Thread by @ms_keats

Let's do a bit of #medialiteracy this morning, shall we #OntEd? This is a new ad, created to persuade Ontarians that our current system of hiring is leading to unqualified teachers in our schools.

https://twitter.com/RudyCuzzetto/status/1228479474162962438

As a media literacy educator, I teach my students #medialiteracy #keyconcepts to help them navigate all the messages they receive from the media texts they interact with. The goal critical thinking, empowering people to be informed viewers, consumers, and creators.

So, what do we see and notice from this text? (btw, 'text' is a general term that can be used to refer to many types of media) first key concept: all media are constructions, they contain choices as to what is shown, as well as what isn't.

We may notice that the person who posted the video, also wrote a message.

1st statement (reiterated in the video, along with the additional term "unfortunately"):

"Teachers are now hired based on seniority, not merit."

How does word choice began to shape the argument?

The image included alongside the statement: a laptop, showing a job posting, w/ 2 statements that use bolded text sizes.

The bolded text:
-science teachers are needed
-ONLY looking for candidates with seniority

Another #keyconcept to remember: media contain value messages.

What can we imply about values presented by the choice and design of these messages?

Begin by asking questions about which choices have been made as a way to see value/sociological/ideological points of view emerge.

Why science as the subject?
Why use an exclamation point?

Q's continued:
What's NOT in bold? Why is it included?

What does it suggest about Ontario educators as an implied message that unqualified people are being hired?

This is only 1 image captured from this video, and already, there is so much critical media literacy to consider.

How might audiences begin to receive these messages? (another #keyconcept)

Firstly, look at the terms "merit" & the way it is being used to contrast with "seniority".
What does creating this contrast imply?
I would suggest that the smaller text on the laptop provides an answer:

"qualified applicants need not apply"

How does this connect to the audience?

I, like many, believe in fairness, transparency, and feeling like people who get a job have earned it.

The wording implies that teachers hired right now are undeserving of their positions.

The other point here is maybe a misapplication of the term seniority. Is it being used as a stand in for "experience"?

There's many jokes about needing experience to be hired, but not being able to get experience without being hired.

Is this the what the message implies?

So, the implied message:
Teachers currently employeed need to be questioned about their positions, their qualifications, and the seniority that was put in place to protect teachers from losing their position should be seen as suspect.

If anyone out there wants to add their own thoughts, please do. There's lots to notice here, right now I'm only addressing this one piece, and I haven't talked yet about points outside of this text (like regulation 274, which looks at seniority and fair hiring)

The connections to other texts is another part of #medialiteracy.

How do we see texts in relation to what we are watching and viewing.
How do these new texts inform our challenge our point of view?

Back to the point about merit, hiring, and seniority. This part of the thread is going to move slightly away from the video for a moment. Before regulation 274, teachers were still on hiring lists. At that point, teachers still needed to be qualified to get an interview.

However, some teachers may have been given an interview right after graduation from teachers college, while other teachers, who were equally qualified, @ who had been waiting longer, weren't given interviews.

Why?

Because they may have had better connections.

Regulation 274 put a method in place to ensure that qualified teachers were given a chance to interview, even when they may not have had friends of friends making those connections for them.

This regulation stipulates that ONLY qualified teachers can apply for a job.

This is the next image shown in the video.

The implication is abundantly clear:

The teachers in front of our kids aren't qualified to teach.

What message does that send to parents who want opportunities for their children if they are being told teachers aren't qualified?

Going to take a break & think some more on this (and look for links to connect back into b this thread).

Please add your thoughts & insights! #k12media #medialiteracy #OntEd

Thanks to everyone who has been reading and commenting!

Media literacy can be integrated throughout our curriculum, across grade levels & subjects; it empowers students to be actively critiquing, rather than passively accepting, info they receive.

Here's some ppl to follow:

Let's start here: the Association for Media Literacy @A_M_L_

Follow them & visit their site to find resources for media lit, and lesson ideas. Made up of all sorts of folks, (including educators, parents, librarians) it's also free to join.

Part of the AML, both @mediasee and @arc3 have been hugely influential in developing my own media literacy. Privileged to know and learn from them.

In Canada, we also have @MediaSmarts, which connects media based activities to curriculum across Canada. This has extensive banks of plans that can be incorporated in smaller lessons or larger units.

I'd also like to include @msolomonteacher, a passionate high school educator who has been my collaborator & cheerleader on several media-related professional development endeavours.

We're better educators when we have a network of great support, and I am ever-grateful to her.

A great resource suggestion, connected to many comments I received about the video I refer to in the above thread.

The @A_M_L's media triangle helps to focus attention on different aspects of a media text: the text itself, the audience, & the production.
aml.ca/media-literacy…

Another starting place (I mention in many of the #k12media #medialiteracy posts) are the key concepts of media literacy. Originally created with 8, revised to now have 5.
Here's the original 8, along with some guiding questions: aml.ca/resources/eigh…

And here's the revised 5 key concepts, which also include some guiding questions:
mediasmarts.ca/digital-media-…

Verifying information doesn't just end with the info in the tweet.
Ever wonder if the people responding on Twitter are worth debating?
Two places to check:
botsentinel helps to verify accounts and makes suggestions about how bot-like an account may be:
botsentinel.com

The second place to verify accounts is: botometer

Similar in some ways to botsentinel, botometer can also search the friends and followers of an account you're investigating.
botometer.iuni.iu.edu/#!/

How likely am I to being a bot?
Not likely at all. It can be an interesting exercise to see who you follow and what their rating may be. You can read on both sites' about/FAQ sections about their methodologies.