International Expert Group to develop teacher training curricula for media and information literacy
13-06-2008 (Paris)
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UNESCO is to host an international Expert Group meeting at its Headquarters in Paris from 16 to 18 June 2008 to catalyse processes to introduce media and information literacy components into teacher training curricula worldwide.
Experts specialising in teacher training, curriculum development, media education and information literacy representing regions across the globe will gather to agree upon a framework for a model teacher training curriculum on media and information literacy. The curriculum aims to integrate media education and information literacy in the initial training of teachers at secondary school levels, and will be designed for application and adaptation worldwide, according to the needs of each country. The framework will assert the desired competencies of teachers in this field and will focus on raising the awareness of youths in using information and media.
UNESCO has a long standing experience in enhancing media literacy, founding the Grunwald Declaration of 1982 which recognised the need for political and educational systems to promote citizens’ critical understanding of “the phenomena of communication”. Information literacy has become a new paradigm of the 21st century’s global information and communication landscape with its crucially important role to enable people to deal with the challenge of making good use of information. The Organisation has since supported a number of initiatives to introduce media and information literacy as an integral part of people’s life-long learning.
The Expert Group meeting for teacher training curricula in media and information education comes at a time when there is an unprecedented drive worldwide for media and information literacy. Media education and information literacy are considered to be instrumental in the building of knowledge societies, and in the promotion of freedom of expression and the universal access to information. The consultation will advise on the appropriate processes by which educational material can be developed, tested and introduced and will tackle the issue of integrating education media and information literacy into already overburdened teacher training curricula.
The resulting model curricula will be tested on a pilot basis in at least eight developing countries.
UNESCO has a long standing experience in enhancing media literacy, founding the Grunwald Declaration of 1982 which recognised the need for political and educational systems to promote citizens’ critical understanding of “the phenomena of communication”. Information literacy has become a new paradigm of the 21st century’s global information and communication landscape with its crucially important role to enable people to deal with the challenge of making good use of information. The Organisation has since supported a number of initiatives to introduce media and information literacy as an integral part of people’s life-long learning.
The Expert Group meeting for teacher training curricula in media and information education comes at a time when there is an unprecedented drive worldwide for media and information literacy. Media education and information literacy are considered to be instrumental in the building of knowledge societies, and in the promotion of freedom of expression and the universal access to information. The consultation will advise on the appropriate processes by which educational material can be developed, tested and introduced and will tackle the issue of integrating education media and information literacy into already overburdened teacher training curricula.
The resulting model curricula will be tested on a pilot basis in at least eight developing countries.
Related themes/countries
· Information and Media Literacy
· Information Literacy
· Media Literacy
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Contact
- Vladimir Gai, UNESCO, Communication Development Division
- Misako Ito, UNESCO, Information Society Division
- UNESCO
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