Cell Phones, Social Media, and Student Well-Being
Cell phone and social media use have shifted rapidly in the last few years, raising urgent questions about school cell-phone bans, cyberbullying, psychological impacts, and academic performance.This webinar reframes the conversation through a digital empathy lens, blending media literacy practices with trauma-informed approaches that support student wellness and mental well-being. We’ll explore…
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MediaEd Forum
A Two-Day Online ConferenceMedia literacy education is often seen as part of the solution to many of the current challenges we face. We hear stakeholders from every arena declaring its importance.As our information ecosystems evolve, so do ideas about what it means to be "media literate" and whose responsibility that should be. For that reason, we offer four strands: AI LiteracyMis/Disinformation…
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Vibe Coding with AI
As AI tools make it possible to create apps, games, and interactive experiences without ever writing a line of code, a new practice called “vibe coding” is raising big questions for educators, technologists, and learners alike. Popularized by New York Times tech columnist Kevin Roose, vibe coding invites anyone with an idea to build software by describing it in plain language, but it also stirs…
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Entertaining the Thought
Learn about Swell, a social media app that uses the power of the voice! When authors connect with readers, and busy professionals connect with peers, amazing things can happen. When coaches and teachers give advice and answer questions and creative people talk with fellow enthusiasts, communities get stronger. Learn how to start your personal podcast so…
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Civic Engagement and the Impact of Artificial Intelligence
The Civic Engagement lecture series is an ongoing series with an overarching goal to highlight individuals who use their time and talent to create space for others to be civically engaged in unique ways. The April panel, Civic Engagement and the Impact of Artificial Intelligence, will focus on the opportunities and challenges of generative AI as a tool for public information. DATE:  Monday, April…
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Media Literacy in Massachusetts: A Landscape Scan
Many educators believe that Massachusetts could be a national leader in K-12 media literacy education. In interviews, educators shared the sentiment that leadership from DESE, superintendents, and community leaders are all essential. But mandates without funding are not effective and need to be accompanied by funding, guidance, and incentives. One teacher shared her perspective that “even with…
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Media Literacy in Action, 2nd edition 2025
The blurring of entertainment, information, and persuasion is reshaping work, life, and citizenship. As a result, our relationship to media has never been so important nor so complex. By asking critical questions about what they watch, listen to, read, and use, students can be better prepared to be responsible communicators who can use a variety of formats and genres for self-expression and…
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Create to Learn
Create to Learn helps learners create multimedia texts as they develop both critical thinking and communication skills. Written by Renee Hobbs, one of the foremost experts in media literacy, this book introduces a wide range of conceptual principles at the heart of multimedia composition and digital pedagogy. Its approach is useful for anyone who sees the profound educational value of creating…
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Teachers Guide, Media Literacy in Action
 This Teacher’s Guide will help you get the most out of the new textbook by Renee Hobbs, as it offers practical guidance on using this textbook in the classroom. Whether you are an experienced teacher or teaching media literacy for the first time, this guide…
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Create to Learn Online
When students create media to represent their learning, they really learn! At the Create to Learn Online website, you can access more than a dozen free and low-cost digital tools for creating podcasts, videos, infographics, animations, videos, remix and more. Plus, you can view and upload multimedia work samples and access study notes and PPT slides…
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The Media Straight Up! Media Literacy Guide for Middle School
THE MEDIA LITERACY GUIDECreated by Renee Hobbs and the Media Education Lab and co-sponsored by Drug Free Pennsylvania. Access the PDF from the Pennsylvania Department of Drug Prevention Programs. Renee Hobbs and a team of Pennsylvania educators developed The Media Straight Up to…
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THE HIVE
When teachers and library media specialists use a student-centered approach to media production, learners create to learn, developing cognitive, social, and socioemotional competencies through creative media production that can support academic achievement across the subject areas. This model consists of six stages where students collaboratively learn to produce media messages. Based on five…
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Librarians on YouTube
Librarians are often challenged to connect with their communities (learners, fellow educators, and the public) with limited time, among competing priorities, and especially recently, across distance. Among many creative approaches to engagement, YouTube offers a fresh approach for librarians to build connections beyond the physical spaces of the library and outside of formal learning environments…
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