 The Media Literacy Project, initiated by
NY Times award winners at the 2005 CTE Week Gala |
CTE, was started in the spring 2005 semester, and continues in the fall. The project involves 10 weeks delivery of the NY Times to instructors and students at BCC. In the spring, approximately 200 students, and 12 faculty participated in incorporating readings from the paper into their curriculum, and linking skills development like writing and critical thinking to regular readings.
For the Fall 2005 semester, eight professors have been accepted to the Media Literacy Program, in Spring 2005. They are:
- Christina Sassi-Lehner (English);
- James Freeman (Social Science);
- Joan E. Wilson (Education & Reading);
- Betsey Hallihan (Biology and MLT);
- Clarence Perkins (Business and Information Systems);
- Phyllis Read (English);
- Susan Amper (English); and
- H. Elizabeth Smith (English).
Professors will be employing a diversity of Gen Ed proficiencies while incorporating the N.Y. Times. Proposals submitted include scaffolding essay assignments leading to a research paper; responding to articles via letters to the editor; collating and classifying health-related topics leading to a research paper; summarizing articles on microbiology leading to in-class presentations; tracking and discussing current business trends; analyzing articles on Islam in the context of The Kite Runner and viewing OSAMA; and analyzing editorials and op-ed pieces as a means toward understanding the writing process. These innovative proposals are good examples of “pedagogies of engagement.” Faculty feedback from the spring semester indicated that incorporating the newspapers into classes added an important topicality to the subjects discussed.
For the fall 2005 semester, the NY Times is awarding $600 for the best student work in regards to this project. Each of the participating faculty will select one student from their class, whose work was exemplary, to receive a Barnes and Noble gift certificate. The award ceremony is planned for CTE week, November 14th-18th. |
