April 2012 M-Passioned Member: Imani Cheers
1) What do you do?
I am currently the director of PBS NewsHour Extra, the educational resources for the PBS NewsHour. I am also a multimedia producer and photographer.
2) Tell me about your latest work or project in media literacy.
My latest project in media literacy is the Student Reporting Labs initiative. Recognizing that informed and engaged young people are critical for a healthy democracy, the PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Lab connects high school students to local PBS stations and news professionals in their community to produce original, student-generated news video reports. The young people who participate in the project learn how to report, problem-solve, synthesize information and investigate important topics: journalism as a form of learning.
The PBS News Hour Student Reporting Labs supports teachers and young people to report on important issues in their community, creating short video segments for the national NewsHour Extra audience. And along with technical instruction on the use of cameras and editing equipment, this program also includes a meaningful focus on understanding the role of journalism in society and developing broader communication skills, including listening, asking questions, public speaking, and finding, analyzing and evaluating the quality of information.
These flexible lessons can be used in the context of courses in English, social studies, or video production classes and includes critical thinking, analysis and production activities. Each lesson is designed for a 50-minute class with engaging high-interest activities to nurture a sense of purpose and accomplishment. The curriculum can easily be adapted to the McRel Standards , Common Core Standards and ISTE Standards.
3) Why is media literacy important to you?
Multimedia literacy is important to me because it gives people the power to become both critical thinkers and creative producers of the wide range of images, sounds and languages they encounter. As an educator, I am passionate about helping young people develop the necessary skills to create their own destinies despite their circumstances.
4) What are you most excited about in the media literacy field?
I am most excited about the vastly changing and evolving digital multimedia landscapes that is making it easier to connect with people throughout the world.
5) Why did you become a NAMLE member – what benefits do you see to membership and how will it support your work?
I decided to become a NAMLE member because I wanted to network and collaborate with like-minded educators, policy makers and media professionals. The benefits to being a member of NAMLE is having direct access many of the leaders in this industry and I look forward to learning from my colleagues and improving my multimedia literacy skill sets.
Category: M-Passioned Members
