educating ourselves through ALL information available to us. Democracy can only function properly if voters are fully aware of the full scope of issues and not just the biased information from one source

“Whoever controls the media controls reality.” (Peter Jennings about Tiananmen Square)

**A reflection on Debbie Abilock's article "A Seven-Power Lens on 21st-Century Literacy" found at http://www.infotoday.com/mmschools