MediaSmarts is home to trusted experts in the field of digital literacy and media literacy. Below, you can find a list of MediaSmarts experts available to comment on current affairs and trending topics in the media, or to book for select speaking engagements.
Your donation will support: classroom resources that address digital issues affecting youth, research on Canadian children and teens’ Internet use; community resources, and parent workshops and tutorials to help manage family Internet use.
TELUS is a platinum sponsor of MediaSmarts and we are proud to have been working together since 2013. TELUS Wise is a free of charge, digital literacy program, and is a testament to their commitment to empower Canadians to stay safe online. This page showcases some of the TELUS Wise resources we’ve produced together, to help ensure youth have a positive experience in our digital world.
Framed around key concepts of media literacy, the That’s Not Me tutorial examines how entertainment and news media represent diversity and the impact these media portrayals can have on the value we place on individuals and groups in society.
Through a community-based research approach, our projects honour participants’ diverse range of digital media literacy strengths, experiences and expertise. We design projects that create safe spaces for participants to share their thoughts, experiences, concerns and solutions about digital media literacy issues. We aim to empower participants by providing them with knowledge and skills that they can take with them as they continue to navigate the online world and digital technology.
Manitoba’s Senior Years Information and Communication Technology courses “focus on analyzing information, communicating messages, and using technology to create products such as print documents, web pages, and video recordings. Students have the opportunity to reinforce and extend the ICT knowledge, attitudes, and skills that they have developed in K-8 and to explore new topics that will support their learning across the curriculum.”
Alberta’s Aboriginal Studies curriculum “is intended to provide a conceptual framework for all learners to enhance understanding of the diverse Aboriginal cultures within their region, Canada and the world.” (Aboriginal Studies 10-20-30).
In the New Brunswick Music curriculum, media and digital literacy outcomes mostly fall under Strand 2, Understanding and Connecting Contexts of Time, Place and Community, and Strand 3, Perceiving, Reflecting and Responding. Digital citizenship habits skills are also found in General Curriculum Outcome 4, “Students will be expected to respect the contributions to the arts of individuals and cultural groups in local and global contexts, and value the arts as a record of human experience and expression.”
“Science and technology both exist in a broader social, cultural, and economic context. They are affected by the values and choices of people and governments and in turn have a significant impact on local as well societal issues.” K-6 Science and Technology Curriculum (2004)
Media and digital literacy enable students understand the ways in which science and technology affect and are affected by their social contexts by helping them to develop critical thinking habits and skills and to interpret the ways in which they gain information about the world around them.
“A scientifically and technologically literate person is one who can read and understand common media reports about science and technology, critically evaluate the information presented, and confidently engage in discussions and decision-making activities that involve science and technology.” Science Co-ordinators’ and Consultants’ Association of Ontario (SCCAO) and Science Teachers’ Association of Ontario (STAO/APSO), Position Paper: The Nature of Science (2006)