Articles Archive - 2008

Shedding Light on Global Development and Media

Written by Matthew Johnson, Media and Internet Education Specialist
with Media Awareness Network

Throughout the week of November 3-7, 2008, people across Canada will be participating in media-themed activities to mark the third annual National Media Education Week. As the theme for the week is Think Critically, Act Ethically, it is fitting to be discussing the media in regards to global development.

Much of our understanding of international issues comes from mass media. They can bring the world to our doorstep and expose us to places and things we might not have actually experienced otherwise, such as information on developing nations and global development efforts.

But has the media's portrayal of such events and places given us a distorted picture? Cyclones, earthquakes and tsunamis make the news - but what else do the media show us of the developing world?

In order to better understand the world on a global level, we must look at how media influence our views; how we can learn to read or analyse media portrayals critically and go beyond outdated images and stereotypes; and how we can become media authors to promote global, democratic citizenship. This introspection will enable us to become critical-thinking and informed global citizens.

To help educators address this issue in their classrooms, Media Awareness Network (MNet) in partnership with the Canadian Teachers' Federation (CTF), has developed Beyond Media Messages: Media Portrayal of Global Development. This series of bilingual lessons, funded by the Canadian International Development Agency, gives students in Grades 7 to 12 a better understanding of how media portrayals affect our view of global development issues.

The lessons, available at http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/resources/educational/lessons/secondary/global_development/global_development.cfm, were developed in collaboration with educators from across Canada and are designed to support social studies curriculum outcomes. They address how media influence our views of developing nations and global development efforts and teach students how to read or view media portrayals critically and become media authors to promote democratic citizenship.

The first three lessons are for students in grades 7 to 12.

Media Portrayal of Global Development is a three-day unit that gives students the opportunity to explore and discuss the term "developing nation" and the perceptions associated with it.

Students are also asked to consider how developing nations are represented in the media - what makes the news? What's absent? - and to conduct research in order to write their own news stories to fill in the blanks.

In Celebrities and World Issues, students examine the role of celebrities in creating awareness of world issues. They debate whether celebrity involvement is important and positive, or whether such involvement overshadows the central messages of a campaign, organization, program or issue. For example, does the media hype surrounding an Oprah or an Angelina Jolie arriving at an event overshadow a cause and/or its messages?

Individually, students select and deconstruct a media representation that uses a celebrity to highlight a cause relating to developing nations. And finally, they read and discuss the thought - provoking article "Stop Trying to Save Africa" by journalist Uzodinma Iweala.

In Finding and Authenticating Online Information on Global Development, students fine-tune their research and online authentication skills as they examine global development issues. They discover how to determine the truth and accuracy of online information and learn effective ways to obtain balanced sources of information.

In the final lesson - Making Media for Democratic Citizenship - students in grades 11 and 12 create video podcasts to present balanced, unbiased perspectives on global development issues. To do this, they are encouraged to review local alternate media and to use a wide range of resources that includes a number of youth - based global action organizations.

What most young Canadians know about world development issues is brought to them by the media - the news, televised charity appeals and disaster relief campaigns. Deconstructing media portrayals of development is an ideal way to introduce students to the impact of media messages on their world view and to encourage them to dig deeper in order to gain a balanced and informed perspective.

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National Media Education Week (November 3-7, 2008), co-led by Media Awareness Network and the Canadian Teachers' Federation, is an initiative to promote media education and encourage all Canadians to participate in media literacy activities throughout the country. (www.mediaeducationweek.ca)

Media Awareness Network is a Canadian not-for-profit centre of expertise in media education. Its vision is to ensure children and youth possess the necessary critical thinking skills and tools to understand and actively engage with media. (www.media-awareness.ca)

Canadian Teachers' Federation (CTF) represents nearly 195,000 Canadian teachers across the country. For nearly 90 years, CTF has advanced the cause of children, defended the rights of teachers and promoted a strong public education system. Further, they have championed the increase and strengthening of the practice of media education in Canadian classrooms. (www.ctf-fce.ca)
© 2008 Media Awareness Network

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