Media Literacy - San Mateo County Office of Education

We all have a shared responsibility to understand media literacy and teach our students the skills they need to navigate and understand the information presented to them.

What is Media Literacy?

Media literacy, as defined by the National Association for Media Literacy Education, is the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, create, and act using all forms of communication.

Explore the resources below to learn more.

For Teachers

Media Literacy Resources (California Department of Education): A collection of resources to support media literacy in the classroom.

Resources for Media Literacy and Computer Science (California Department of Education): Find instructional materials, professional development opportunities, and grant resources related to media literacy.

Teaching Students to Analyze Fake News (Edutopia): This four-step process teaches students how to identify and critically analyze the misinformation embedded in fake news articles shared on social media.

Misinformation & Fake News Case Studies and Examples (Central Washington University Libraries): A guide to discerning fake news sources, including articles, videos, and links to other resources.

Fake News: Overview (North Dakota State Library): Learn about the history of fake news and find resources for spotting and preventing its spread.

For Students and Families

Students Tips to Detect Fake News (Educators Technology): Find 10 actionable steps to help you evaluate the veracity and credibility of online content—be it news stories, blog posts, or social media updates.

Evaluating Websites: Identifying Fake News Sources (Maxwell Library): Learn how you can identify fake news articles.

A Parent’s Guide to Media Literacy (National Association for Media Literacy Education): Learn how to start conversations on media literacy at home.

Tools

Factitious: This tool intended to build user skills in identifying false information in a gameified format. Using a Tinder-like format, players swipe left or right depending on if they think the news presented is real or fake. Users can get hints by looking at the source of the article. Players earn points and can progress through several levels.

FactCheck.org: A project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania, FactCheck.org aims to reduce the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics.

Useful Websites

National Association for Media Literacy Education: NAMLE provides resources for educators and families to make media literacy highly valued and widely practiced as an essential life skill.