week 6 double entry

Why did the authors do this study?

While there is much discussion concerning the need for real-life authentic learning little research has been conducted on the role or effect of direct media education.  Media literacy is often a part of the language arts but in this study a specialized curriculum was developed and used to study the effect of media education on language arts, specifically reading, listening, message analysis, comprehension viewed material and writing skills.

How did the authors do the study?

The authors used two similar groups of 11^th grade students with one being the control group and the other being the treatment group.  The treatment group received specific media literacy training during a year long period.  The control group received a traditional language arts curriculum.  They gave each group a pretest and post test to analysis the effect of the direct instruction. 

What data/results emerged from the study?

Students who received media education scored higher on many different areas.  The students from the treatment group had better comprehension skills in reading, viewing and listening.  The students were able to analyze material better than the control group.  Writing skills also were higher in the control group and they were able to write longer paragraphs and in conjunction with the fact that the students in the treatment group scored better in being able to identify the main concept in reading, viewing and listening it seems logical that they would have more ideas to write about.  Students in the control groups were quicker to identify the main concept.  The results showed a positive effect on the control group who scored significantly higher in most of the tested areas. 

What do the authors conclude from the data analysis?

The authors concluded that students benefit from direct media instruction as part of the literary arts program and students scored higher or at least as well as standard based language art programs.  They stated that teachers should use both fiction and non-fiction during instruction giving students exposure to actual information to analyze.

What is the significance of the study?

The significance of this study is it is the first major study in the United States that studied how inclusion of media education in the traditional language art curriculum can help students with listening, writing, reading, comprehension and communication skills along with the ability to analyze the message.

How do these findings influence your position on media literacy and school curriculum?

The results of this study were encouraging.  I have always believed that students should not only be taught facts but should also be shown how to analysis the material, the source and the message of the material.  Educators talk about real-life authentic teaching but the reality most of the influences and real-life messages are outside the school walls.  I believe that students must be given preparation on how to view, read and listen to all the different messages and not just accept the message but to be able to analysis who, why and what the message is delivering.

Source:
Hobbs, R., & Frost, R. (2003). Measuring the acquisition of media-literacy skills. Reading Research Quarterly, 38(3), 330-355. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/4151822 .