About

Overview

According to the National Association for Media Literacy Education (NAMLE), media literacy is the ability to “access, analyze, evaluate, create, and act” using all forms of communication.” The Association of College & Research Libraries defines information literacy as a “set of integrated abilities encompassing the reflective discovery of information, the understanding of how information is produced and valued and the use of information in creating new knowledge and participating ethically in communities of learning”. The combined term “media and information literacy” was developed by Alton Grizzle at UNESCO to signify the interrelated nature of these two terms and how they work together to influence audiences and individuals.

Our work is strategically aligned around three areas:

Vision 

Highlights and Activities 2022-2023

(Upcoming) Lead a post-screening discussion of Barbie (the movie) for Temple University’s Reel Cinema on October 19, 2023.

Invited presentation to the UN Commission on the Status of Women on behalf of the Association Country Women of the World. Presentation titled, “Surveillance Society: the power and influence of algorithms”. (March 2022)

Served as vice-chair for UNESCO Global MIL Alliance. (2019-2022)

Manage the Philly Youth Media Collaborative website. (2018-present)

Hold event annually for Global Media and Information Literacy Week (last week of October)

Hold annual Children’s Media Symposium (2024 will be the 6th annual)

Produced several episodes of Media Inside Out on topics including: The Growth of Latinx Media (Feb. 2023), A.I. in Education (Sept. 2023), Teens Making Media (March 2023), and two episodes produced with international partners during my Fulbright in Brazil and England.

Invited to lead a Prix Jeunesse youth jury in Philadelphia. Prix Jeunesse is the pre-eminent international children’s television festival held bi-annually in Germany. (2022)

Served as editor or co-editor for four MILID Yearbooks. https://en.unesco.org/themes/media-and-information-literacy/milidnetwork/milidyearbook

Invited panelist for “Trust Me” documentary post-screening discussion panel. Instituto Federal de Telecomunicacion (IFT). Mexico (virtual). (2022)

Appointment: Global Chair in Media Literacy

The CMIL represents Klein College and Temple University as an appointed “global chair” in media and information literacy (MIL) in UNESCO’s UNITWIN global university collaborative network. This designation connects the CMIL to a select group of universities worldwide collaborating on global media and information literacy initiatives. Responsibilities include participating in collaborative projects, attending the annual meeting, and advising on global media literacy issues.

Details here: https://en.unesco.org/themes/media-and-information-literacy/milidnetwork

The CMIL has been an integral part of several reports launched by UNESCO to solidify the notion of MIL including;

• Research study and report, Survey on Privacy in MIL with Youth Perspectives

• Production of the annual Global MIL Yearbook
• Production of the Global Framework for MIL Cities

CMIL is also a member of UNESCO’s Media & Information Literacy Alliance. Formerly known as “GAPMIL”, the Alliance was launched to give greater impetus to fostering media and information literate citizenries in the governance and development agenda.

More information here: https://www.unesco.org/en/media-information-literacy/alliance

Affiliations 

• Poynter Institute’s Global Media Literacy Network. Advisory committee. (2022-present)
• National Association for Media Literacy Education. Organizational partner. (2012-present)
• UNESCO UNITWIN MILID (University Twining and Networking Programme in Media and Information Literacy and Intercultural Dialogue) Invited member. (2012 to present)
• Journal of Media Literacy Education. Editorial board. (2018-2022)
• UNESCO Global Media and Information Literacy Alliance. Member. (2013-present)
• Vice-chair of MIL Alliance 2019-2022.

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