Media Literacy Week 2021: Today’s digital citizens need digital literacy skills
October 20, 2021 - Canadians are spending more time online during the pandemic and this year’s Media Literacy Week aims to put the spotlight on the essential digital literacy skills needed by today’s digital citizens.
Canada’s 16th annual Media Literacy Week runs from October 25 to 30. Hosted by MediaSmarts, Canada’s centre for digital and media literacy, the annual event invites all Canadians - teachers, students, seniors, community groups, libraries and museums - to celebrate by engaging in digital media literacy activities.
“Digital media literacy has become essential now that our lives have moved even more online,” says Kathryn Ann Hill, Executive Director at MediaSmarts. “Media Literacy Week is an opportunity to be mindful of how we engage with media - whether it’s checking the information we see online, thinking critically about the popular culture we’re consuming or focusing on our digital wellbeing.”
With the week’s activities going online, Canadians everywhere have the chance to join events held by MediaSmarts and collaborating organizations, including digital parenting workshops, Break the Fake workshops and seminars on topics ranging from AI to cybersecurity.
To celebrate the week, MediaSmarts has also created five themed days with free resources anyone can use and a Media Literacy Week Teachers’ Hub with curated lessons and activities for students from kindergarten to Grade 12.
‘’Access to reliable information is key to a healthy society and democracy. Unfortunately, we have seen disinformation increase during the COVID-19 pandemic. To address this, we all need to develop media and information literacy competencies. The Canadian Commission for UNESCO is therefore very proud to support MediaSmarts’ activities in this field.’’ – Roda Muse, Secretary General, Canadian Commission for UNESCO
Check out the full events listings to see all the activities taking place during Media Literacy Week and join our special free online event MediaSmarts presents The Walrus Talks at Home: Our Digital Lives on Thursday, October 28at 7 p.m. EST.
MediaSmarts is also hosting A Conversation About Researching Digital Media Literacy in Canada, which will bring together academics to discuss researching digital media literacy in Canada on Thursday, October 28 at 12:30 p.m. EST.
Media Literacy Week is run in partnership with the Canadian Teachers’ Federation (CTF/FCE) and the Canadian Commission for UNESCO (CCUNESCO).
This project has been made possible (in part) by the Government of Canada’s Digital Citizen Contribution Program.
Media Literacy Week is sponsored by Bell, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, Twitter, the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association, the Alberta Teachers Association and the Nova Scotia Teachers Union (NSTU).
Join the conversation:
#MediaLitWk
Twitter: @MediaSmarts | Facebook: @MediaSmarts
Instagram: @MediaSmarts.ca | YouTube: MediaSmarts
Contact:
Tricia Grant
Manager of Marketing and Communications
MediaSmarts
613-224-7721 ext. 231
tgrant@mediasmarts.ca
MediaSmarts is a Canadian not-for-profit centre for digital and media literacy. Its vision is that young people have the critical thinking skills to engage with media as active and informed digital citizens. www.mediasmarts.ca