Nurturing critical consumers and producers of narrative media

Abstract

Purpose

Academic libraries have long housed multimedia centers filled with digital media production equipment and software. All too frequently faculty members and students alike have assumed that this technology is the key to effective digital media. It is assumed that because our “digital native” students are constantly immersed in media, they can create effective media instinctively. But, being a prolific consumer of media does not necessarily intuit the capacity to be an effective producer of media, and informed communication skills are of greater importance than a student’s software knowledge. This paper aims to describe partnering with faculty on media assignment design, providing a media instruction and consultation program, and providing spaces and technologies specifically designed to support multimedia literacy.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper outlines programmatic and pedagogical strategies demonstrated to improve students’ acquisition of multimedia literacy skills. These strategies are based on the authors’ years of experience teaching and supporting multimedia literacy in the university curriculum and beyond. It concludes with a case study detailing a new program that leverages a library’s services in support of student creativity.

Findings

The paper outlines an eight-step workflow for media projects that is core to our multimedia literacy instruction program.

Originality/value

With digital literacy garnering renewed attention in higher education, academic libraries are ramping up their services in support of these goals. This paper focuses on strategies for deepening students’ media production competencies, rather than just teaching them software skills.

Citation

Goforth, J., Metz, W.F. and Hammer, K. (2018), "Nurturing critical consumers and producers of narrative media", Reference Services Review, Vol. 46 No. 2, pp. 189-204. https://doi.org/10.1108/RSR-02-2018-0020