Being a wise consumer

I think it is important for people to understand and share some concepts discussed in EDUC class today by Robert Nellis:

- BE cautious of what is reported in the popular media
- AVOID making conclusions about individual needs based on group research
- RECOGNIZE how easy it is to overgeneralize about a small sample
- UNDERSTAND that a single study is not the defining word
- ALWAYS consider the source of information and its credibility


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(Robert Nellis 2011)

Why I think that it is important for us to recognize and understand these concepts? Because the media has become such a huge part of our lives. We use it for entertainment, and learning. Unfortunately, not all media is as credible as it may have been in the past, which may be ok if your just using it for the entertainment factor.

When we begin to use it as a learning tool it is important to use credible sights to pass along information. As a student I have learned that such projects like essays need to be support by scholarly articles, not just an article written by Joe Blow unfortunately.

I also think it is great as a teacher to get students analyzing information that is being fed to them by media. Sometimes what is being push at them is one sided, so the questions they ask about hearing both sides of the debate the more informed the will be, which is a great skill for life.