The 7th annual Northeast Media Literacy Conference

Friday, April 3, 2009
The Bishop Center - University of Connecticut - Storrs, Connecticut

"Rethinking Media Literacy Priorities in a Changing Information Age"

The traditional sources of information provided by the mass media are changing rapidly in our expanding technological age. These changes are affecting the type, availability, depth, and relevance of information that all of us are receiving each day, especially young people.

The 7th annual Northeast Media Literacy Conference on April 3, 2009 will focus on how the mass media are changing today and the implications for possible changes in focus and priorities in our traditional approaches to media literacy education. Some key questions to be considered:

• In our rapidly changing technological age, where are we primarily getting our information today?
• How are our information sources changing?
• What impact are these changing sources having on our information base, our knowledge, our decision-making, and our values?
• What impact are these changes having upon our young people?
• In light of these changes, do we need to rethink our traditional media literacy priorities, focus, and approaches in working with young people?
• Are there specific new or related media literacies that need to receive special focus, such as economic, social, and political literacies?
• Are there specific literacies needed by young people that may require special study, such as the media messages related to financial, health, career, environmental, and other realities today?