National Media Education Week

The Canadian Teachers' Federation (CTF) and the Media Awareness Network (MNet) are launching the first-ever National Media Education Week, November 19–24, 2006. The primary goal of the week is to emphasize the importance, in the Information Age, of ensuring that children acquire media and web literacy skills.

In the weeks leading up to National Media Education Week, CTF will work with the Canadian Association of Media Education Organizations, the Association for Media Literacy, Concerned Children's Advertisers, provincial teachers' associations and a number of education and community groups to profile media education.

CTF is encouraging stakeholders to mark this occasion by developing media education programs and by creating professional development opportunities. Here are some ideas:

• provincial media education organization could host panel discussions or workshops
• educators could involve students in awareness-raising activities
• public health organizations could conduct workshops on tobacco- and alcohol-related advertising
• human rights groups could deliver presentations on making the media aware of their concerns
• companies could sponsor information sessions for employees and members of the community
• school boards and teacher associations could facilitate workshops for teachers
• libraries and parent councils could promote parent workshops on internet literacy and on managing media in the home

CTF has created a special portal  to announce upcoming events and present links to a wide range of media education resources.

For more information, contact:

• Cathy Wing, Acting Director of Education, MNet (phone: 613-224-7721, ext. 227)
• Francine Filion, Director of Communications, CTF (phone: 613-232-1505, ext. 130)