This essay is a personal reflection on the implementation of "Creating Critical Viewers," a national media literacy program sponsored by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS), an industry association, in 1995. The television industry's decision to develop a media literacy curriculum in the 1990s was a powerful…

In this article, the author has advanced the view that the world is currently on the threshold of a new status quo--the hegemony of the image. Yet, this seems a mixed blessing, for people, and especially young people, are not equipped with the necessary critical viewing and thinking skills to survive it. Nevertheless, this unfortunate situation…

Suggests that contemporary films can be used by educators to engage people in religious exploration. Argues that viewers should engage in a conversation with film at the levels of content and cinematography. Discusses four types of film study and examples of films that can be used in each. (DSK)

Discusses and defines media literacy. Topics include the pervasive influence of television; viewing habits; effects of media illiteracy; media education, including teaching critical viewing skills across the curriculum; media education and citizenship education; and the need for teacher education and community and parental involvement. (LRW)

Discusses recommendations on how social studies concepts should be presented to elementary and secondary school students so that broad understandings and problem-solving skills emerge. Intervention strategies that might be useful to library media specialists as they help teachers and students with resource-based units of instruction are described.…

Contends that, because the school curriculum is slow to adapt to societal change, the social studies curriculum is ripe for a needs assessment and change. Presents elementary social studies teachers with seven challenges of expanding communications technology. (CFR)

Outlines an issue-centered approach to teaching aesthetics, where students identify and analyze possible solutions before learning an aesthetician's viewpoint. Suggests that teachers acquire basic aesthetic knowledge but also be willing to accept planned uncertainty as an educational principle. Presents a fictional art forgery scenario to…

In this article the reflections of the teachers and directors of Komatsudani Hoikuen ("day-care center") on a video the authors recently made at their preschool are used to explore processes of continuity and change in Japanese preschool education over the course of a generation. The social changes that are associated with changing…

Today information about the world around people comes to them not only through words on a piece of paper, but more and more through the powerful images and sounds of their multimedia culture. This explosion in information has presented a major challenge to the world of formal education. The transformation of their culture from an industrial age to…