Baker

=Frank Baker=

//"Everywhere I go, teachers tell me that their students believe everything they see, read and hear. Today many students aren't applying the critical thinking skills we know they need in order to become active, engaged, intelligent citizens and consumers of information. 21st century skills include both critical thinking and media literacy--both part of every state's teaching standards. Today's students only know what they see on the screens (TV, computer, motion picture). They don't have a clue how it got to the screen: the process. Media literacy, among other things, is about helping them appreciate how media are constructed. When we 'pull back the curtain' (on advertising, TV, film, propaganda, etc. ) exposing how they work, and give students opportunities to create media, we help them better understand and appreciate both the 'languages of media' and how the media influence and persuade: critical skills in a 21st century world. "// A message from Frank Baker from his [|bio]

Frank Baker is an award-winning media literacy educator (1996, "Outstanding Achievement by an Individual in K-12 Education"--United States Distance Learning Association; 2005 and 2007, finalist for " Leaders in Learning Award"--Cable TV national award). After graduating from the University of Georgia with a degree in journalism, he worked in television news from 1977 to 1986. In 1987 he took a job with the Orange County, Florida, public schools in the area of instructional TV and distance education. In 1997, he began teaching media literacy courses for educators and developed a media literacy resource website (the Media Literacy Clearinghouse).

The media literacy clearinghouse website includes a wealth of information for educators, including tips for integrating media literacy into classroom instruction, helping students become media aware, and locating appropriate resources. The site promotes the importance and use of standards, and provides links to standards for all states through a click-able U.S. map.

In addition to maintaining this website, Frank Baker is a frequent presenter at workshops for teachers and students, and he offers workshops to help districts meet state standards. He has written numerous publications on media literacy, and he serves on many advisory boards and councils. He also maintains the NCTE (National Council of Teachers of English) Media Blog. This blog is aimed at language arts teachers with an interest in media/technology, but teachers in other subject areas would also find it useful. He updates this blog several times per week with ideas and links on how teachers are incorporating technology into the curriculum. Current topics include "Storyboarding with iPads," "Beyond blogging: teaching students 21st century skills," and "The Role of the Media During the Civil Rights Period." Readers of this blog can find short, useful suggestions dating back to 2008.

Through his promotion of standards, his willingness to share his ideas, and his seemingly endless efforts in compiling resources, Frank Baker is a strong voice in media literacy education. While many of his blog entries and website links are to articles and proceedings by others, his essays (follow the publications link below) were helpful to get a feeling for the passion and enthusiasm he has for what he does. As a former journalism teacher (if student teaching counts), I know how important it is for students to evaluate what they read, see, and hear in the media, and how difficult it can be to recognize bias. It is crucial for students to develop the skills to evaluate what they come across, and to this end Frank provides an invaluable resource. I know if I were teaching in a "regular" classroom at this time, I would find it extremely helpful, and I now have his sites bookmarked for future reference.

Links:
Frank Baker bio Frank Baker website Frank Baker NCTE blog Frank Baker publications Media Literacy Clearinghouse State-by-state standards map

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