All About Mentoring Spring 2011 - SUNY Empire State College

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to research, create, disseminate and publish
using these media. This lack of familiarity
among faculty may lead to hesitation
in adopting digital and social media for
mentoring and learning.
III. Defining Digital and
Media Literacy
In Digital and Media Literacy: A Plan
of Action, author Renee Hobbs (2010)
provides an excellent definition of digital
and media literacy:
The term ‘digital and media literacy’
is used to encompass the full range
of cognitive, emotional and social
competencies that includes the use
of texts, tools and technologies; the
skills of critical thinking and analysis;
the practice of message composition
and creativity; the ability to engage
in reflection and ethical thinking; as
well as active participation through
teamwork and collaboration. (p. 17)
Hobbs further defines digital and media
literacy “as a constellation of life skills that
are necessary for full participation in our
media-saturated, information-rich society.
These include the ability to do the following:
• Make responsible choices and access
information by locating and sharing
materials and comprehending information
and ideas
• Analyze messages in a variety of forms
by identifying the author, purpose and
point of view, and evaluating the quality
and credibility of the content
• Create content in a variety of forms,
making use of language, images, sound,
and new digital tools and technologies
• Reflect on one’s own conduct and
communication behavior by applying
social responsibility and ethical principles
• Take social action by working
individually and collaboratively to
share knowledge and solve problems in
the family, workplace and community,
and by participating as a member of a
community.”(p. vii)
Hobbs’s report proposes the following
competencies of digital media literacy
(p. 19):
Essential Competencies of Digital and Media Literacy
1. ACCESS Finding and using media and technology tools skillfully and sharing
appropriate and relevant information with others
2. ANALYZE and EVALUATE Comprehending messages and using critical
thinking to analyze message quality, veracity, credibility and point of view,
while considering potential effects or consequences of messages
3. CREATE Composing or generating content using creativity and confidence
in self-expression, with awareness of purpose, audience and composition
techniques
4. REFLECT Applying social responsibility and ethical principles to one’s own
identity and lived experience, communication behavior and conduct
5. ACT Working individually and collaboratively to share knowledge and solve
problems in the family, the workplace and the community, and participating as
a member of a community at local, regional, national and international levels
IV. Digital Media Studies
Digital, social and new media studies
are growth areas attracting a changing
demographic in arts and communications
concentrators at the Center for Distance
Learning. Academic area coordinators
serving mentees in these areas are seeing
a rise in students who matriculate with
a large number of prior credits in arts,
design and media studies, with a need for
advanced-level studies in their concentration,
and an interest in digital and new media.
There were 204 combined admissions
application inquiries for the areas of arts
and communication (at CDL) between June
and November 2010, a number that reflects
the strongest area of interest for potential
concentrators among the areas of The Arts,
Cultural Studies, Historical Studies and
Educational Studies. 1
The rising interest in digital media studies
reflects an ongoing interest from the general
education student seeking digital and media
literacy skills, as well as a new group of
students needing advanced studies in digital
media topics. Previously, CDL courses
in the arts, digital media, and media and
communications were designed to serve the
general education student seeking to fulfill
requirements. Our new mentees are arriving
at CDL with either a large number of
transcript credits in the arts from previous
institutions, or extensive professional
expertise in an artistic field. Some students
are bringing both of these to the college,
and are ready to move immediately into
degree planning and undertake studies at
an advanced level. These students share
the common characteristic of having
previous studio training in an artistic genre,
sometimes at a very advanced level. They
find themselves at a place in their career
where they must either prepare for a career
transition or acquire new, advanced skills
and knowledge that will position them
favorably for future opportunities. Many
of these students are requesting new studies
in digital arts and media. Most of them
need to take these studies at an advanced
level, including a capstone course in their
concentration.
As an academic area coordinator at the
Center for Distance Learning, my role
includes being a mentor and supervising
adjunct instructors teaching sections of
the courses under my purview. One of
the difficulties encountered working with
instructors is that they have different levels
of skills and knowledge of emerging media
and technology. I recently participated in
a significant revision of a digital art and
design course, which included the addition
of ethical, legal, policy and social aspects of
digital design, as well as the incorporation of
social media as tools used by the students in
suny empire state college • all about mentoring • issue 39 • spring 2011