Children and media literacy

Ofcom published a report on children's media literacy in the UK on Friday. As I have been busy teaching at our EdD weekend I have not had an opportunity to read it fully as yet, but a quick skim suggests that the study identified some interesting patterns, such as the finding that many older children expressed agreement with statements suggesting a link between violence and gaming - they are not immune to media discourses surrounding this, of course. There were a few surprises - only 42% of 5-year-olds were reported using a PC/ laptop with internet access. In the Digital Beginnings study, 53% of 0-6 year olds were reported using computers. Maybe the difference can be explained in relation to the Internet access aspect of the Ofcom figure? There are other intriguing figures - since 2005, there has been a 12% increase in children learning about the Internet in school, from 67% to 79%. Hmmm...4% a year. And what about the 21% who don't learn about the Internet in school?

Moving Literacy On

Over the last two years I, along with Eve Bearne of UKLA, have been evaluating a project developed by the British Film Insitutute (BFI) in which lead practitioners in over 60 Local Authorities (LAs) in England were trained in moving image media education. The evaluation was based on work in 35 LAs. The project was very successful and has led to lots of exciting work. The Executive Summary of the report 'Moving Literacy On' can be downloaded here. The full report, which includes details about how LAs developed their projects and offers guidance for LAs on implementing this kind of work, can be purchased by contacting the UKLA office, details here. Watch out also for the publication of the BFI's 'Reframing Literacy', which will contain examples of some of the work carried out in classrooms.

Digital media literacy

Unfortunately, I can't make the 'Digital media literacy' summit at Channel 4 on Thursday, but it looks like it will be an interesting event. I hope someone from the Department of Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) attends. I would have liked to have drawn participants' attention to some of the digital media literacy that is going on in schools e.g. the brilliant Web 2.0 work that Peter Winter has been doing for a few years now on blogging and podcasting at Monteney Primary School in Sheffield, or the fantastic work of Lynn Scott in the Foundation Stage at Childwall Valley Primary School in Liverpool, which she has undertaken as part of the BFI Training Scheme for Lead Practitioners on Moving Image Education. Eve Bearne and I have been evaluating that scheme and we are just completing the final evaluation, which I will post on this blog once it is complete. There has been some wonderful work undertaken in schools as part of the project, which has helped to move the media literacy agenda along in the local authorities that have taken part in it - so the DCSF do need to be involved in conversations about media literacy, or this work won't get taken forward in schools in the way that it needs to be.