“Where Did You Hear That? Exploring Our Information Sources”

Elizabeth Ortiz, assistant professor of communication at Cedar Crest College and NAMLE member, opened the event by explaining how media literacy connects to other forms of literacy, including A.I. literacy, data literacy, and health literacy. Ortiz emphasized to the students in the audience and on the event live-stream that media literacy would be crucial for their potential educational and career interests.

“Media literacy matters no matter what field you’re in,” Ortiz said.

Ortiz also led the students in an exploratory conversation about where they get news and information. Despite an emphasis on user-generated platforms like social media and YouTube, Ortiz and the students also noted the significance of relational information sources—friends, family, teachers, and others in our immediate social circles.

For Ortiz, the goal of media literacy is not just about critiquing media institutions like news organizations and Hollywood studios. Instead, she said, media literacy gives people the tools to make the world a better place.