Media Literacy: Yes, It Fits in Math and Science Classrooms

As teachers relate the significance of math and science learning to students' everyday lives, the role of the popular media adds another dimension to the discussion.

by Frank Baker, South Carolina ETV, Columbia, South Carolina

In 1992, a group of media educators gathered to discuss the state of media education. One of the results of their meeting was this definition of media literacy: "....the ability to access, analyze, interpret, and communicate media in a variety of forms...." (Aspen Institute Conference on Media Literacy).

Media literacy education now appears in the curriculum frameworks or standards of 48 states (Kubey & Baker, 1997). Media education fits quite well into the English/language arts curriculum, as well as social studies and health. But it is also applicable to mathematics and science. Media literacy is about inquiry: asking questions about the news and entertainment media, their makers and their messages. Media literacy is more than analyzing advertising, critical television viewing skills, or making videos with a camcorder. It is a lifelong skill designed to make students wise consumers, critical thinkers, and decision makers.

The Center for Media Literacy (a Los Angeles-based clearinghouse of media education materials) offers these five characteristics of messages delivered to the public via the media:

• All media messages are constructed.
• Media messages are constructed with creative language.
• Different people experience the same media message differently.
• Media messages are primarily driven by a profit motive.
• Media messages have embedded values and points-of-view (Thoman).

Connections to Science

The 1998 movie Contact starred actress Jody Foster as the scientist responsible for deciphering the first extraterrestrial message sent to Earth. The movie was generally applauded by scientists for its authenticity. But, it is rare for Hollywood to accurately portray a female scientist. Stereotypes and misconceptions are frequently generated by television and movie producers.

Classroom teachers can take advantage of students' interest in popular movies to help them analyze the misconceptions. For example, both Deep Impact and Armageddon posed the question: What would happen if Earth were in danger of being hit by an asteroid or a large comet? Even though scientists tell us the chances of such a collision are small, these movies offer teachers an opportunity to explore how science is portrayed in these and other movies.

Every teacher who uses a video, a CD ROM, or the Internet as part of his or her instruction should ask questions such as this: How does the selection of images by the producer shape our understanding of science concepts?

Even the wealth of science programming by well-known documentary-makers should not be exempt from some inquiry on the part of teachers and students. Rather, the same questions that apply to commercial movies should also be asked of documentaries: who is the producer; what are his or her motives; what techniques does the filmmaker use to convey his message?

Len Masterman, considered one of the world's leading media educators, writes about curriculum connections in his book Teaching the Media (1985). He offers these ideas to consider when viewing or reading popular media messages about science and scientists:

• the image, function, and status of science and scientists in the media (e.g., the use of scientists as experts in documentaries and advertisements);
• the scientist as hero (in dramas) or as madman (in much science fiction);
• the validity of scientific tests and principles used in advertisements (e.g., the replication of scientific tests or experiments);
• the integration of popular programs about science into the formal school curriculum;
• the conclusions drawn about scientific issues raised by the media and the scientific principles underlying the issues;
• the exploration of the different philosophies of sciences implicit in advertisements (science as verifiable fact) and documentaries (science as a fertile area of disagreement).

Connections to Math

Math and number literacy are parts of our everyday media exposure: the weatherman tells us there is a 30 percent chance for rain; the morning newspaper reports the stock market numbers; ESPN gives us statistics on sports.

Taking a close look at numbers in the news is a great way to get students to think about and question the source of statistics-and how statistics can be misrepresented. For example, each week, Nielsen Media Research issues its list of the top 100 television shows, based on the shows' ratings and shares. Do students know what rating and share really mean? How are these numbers generated? How are these numbers used by advertisers? Are the numbers accurate?

The advertising industry has been using numbers and statistics for decades. Many of us can remember when one brand of toothpaste made the claim that it was recommended by three out of four dentists. (What about the thousands of other dentists not surveyed?) A car commercial claimed the manufacturer's newest model gave a 30 percent smoother ride than last year's car. (How was smoothness measured?) Teachers can ask students to survey newspapers, magazines, and the Internet for ads that make seemingly outrageous or unsubstantiated claims.

Newspapers and magazines often use bar or pie graphs to visually display information. These graphical displays offer students another opportunity to analyze how data is portrayed and how accurate or misleading it may be.

Because so many students get their information from the media (television, radio, Internet) it is critical that teachers integrate media literacy into their instruction. Some of the sources listed in the sidebar are good starting points for teachers who want to learn more.

References

Kubey, R., & Baker, F. (1997, October 27). Has Media Literacy Found A Curricular Foothold? Education Week, 56.

Masterman, L. (1985). Teaching the Media. New York: Routledge.

Thoman, E. (Accessed 2001). Skills and Strategies for Media Education. www.medialit.org

Frank Baker is a member of the Founding Board of the Alliance for a Media Literate America (formerly the Partnership for Media Education). He chaired the 1999 National Media Education Conference. Baker works for South Carolina ETV in Columbia, South Carolina.

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