The New Media Literacy Handbook: An Educator's Guide to Bringing New Media into the Classroom

A concise and comprehensive guide to the ever-growing world of new media and new technology, as well as a sourcebook for teachers seeking to harness these resources and bring them into the classroom.

From CD-ROMs to the Internet to graphic design programs, the vast array of new media products and information available to the average person can be overwhelming and confusing. As media increasingly enter the classroom, teachers are expected to help their students develop a set of critical skills that enable them to use and analyze media products for a variety of purposes: to understand, inform, persuade, and tell stories. But what to use, and where to begin? Even if teachers have access to these materials, they are often at a loss as to how to make them a valuable part of their students' learning experiences.

The New Media Literacy Handbook is an invaluable resource for educators seeking information on, and guidance in, navigating through the vast new media landscape. The book has been designed to help teachers develop their own visual literacy skills, become more sophisticated and reflective users of media in the classroom and in general, and develop evaluation criteria for media products. In addition to their overview and evaluation guide, the authors provide information on how new media can be used in several academic disciplines—language arts, history, science, and art—and specific products and Web sites to explore. Clearly written, with helpful exercises for teachers included in each chapter, The New Media Literacy Handbook is an essential tool for today's educators.

Cornelia Brunner, Ph.D., and William Tally are both staff members at the Center for Children and Technology in New York City. Founded in 1981, the center investigates the roles technology does and can play in children's lives, in general and in the classroom in particular, and researches the design and development of prototypical software that supports engaged, active learning.