WebLinks

Media Education

Catholic Media Documents
This link directs you to an overview of several Church documents on social communication. A good resource, with helpful links, including articles by John J. Pungente, SJ, Director of the Jesuit Communication Project.

Center for Media Literacy Reading Room
The Center for Media Literacy, founded by Elizabeth Thoman, provides a variety of helpful articles focused on media literacy. These articles are from current and classic resources. Here you will find help to communicate competently in all media forms, as well as to access, understand, analyze, and evaluate the powerful images, words, and sounds that make up our contemporary mass media culture.

Media Literacy at the University of Dayton
At this site you will find a basic overview about the meaning of media literacy and why it’s needed. If you are interested in connecting with others who are involved in media literacy education, you can join the national media literacy listserv.

Movie and Family Video Reviews
The Office of Film and Broadcasting (USCCB) provides weekly online reviews of currently released movies according to artistic merit and moral suitability. You will also find the Top 10 Movie List from 1965 to the current year (only goes to 2001) and a list of the Vatican Top 45. On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of cinema in 1995, the Vatican compiled this a of "great films." The 45 movies are divided into three categories: "Religion," "Values," and "Art."

FilmClipsOnLine
In our media saturated world film clips can be used to kick-start exciting discussions on themes ranging from human and religious values, to English, social studies, and history. At this site you will learn where you can order a VHS cassette of clips that are designed to be a thought provoking discussion starters for use in junior and senior high school classrooms, community groups, and religious organizations. A study guide is provided with each cassette or can be downloaded from the site.

Film and Video Reviews by Kids for Kids
This feature is an online version of a column in My Friend, a monthly Catholic children's magazine published by the Daughters of St. Paul. Here you will find movie reviews written by kids for kids. These young writers have written more than 22 movie (video/DVD) reviews. Go to the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe review. Here is an example of how students briefly summarize the film and offer questions to encourage the ongoing conversation between children and parents about the film.

Thirteen-EdOnline
Thirteen/WNET New York, PBS's flagship station developed Thirteen Ed Online. Here a user will find resources for educators, students, and parents/caregivers. Take a few moments to explore the media literacy features: Making Movie Storyboards; Introduction To Film Editing; and Digital Storytelling. The suggestions from Making Movie Storyboards “Using an interactive Web site, students learn the importance of shot sequence in conveying meaning. They then work collaboratively to storyboard a passage from a book they are reading and finally present their storyboards to an audience in the form of a PowerPoint slide show. At the screening of their PowerPoint ‘movies,’ the visual storytellers field questions from the audience regarding their work.” This is just one of the many ideas you will find that can be applied to your religion classroom.

Media Literacy – Gender Equity
This curriculum is designed to increase awareness of media influence on attitudes and behaviors of male and female middle and high school students, specifically in regards to gender equity issues. If you are wondering how to work with your students to think critically about these influences and how to appropriately respond to these influences, you will want to explore what is in this curriculum. Please note that GenderEquity.org does represent a feminist tendency.