Every educator has witnessed the impact of mass media on students. The media influence their perceptions of the world, how it works and how they fit in it.  Children and teens even use those images to validate self esteem.  Like the air we breathe, media is both pervasive and largely transparent.

At the Media Literacy Institute, teachers will "break and make" media--"break media" by investigating strategies to demystify the media system, focusing on its economic structure and how this relates to the way messages are chosen and constructed, and "make media," learning production techniques with digital video equipment so as to understand first hand the way television messages are constructed.

The Castleton State College Communication and Education Departments offer a one week intensive Media Literacy Institute July 15-19, 2002 to address issues such as:
What is the relationship between television viewing and violent behavior?
What is the correlation between viewing and grades?
What is the "film grammar" that directors use to affect an audience?
How does economics affect our viewing choices?

The Vermont Framework acknowledges this powerful effect of media on society in a number of sections, in particular: "5.14 Students interpret and evaluate a variety of types of media, including audio, graphic images, film, television, video, and on-line resources." 

During the Media Literacy Institute teachers will learn to probe into the mass media system to better help students understand the social and personal implications and economic purposes of media messages, be they on television, in print or on the Internet. Participants will also learn to develop media messages to work with students toward Framework objective "5.15 Students design and create media products that successfully communicate."

Contact Dr. Thomas Conroy, Castleton State College, Castleton, VT 05765; (802) 468-1373.