This year’s “Teaching News Literacy in the Era of Hyper-Polarized Media” webinar brought together educators from various academic backgrounds, including teachers from K-12 and higher education, up to professors who teach doctoral candidates. The enthusiasm and engagement displayed by participants throughout the webinar were truly inspiring, making it an enriching experience for all involved.

The core objective of this annual series is to equip educators with media literacy tools that they can seamlessly integrate into their existing curriculum. We firmly believe that news literacy is an essential skill in today’s hyper-polarized media landscape, and by empowering educators, we can foster critical thinking and information discernment in the next generation.

One participant told us, “I loved how you took the time to present substantial content and show how it can be applied. You made this very do-able (given a very important skill that our learners need).” Another said, “I appreciated the demonstrations of how analysts evaluate written content, context, and visual components (photos, videos, graphics). This helps me teach my students how to use their critical thinking skills as we explore the nuanced complexities of media literacy.” 

Through interactive sessions and hands-on exercises with resources like our Topic of the Week, educators gained the confidence to create engaging media literacy lessons for their students. “I feel more comfortable evaluating media content for bias and reliability,” another teacher said. 

At the heart of this webinar was Ad Fontes Media’s Media Bias Chart®. I know through first-hand experience just how valuable this tool is for teaching media literacy. Throughout my 18-year tenure teaching communication courses at the college level, I had a passion for nurturing critical thinking skills in my students as consumers of information. 

I first discovered the Media Bias Chart when I stumbled upon it while seeking resources to show my students the nuances between persuasion and manipulation. I thought the chart was brilliant and contacted Vanessa Otero, Ad Fontes Media’s founder and CEO, to get permission to use it as a discussion tool in my classroom. At that time I had no idea that initial interaction would lead me to be here today — leading webinars on using the chart as a teaching tool, and educating fellow teachers on the value of the Media Bias Chart in classroom settings. 

In addition to teaching media literacy, I manage analysts at Ad Fontes rating news sources on reliability and bias, so it’s inspiring to see how valuable the Media Bias Chart has become to other educators as well. There was a lot of enthusiasm to incorporate this tool into their lesson plans. Seeing the various ways in which they plan to use the chart in their different subject areas is inspiring and reinforces my belief in the chart’s potential to cultivate critical thinking skills in students. 

Being a part of an organization with a mission like Ad Fontes Media’s has been a privilege. Even though I’m no longer in the classroom, the opportunity to lead this webinar has allowed me to continue impacting students in a positive way through their teachers. Empowering educators with the tools to foster critical thinking and nuanced discussions in their students resonates deeply with me. I am grateful for the chance to contribute to Ad Fontes Media’s mission of promoting media literacy and creating a more informed future electorate. 

As we wrap up this year’s “Teaching News Literacy in the Era of Hyper-Polarized Media” webinar, we extend our gratitude to all the participants for their enthusiasm and commitment to media literacy education. The passion displayed by educators in equipping their students with critical media literacy skills is truly commendable. We are united in this mission.

For those who couldn’t attend this year’s webinar, don’t worry: we’ll be back with even more innovative insights and resources. Together, let’s continue to inspire a new generation of informed and discerning media consumers.

Jennifer Furlong, Director of Communication & Analyst Manager, is a business owner, author, podcaster, and TEDx speaker/coach. She has 30 years of experience in the communication industry, 18 of them teaching in higher education. Jen is the President of Media Literacy Now, a Marine Corps veteran, and a first-generation college graduate with a B.A. and M.A. in Communication.