Critical Consumers of Information are individuals who have the ability to interpret and create personal meaning from the verbal and visual images transmitted through television, radio, computers, newspapers and magazines. Critical consumers of information must have the ability to choose and select, as well as to challenge and question. The skills necessary to read and construct knowledge from text need to be expanded upon to include the interpretation of powerful images, words and sounds in order to participate fully as informed citizens and educated adults in society. Our goal must be to help our children become competent, critical and literate in all media forms so that they control the interpretation of what they see or hear rather than letting the interpretation control them.
To be a critical consumer is to raise the right questions about what you are listening to, watching, or reading. Here are some questions to get you started
- 1. Who created this message and why are they sending it?
- 2. How might different people understand this message differently from me?
- 3. What life styles, values, and points of view are represented?
- 4. Who is the producer of the message? What is the motive/agenda?
- 5. What does the message say? How does it say it?
- 6. What methods/techniques does the producer use to make the message believable?
- 7. Who makes money or benefits from the message?
- 8. What is left out of the message?
- 9. Do you agree with the message?
- 10. What can you do with the information you have obtained from the message?
- Most importantly, What impact has this message had on me?
Media Violence
The resolution was not supported by the NHSBA Board of Directors because the they believed this to be "a parental issue."
The goal of this page is to help educate parents, community members and educators about the effects of media violence on students. The following links will provide more information on the topic:
