Media Smart Day
Hi all,
I've been really busy lately but I can share the reason now with you guys. Love your feedback, input and comments.
We've been working on a nationwide pilot for a Media Smart Day with Cable in the Classroom. The pilots are all going off this week and next, or early January. I'll be traveling to NY, CT, and PA to visit 3 of them next week (hope the weather is kind!)
The idea is that students plan and organize the activities for their own Media Smart Day. That way, they can all be different, but still be part of a national movement. Plus have support from local cable operators. I explained more in my blog, and here's also a link there to a newspaper article about the first pilot in Lebanon, PA.
So far, the pilot school students have planned all sorts of activities, student-led workshops (both for teachers and students), presentations, and more. Some are in the classroom, some are like a "Field Day". We'd probably have more of those if it was a different time of year!
The goal is to create a set of resources, maybe tools, maybe other things so that schools can do their own Media Smart Day. The pilots are to make sure that these things are useful, evaluate impact, and figure out what different kinds of schools need to make this happen.
So far, what we HAVE shown is that the students surpassed all expectations for organization, creativity, and hard work. Not surprised, but really happy about that!
I'm totally excited about this and hope that you'll share your thoughts and reactions with me. Thanks in advance!
I've been really busy lately but I can share the reason now with you guys. Love your feedback, input and comments.
We've been working on a nationwide pilot for a Media Smart Day with Cable in the Classroom. The pilots are all going off this week and next, or early January. I'll be traveling to NY, CT, and PA to visit 3 of them next week (hope the weather is kind!)
The idea is that students plan and organize the activities for their own Media Smart Day. That way, they can all be different, but still be part of a national movement. Plus have support from local cable operators. I explained more in my blog, and here's also a link there to a newspaper article about the first pilot in Lebanon, PA.
So far, the pilot school students have planned all sorts of activities, student-led workshops (both for teachers and students), presentations, and more. Some are in the classroom, some are like a "Field Day". We'd probably have more of those if it was a different time of year!
The goal is to create a set of resources, maybe tools, maybe other things so that schools can do their own Media Smart Day. The pilots are to make sure that these things are useful, evaluate impact, and figure out what different kinds of schools need to make this happen.
So far, what we HAVE shown is that the students surpassed all expectations for organization, creativity, and hard work. Not surprised, but really happy about that!
I'm totally excited about this and hope that you'll share your thoughts and reactions with me. Thanks in advance!
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Skip Zilla on -
Hi Sylvia,
What a great idea. I hope the pilot proves successful and the program does go (U.S.) national.
It shouldn't surprise anyone how willing and capable the high schoolers in Lebanon, PA, are who got the pilot program started. Without diminishing their accomplishments, I suspect that there are many kids across the country who would have done as well if given the chance. My take is that kids can effectively communicate educational (and social) initiatives in the public media; we merely have to cut them loose from the old stereotypes related to dependency on adults and give them the resources to contribute what they know and care about.
Great work you're doing; please keep us informed.
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Permalink Reply by Connie Weber on
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Very, very cool, Sylvia! A model for us all. Please keep us extensively informed on how it goes, how each place and event develops its own "flavor" and the reaction of the participants/audience. Wow--moving mountains! Or, should I say, empowering the students to move mountains?!
Kudos--congratulations! Regular postings, ok?
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Permalink Reply by Greg Oz on -
Hi Sylvia
Very interested in this idea - something I'd like to think about for the future. I work with adult English as a Second Language students who've had little or no experience with computers but they're so motivated and keen to learn. Often when I show their multimedia work to colleagues I get the comment '- so did they really make them?' Basically there's this assumption that if it looks good then the students couldn't possibly have created the material. That's why I like your idea as a way of students leading the way - showing what they can do. Look forward to hearing more.
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Permalink Reply by David Truss on -
Sylvia,
This might be something the students over at Students2.0 might be interested in hearing about.
Skip, (Always a wonderful advocate for students as capable of more than we give them credit for.)
Students2.0 is right up your alley!
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Permalink Reply by Sylvia Martinez on
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Hi David,
It would be great to get their input. It's kind of funny but it does point out that blogs are primatrly one way communicaiton tools. There's no way I can "leave a mesage" for the students at Students 2.0.
I know one of them (Dillon), because I was the one who recommended him for the group.
Here's a local newpaper article about Medai Smart Day at Wilson HS in Reading PA, yesterday's Media Smart Day pilot. The reporter is actually understating the events that happpned at Wilson. It was a REALLY interesting experience. More later!
Sylvia
PS I'm actually posting from an airport hotel on my way home from the pilot Medai Smart Day projects.. My bag made the connection but I didn't. Oh well. Travel is definately not 2.0 yet!
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Permalink Reply by David Truss on
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Sounds like a great success Sylvia,
Congratulations.
Airports can't even get 1.0 right. I think 'parting people from their luggage' is the secret mission of airlines... good luck getting home:-)
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Sylvia,
The whole idea of Media Smart Day is very exciting. The article is wonderful, how it talks about your successes in raising students' awareness of of the skills and psychological savvy needed to understand and create media. Kids need this (we all do) and your incentive in this area will benefit many. How do you choose which schools you visit?
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