Educational Standards and Media Literacy

Part 5: Into the 21st Century
At the beginning of the standards movement a dozen years ago, Goal 3 of Goals 2000 stated:

"By the year 2000, American students will leave grades 4, 8 and 12 having demonstrated competency in challenging subject matter...and every school in America will ensure that all students learn to use their minds well so they may be prepared for responsible citizenship, further learning and productive employment in our modern economy."

As we now hurtle headlong into the 21st century, defined more and more every day by its media saturated culture, it is increasingly obvious that the skills of media literacy education are indeed the foundational skills on which future citizenship, employment and intellectual growth depends.

Some examples of integrating media literacy across the curriculum in standards-based instruction include:

• Part 1: Integrating Media Literacy Across the Curriculum
• Part 2: Significance of Standards
• Part 3: Linking Media Literacy to Standards-based Education
• Part 4: Four Steps to Success
• Part 5: Into the 21st Century