Democracy in Theory and Practice

Objectives

While this unit will be anchored in media literacy and explore the implications of free speech, we will closely examine social networks and search engines. Consequently, I will teach such concepts as free press, media economics, youth cultural issues and critical thinking skills. The unit will guide students' inquiry into how the internet and media technologies influence the way young people socialize, communicate and participate in a democratic society. Through exploring free speech and media literacy inquiries students will improve their reading, writing, researching and reasoning skills. Narrative objectives are described within 3 major categories below:

Researching and Analyzing Free "Cyber" Speech

Instead of just reading and writing text on the page, students will use information technologies to contextualize what already know about the power of information. The first part of the unit involves exploring the role and responsibilities of a free press. It is through this initial step that students will see how search engines and social network sites promote and disrupt democratic values. The internet has drastically complicated the roles and responsibilities of free speech for students, teachers and parents. Hudson illustrates this point as follows:

The Internet has revolutionized communication throughout the world, allowing people to correspond instantaneously at relatively low cost. Federal Judge Stewart Dalzell called the Internet the "most participatory form of mass speech yet developed." However, this speech-enhancing medium has led to numerous controversies, causing many people to view the Internet as the premier First Amendment battleground. ¹³

To provoke students' inquiry I will have them describe in their own words what free speech means. I will guide students in researching free-speech laws such as the Communications Decency Act and the Child Online Protection Act, and laws that mandate Internet filtering in public libraries or schools, such as the Children's Internet Protection Act. I plan to use selected video clips from the Public Broadcasting Company (PBS) Frontline documentary "Growing Up Online" to expose my students to risks and rewards of free "cyber" speech and social networking. Once students obtain some formal knowledge about social networking they will conduct inquiry into their own free speech practices. Students will conduct web research on free "cyber" speech roles and responsibilities. Students will explore how social networking sites promote lifestyle choices. Lastly, students will complete a PowerPoint research slides reflecting the pros and cons of free speech on the Internet.

Critical Thinking and Evaluating Media Technologies

Critical thinking is essential to good citizenship. This unit will teach students to gather, evaluate and question filtered information from online sources. To further engage students in the inquiry process we will analyze and interpret the credibility, accuracy, and reliability of search engines and social networking sites. Furthermore, we will learn effective searching technique and safe practices for using the Internet.

We will use a media literacy lens to evaluate web sites. I will support my students in learning how to shift through the variety of information found online. Students will learn to check for the following: clarity of information, the purpose of the site, the relevance of the site, is there bias on the site, the validity and verifiability of the site. According to Chris Street, an English learning language and adolescent literacy specialist, teachers need to help students develop the "Habits of Mind" when evaluating online resources. This means that students need to be able to carefully choose where and how they use the Internet. Through focusing on "habits of the mind" I will help my students critically access that all media technologies do not provide accurate or unbiased information. ¹⁴

Using and Creating Safe and Age-Appropriate Media Technology Resources.

To culminate this unit, students will explore, practice and produce their own multi-media resources demonstrating safe Internet practices and cyber "free" speech responsibilities. I plan to use the Ikeepsafe.org and other websites to expose students to Internet safety issues such as handling cyber-bullying, balancing real life with virtual identities and the risks and rewards of media technologies. The Ikeepsafe website is produced by Internet Keep Safe Coalition, a broad partnership of corporate and nongovernmental agencies that disseminate resources to teach children safe uses of technology and the Internet ¹⁵.

Lastly, to support students to synthesize what they have learned about the role media technologies play in promoting and disrupting free speech practices, students will create digital media products. Students' public services media products will model what they learned about the role search engines and social networks sites play in providing youth a voice in democratic societies. Students will create concise public service (PSA) using PowerPoint slides, podcasts, videos, web pages or other suitable digital formats. Students will be proud to showcase their critical thinking and higher order thinking skills using their improved communication and media literacy skills. To support us in creating our media technology end-products I plan to collaborate with Temple University's Media Literacy Education Lab.