Media Literacy in the USA

History of Media Literacy in the USA - Decade by Decade

While not an exhaustive survey, these historical papers, original source documents, conference reports, articles and reflections trace influences on the growth of media literacy in the USA. Even before the term "media literacy" was coined, pioneering teachers and thinkers were making important connections that would prepare the way for a new vision of literacy for the 21st century.

2010 -- : Foundation for basic media literacy laid; longitudinal evaluation demonstrating the effectiveness of CML framework, and continued world-wide interest in media literacy education.

• "Learner at the Center of a Networked World" published by Aspen Institute's Task Force on Internet learning; report calls for media literacy and social/emotional literacies to be at center of education.
• The Core Concepts: Fundamental to Media Literacy Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow published by Journal of Media Literacy Education.
• Elizabeth Thoman Media Literacy Archives introduced at University of Rhode Island Library's Special Collections.
• Longitudinal Research Study conducted by UCLA on the effectiveness of media literacy in students' gaining content knowledge, as well as affecting attitudes and behaviors positively in a violence prevention application; published in peer-reviewed journal Injury Prevention.
• Media Literacy: A System for Learning AnyTime, Anywhere published by CML:  addresses onramp to media literacy with units on Change Management Deconstruction and Critical Construction to provide consistent, replicable, measurable and scalable approach for institutionalizing media literacy education.

2000 - 2010: New governmental interest, professional organization and expanding educational connections establish institutional foundation for growth.

• FCC issues Call for Information.
• First International Media Literacy Research Conference hosted by OfCom in London
• First Information Session on media literacy sponsored by U.S. Dept. of Education
• The Impact of Technology on Character Education white paper prepared for the US Department of Education.
• Leaders in Learning Award presented to Elizabeth Thoman by National Cable Television Association (NCTA)'s Cable in the Classroom Foundaiton.
• Confronting the Challenges of Participatory Culture: Media Education in the 21st Century, white paper authored by Henry Jenkins.
• First State-Wide Program implemented in Maryland; Assignment: Media Literacy developed by Renee Hobbs for Maryland State Dept. of Education
• National membership organization founded: Alliance for a Media Literate America (AMLA) renamed National Association for Media Literacy Education.
• Media Literacy Finds a Home in McREL Language Arts Standards
• CML's MediaLit Kit™ -- A Framework for Learning and Living in a Media Age / identifies core elements of media literacy education
• Learning for the 21st Century situates media literacy as 21st century skill
• Media Literacy: A National Priority for a Changing World keynotes special media literacy issue of American Behavioral Scientist
• CML Launches Project SMARTArt website with virtual "how-to"program for integrating media literacy into K-5 arts and language arts.
• Five Key Questions That Can Change the World published; provides 25 lesson plans that provide firm foundation in media literacy basics.

• First National Media Literacy Conference / Boone, NC
• Second National Media Literacy Conference / Los Angeles
• Carnegie Endorses Media Literacy for Young Adolescents
• Literacy in a Digital World is first US book to introduce media literacy within US educational context
• Partnership for Media Education forms alliance to organize National Media Education Conferences: Colorado Springs / 1998; St. Paul / 1999; Toronto

• Media Literacy for the '90s - U.S. Style reviews state of U.S. media education movement
• National Council of Teachers of English Commission recommends media education
• Aspen Institute hosts historic gathering to set agenda for the decade / Aspen Media Literacy Leadership Conference Report
• Catholic Communications Campaign funds publication of Catholic Connections to Media Literacy for schools and parishes
• "Skills and Strategies for Media Education" published by Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD)
• Harvard hosts first Media Literacy Institutes
• Safeguarding our Youth Conference links media literacy to violence prevention efforts and calls for "interagency, interdisciplinary" approach by federal government
• U.S. Senate invites testimony for media literacy as strategy for violence prevention

• The Challenge of Media Education (The UNESCO "Grunwald Document")
• Media Education: 18 Basic Principles - by Len Masterman
• Ministry of Education of Ontario, Canada publishes the Media Literacy Resource Guide including 8 Key Concepts of Media Literacy
• Group Media movement introduces media education experiment in developing world
• Foundation report outlines What Other Countries are Doing in Media Education
• New Directions in Media Education- UNESCO Conference in Toulouse, France clarifies pedagogy and establishes four criteria for success in implementing media education in any country.

• First issue predicts classroom revolution: I Hate It, but I Love It: Television and Listerine
• Media critic Howard Rosenberg: Media&Values Quarterly Corners Common Sense
• Issue #35 introduces first early outline for analyzing the media: Blueprint for Response-Ability
• Five Important Ideas to Teach Your Children about TV
• Annual Issue Celebrates 15 Years of Cutting Edge TV Criticism

• The Rise and Fall of "Screen Education"
• Church groups introduce Television Awareness Training for parents and adults
• "What is Critical Viewing?: Introduction to Television Literacy Module 1
• "Obstacles to the Development of Media Education in the U.S." by Robert Kubey, PhD

• Foreword to The Children of Telstar by Eric Barnouw
• The First Elementary School TV Production Studio
• Ford Foundation funds experimental high school TV program
• Iowa Educators Pioneer Media Now Curriculum

• Marshall McLuhan- And the Revolution is...Media!
• John Culkin, SJ: The Man Who Invented Media Literacy