ABSTRACT
Teachers can use the "defining" exercise to introduce the media literacy "big idea" to students and explore some facets of media literacy education. Most teachers would expect to have students "analyze" media as part of literacy learning. Media literacy educators believe it is also important to have them "create" media as a way to gain a deeper understanding of how persuasion and the manipulation of words and images can be used to shape our thoughts and desires. One wants to make sure to introduce both analyze and create concepts as they work through this activity. More specifically, it is education that aims to increase students' understanding and enjoyment of how the media work, how they produce meaning, how they are organized, and how they construct reality. Media literacy also aims to provide students with the ability to create media products.
