Jodi Moscato is a Library Media Specialist at George F. Johnson Elementary School
What do you do?
I teach library and research skills, digital citizenship, and media literacy to students in grades TK-5th.
Tell us about your latest work or project in media literacy.
Last school year I became a Certified Media Literacy Educator through KQED Teach. I also teach anywhere from 6-10 media literacy lessons a school year (depending on grade level.)
Why is media literacy important to you?
I think media literacy so important for people of all ages because we live a digital world and there is new information, scams, stories, etc. coming out everyday. I believe if we can start teaching children at a young age and continue that education through their schooling they will have the skills to navigate the digital world successfully, even through changing times.
What are you most excited about in the media literacy field?
I am very passionate about digital citizenship; such topics as being safe online, avoiding scams, knowing how to tell what is false online, and other ways to keep kids (and adults) physically, mentally, and emotionally safe when online and the times that follow. I believe it is also important to know how to navigate through all of the information that floods in from the different digital avenues. Introducing students at a young age and continuing that education through their schooling, should help them realize what changes are happening in the digital world, how to handle certain situations that may happen or they may see online, and how to successfully weed through the abundance of information.
Why did you become a NAMLE member, what benefits do you see to membership, and how will it support your work?
I feel, as and educator, it is so important for me to keep up on online trends, new information that could effect my students and coworkers, and keep abreast of anything else that will keep me up-to-date on ways to keep students safe and be able to teach them new media and digital information that comes up.
The views and opinions expressed in the M-Passioned Member blog are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of NAMLE or its members. The purpose of the M-Passioned Member blog is to highlight our members and give them a place to share their reflections, opinions, and ideas.