PD (Virtual) – Media Literacy, Online Well-Being, and the Health of our Communities & Democracy

In this webinar, we will facilitate a rich conversation between a scholar, a curriculum writer, and a Facing History teacher about how to help students understand the fundamental concepts and skills related to media literacy. Dr. Carrie James, the co-director of Project Zero and the Center for Digital Thriving, will share about her work focused on young people’s digital experiences, including opportunities and challenges for their well-being, social connections, and civic lives. Dr. James will discuss what she and her colleagues have learned from talking to young people for over a decade about their experiences in online spaces. She will also explain mindshifts that educators can consider to help them coach young people through the opportunities and challenges of our media landscape.

Julie Halterman, a senior curriculum developer at Facing History & Ourselves, will share about the newly published unit Media Literacy for Critical Thinking and Democracy. The unit she developed helps students learn what mass media is, practice analyzing pieces of media content, explore ways information can be false or manipulative, and consider the connections between media literacy skills and the strength of democracies. The Facing History teacher joining us will share about their experiences integrating media literacy in their classroom. We will also discuss the ways that the media landscape is impacting the health of our democracy and how we can help cultivate a more media-literate population that can shape the world for the better.

Format: This is a Zoom webinar with live captioning. You’ll be able to participate using the chat, but will remain off camera.

Facing History is committed to creating and maintaining a welcoming and inclusive educational environment for educators of all abilities. If you have an accessibility need, please contact us at support@facinghistory.org. If possible, requests should be made at least two weeks in advance. Please note: we will make every effort to secure services, but all are subject to availability.