Teach Media Literacy in Schools

Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 801-b to read as follows:

§ 801-b. Instruction in media literacy. 1. For purposes of this section, "media literacy" shall mean the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, create, and act using all forms of communication, use media and encompasses the foundational skills that lead to digital citizenship. "Digital citizenship" shall mean a diverse set of skills related to current technology and social media, including the norms of appropriate, responsible, and healthy behavior and focuses on empowering learners to use online resources, applications and spaces to improve communities and curate a positive and effective digital footprint.

2. The regents, in conjunction with the commissioner, shall ensure that the course of instruction in grades kindergarten through twelve includes a component on media literacy. Such component shall include instruction of internet safety, civility and digital citizenship with a focus on the principles of safe, responsible use of the internet and electronic communications. The boards of education and trustees of the cities and school districts of the state shall require instruction to be given in media literacy, by the teachers employed in the schools therein. If available, instruction in media literacy shall be provided by library media specialists employed by the schools therein.

3. The commissioner, in conjunction with the regents, shall incorporate existing state media literacy standards into the component described in subdivision two of this section and create a clear and

EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets

[ ] is old law to be omitted.

LBD03953-01-5

coherent set of media literacy education standards, which shall include, but not be limited to, the following skills, experiences and competencies:

a. reading experiences balanced between literature and informational texts, which include both print and digital sources;

b. integration and evaluation of content and information presented in diverse media and formats including visual, quantitative and oral;

c. use of technology and digital tools, including the internet, for writing and drawing to increase learning and communication and to interact and collaborate with others;

d. writing of informative and explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization and analysis of content, including multimedia;

e. strategic use of digital media and visual displays to express information and enhance understanding of presentations;

f. the ability to assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a text, drawing on a wide range of global and diverse texts;

g. gathering of relevant information from multiple sources and assessing the credibility and accuracy of such sources, to be able to integrate such information in writing without plagiarizing;

h. effectively communicating conclusions and taking informed action based on such conclusions;

i. the ability to create, produce, respond, interpret and connect with artistic work and techniques;

j. managing information with a focus on the ability to access and use information obtained from other people, community resources and computer networks and using technology to acquire, organize and communicate information by entering, modifying, retrieving and storing data;

k. demonstration of digital citizenship by maintaining ethical decision making and behavior and avoid the spread of misinformation in the exchange and use of information;

l. use of digital tools to communicate and work with others to build knowledge, convey ideas, learn with others, create and revise collaborative products, support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others;

m. use of digital tools to create and revise simple, complex and multimedia digital artifacts;

n. identification of ways other people put their own information into online spaces;

o. the ability to explain how actions in online spaces can have consequences in other spaces and the connection between the persistence of data on the internet, personal online identity and personal privacy;

p. actively managing digital presence and digital footprint to reflect an understanding of the permanence and potential consequences of actions in online spaces;

q. designing and implementation of strategies that support safety and security of digital information, personal identity, property and physical and mental health when operating in the digital world;

r. identifying types of cyberbullying and developing strategies to combat cyberbullying and harassment; and

s. any additional media literacy standards outlined in state department publications or in the Codes, Rules and Regulations of the state of New York, as deemed necessary.

4. The commissioner, in conjunction with the regents, shall update the New York state professional teaching standards to incorporate media literacy and educate library media specialists and teachers on the relevant standards of media literacy so that library media specialists and teachers can effectively incorporate such standards into their curriculums.

5. The commissioner, in conjunction with the regents, shall annually review the media literacy standards set forth in this section to ensure such standards capture the full range of skills, experiences and competencies that research indicates is necessary for media literacy, and shall update such standards as necessary.

6. The media literacy standards set forth in this section shall serve as an overview of the state's interdisciplinary approach to media literacy education and shall emphasize the importance of media literacy for civic readiness.

§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.