This website strives to not only inform you about what media
literacy is and why it is important, but it also is an example
in itself of how, with good intentions, different forms of
media can be a useful learning resource that is much more
fun than a textbook. This page serves as both a map to the
site and a guide to how different sections of the site use
multiple forms of media as effective teaching tools in imparting
knowledge to its users.
|
| Purpose: Introduces the
site and entices users to further investigate other areas
of it |
Multimedia: Text, "clickable"
graphics, and animation |
Why it's effective: The
visual navigation structure orients the user, tells
him or her what else is in the site, and allows them easy and immediate access to the rest of the site. The animation peaks
the interest of the user, which gets their brain ready
to learn more. |
|
| Purpose: Gives a brief
introduction to media literacy and why it's important.
Give the user some resources they can use to further understand
the point. |
Mulitmedia: Text, images, animation,
graphics, hyperlinks, pop-up windows |
Why it's effective: The animated picture
makes a point that the user can understand within 5 seconds
and without having to do any hard work. The hyperlinks
within text allow users to follow a train of thought by
immediately accessing what is being talked about. The
"top ten" movie works better than a list because
it keeps the users' interest better; their eyes and thoughts
will not wander as much because they are following moving
objects and reading chunks of text at a time rather than
one long page. |
|
| Purpose: Introduces the
user to the topic of media literacy in education and what
is involved with it. Gives them hints of what more there
is to learn |
Multimedia: Text, "clickable"
graphics, and animation |
Why it's effective: The appealing graphics
engage the user and the animation keeps them "awake"
and interested. The clickable graphic links to each the
three sections allow the user immediacy in investigating
further. The navigation of this entire education section
(see subsections below) is always left up to the user
- this non-linear way of giving information allows the
user to customize their experience, where they go and
at what pace, to their own liking. Since everyone learns
differently, this is an ideal way of learning. |
| |
The Good |
| Purpose: Introduces to
the user reasons why the use of new media provides an
environment that fosters learning, as well as how to use
them in that way. |
Multimedia:Text, "clickable"
graphics, images, hyperlinks and pop-up windows |
Why it's effective: Hyperlinks allow
for immediacy in investigation, pop-up windows allow for
a short blurb to be displayed without taking the user
away or filling up the page with text (which causes loss
of interest). Clickable graphics keep the user oriented
and allow them to navigate to other sections of the site
without getting lost. |
| The Bad |
| Purpose: Gives the user reasons why
it is important to teach today's youth to think critically
about the messages they get from the mass media and ways
to go about doing that. |
Multimedia: Text, "clickable"
graphics, interactive activities, images, hyperlinks and
pop-up windows |
Why it's effective: The first two activity
links on this page ("Questions to consider"
and "Quiz yourself") are interactive, meaning
that the user must do something active (such as clicking
on questions or choosing answers) in order to get use
out of them. This keeps them interested and engaged. |
| The
Unknown |
| Purpose: Informs users of why it is
important to be up on the latest trends in new media.
|
Multimedia: Text, "clickable"
graphics, animation, images, hyperlinks and pop-up windows |
Why it's effective: Animation keeps
the user involved, hyperlinks and clickable graphics allow
for interactivity and non-linearity, and pop-up windows
keep them from getting bored or lost. |
|
| Purpose: Gives the user
a quick introduction to the creator of the site and a
way to contact her with further inquiries or comments |
Multimedia: Text and hyperlinks |
Why it's effective: The email hyperlink
provides the user with an opportunity to interact with
a real person if they so choose on an asynchronous, but
timely, basis. |
|
| Purpose: Points the user
towards resources in various topics related to the subject
of the site, media literacy |
Multimedia: Text, hyperlinks |
Why it's effective: Allows the user
immediacy in their further investigations. By automatically
taking them to the site of their interest, they can find
answers to new questions that may have arisen from what
they just learned. |
