Media Education in New Brunswick

This section comprises a curricular overview (below), as well as information about professional development for media education.

Last reviewed in August 2023

Curricular Overview

New Brunswick launched a new curriculum in the summer of 2023. Media education components can be found in several subject areas, but they are strongest in the English Language Arts and Personal Wellness curricula.

Course content is divided into:

  • Strands, “categories organized across the curriculum continuum”;
  • Big Ideas, which are subordinate to strands and “support educators to focus the skill development on the key areas of development”;
  • Skills Descriptors, which “clearly describe the outcome to be evaluated”; and
  • Achievement Indicators, which are the tasks a student should be able to perform at this grade level.

Specific connections between the New Brunswick curriculum and MediaSmarts resources are identified at the Achievement Indicator level.

Along with curriculum content, New Brunswick recognizes a continuum of Global Competencies that students acquire throughout their education. Each of these has connections with digital media literacy:

Collaboration: “The ability to foster social well-being and inclusivity for oneself and others to establish positive and respectful relationships.” This connects with the Media Representation, Ethics and Empathy and Community Awareness topics in MediaSmarts’ Digital Media Literacy Framework.

Communication: “Receiving and expressing meaning in different contexts with different audiences and purposes … adapting, changing, and using various media responsibly, safely, and with regard to one’s digital identity.” This connects to the Reading Media, Ethics and Empathy, Privacy and Security and Making and Remixing topics.

Critical Thinking and Problem Solving: “Addressing complex issues and problems by acquiring, processing, analyzing, and interpreting information to make informed judgments and decisions.” This relates to Finding and Verifying.

Innovation, Creativity and Entrepreneurship: “The capacity to enhance concepts, ideas, or products to contribute new-to-the-world solutions to complex social, ecological, and economic problems.” This connects to the Making and Remixing and Community Engagement topics.

Self-Awareness and Self-Management: “The ability to identify opportunities, set goals, and establish and monitor plans while adapting to change and adverse conditions and the capacity to self-regulate, manage one’s holistic well-being, self-assess, and advocate for support in an ever-changing world.” This connects to Ethics and Empathy and Media Health.

Sustainability and Global Citizenship: “Reflecting on and appreciating diverse worldviews and understanding and addressing social, ecological, and economic issues crucial to living in a contemporary, interdependent, and sustainable world. It also includes the acquisition of knowledge, dispositions, and skills required to be an engaged citizen with an appreciation for the diversity of perspectives.” This relates to Community Engagement.

Since 1992, New Brunswick has offered elective courses in Media Studies and Journalism as part of the Grade 12 English Language Arts curriculum. These courses are still being taught - most often in the larger high schools. Presently, there are 31 media teachers listed with the Department of Education.