Explains how to verify the quality of information found in an online search. Provides 17 tips on validating online information. (PEN)

A study examined use of MPAA television advisory ratings in the decision-making of parents of 129 gifted children. In comparison to parents of 459 typical children, the parents of gifted children were more likely to utilize TV ratings information in the mediation of their children's television viewing and were more concerned with the effects of…

Describes three instructional stages of television research for the classroom: (1) establish students as experts; (2) provide a solid research procedure; and (3) require written reports and oral presentations of research findings to the class. (SR)

Discusses five realms to explore when distinguishing the efficacy of images. Explores six ethical issues that the use of images raise, such as misconception and sensationalism. Proposes a strategy for analyzing controversial images and illustrates the use of this methodology by analyzing the use of "Joe Camel" in advertising. (CMK)

Literacy has traditionally been associated with the printed word. But today, print literacy is not enough. Children and youth need to learn to "read" and interpret visual images as well. Film, television, videos, DVDs, computer games, and the Internet all hold a prominent and pervasive place in one's culture. Its presence in people's lives is only…

What are the moral limits of artistic license? A strong case can be made for the view that there are none; that in viewing works of art people should resist ethical criticism, and, "a fortiori," resist moral strictures on the artist's inventiveness. This view has recently been defended by Richard Posner, who argues that people should not expect…

More than two decades ago, a well-known study pointed out that despite the marked increase in images of women in secondary history textbooks, the narrative emphasis on political, diplomatic, and military history had not changed. While this study raised awareness of gender balance in the social studies curriculum, little attention has been paid to…

"The Laramie Project" is a play based on a collection of interviews with the community members of Laramie, Wyoming, where Mathew Shepard, a 21-year-old university student, was murdered. The idea for the play originated with a theatre group, The Tectonic Theater Project, which devoted 2 years to this project, conducting over 200 interviews. This…

A method of pedagogical art criticism can be used to examine meaning in one of today's most pervasive forms of visual imagery: the advertising image. It was necessary for the art critical method to accommodate the following components of advertising imagery: (1) history; (2) purpose in a capitalist society; (3) function in society; (4) effects on…

The objects collected and displayed by museums may be connected with famous people, made by exceptional artists, natural specimens, or simple ordinary things that show what everyday life was like for most people. All these objects offer unique ways to learn about life in the United States and the world. In 1996 the Smithsonian Institution…

This paper examines some of the key public policy implications of the media literacy movement using D. Easton's (1965) model of the policymaking process. The model has six elements: (1) demands and supports; (2) policymakers; (3) policy outputs; (4) policy outcomes; (5) feedback; and (6) environment. Each element is vital to understanding the…

With the help of parents, television can expand a child's world and be a springboard to reading. This brochure discusses things parents and caregivers can do to make television a partner in helping children grow and learn. It suggests: make a "TV plan"; getting involved while children watch television; using the VCR and videos; and turning TV time…

The first step in learning to appreciate art is learning to classify a work according to its primary purpose. The artist creates art for one of three reasons: to recreate the physical world (Imitationalism); to express an idea or feeling (Emotionalism); or to create an interesting design (Formalism). A classified work may then be critiqued by: (1)…

Examines the effect of violence advisories and MPAA ratings on parent-child television viewing choices and verbal interactions while making those choices. Parents mainly made negative comments about the advisories and restrictive ratings whereas children, especially older children, were more likely to make positive comments. The presence of an…

Offers guidelines for teaching students to detect and analyze bias in films. Stresses that this enhances critical thinking. Suggests ways teachers can identify filmmaker's biases, and provides a Film Bias Analysis worksheet to help students identify bias and its methods of operation. (RW)