Today’s technology changes at a rapid pace. And while it can be challenging for students to stay on top of the latest trends, it’s even more difficult for their teachers.

Media literacy, or the ability to access, analyze, evaluate and create media in a variety of forms, is an important competency for all 21st-century learners — and their teachers.

Helping future teachers stay up-to-date on this topic is a new, online, self-paced workshop developed in partnership with the Gibson Library and the Department of Teacher Education.

Media literacy is infused throughout the Teacher Education program, but students, especially consecutive students who may be in the midst of career changes and haven’t been engaged in post-secondary studies for some time, come to Brock with ranging experience and skills in this area.

Housed on Sakai, this optional three-module workshop enables interested students to brush up on or develop new knowledge and competencies for teaching media literacy.

“Teacher education students transition from traditional student learners to adult learners as they complete our program,” says Dorothy Buchanan, Coordinator, Professional Learning for Students, Recruitment and Retention in the Faculty of Education. “As beginning teachers, it’s important that they identify and take action on areas of professional interest or gaps in their knowledge.”

Jennifer Thiessen, Liaison Librarian for Education, has worked collaboratively with the department on many occasions.

“Part of the Gibson Library’s mission is to empower users to find, evaluate and use information effectively,” says Thiessen. “This tool is one of many ways that we can help students be successful and confident researchers.”

The Gibson Library has a number of online modules which students can join at any time in their tenure at Brock. Thiessen has been involved in the development of many of these resources that are available on the library website.

The media information literacy workshop comprises three modules taking about two hours to complete. Optional quizzes enable students to confirm their understanding of the content and a passing grade on these quizzes allows students to credentialize this experience on their Experience Plus, co-curricular transcripts.

Students can access these modules through Sakai.