The National Association for Media Literacy Education is a national membership organization dedicated to ensuring that media literacy is included in every child's education.
Our VISION
Media literacy is an essential life skill for the 21st century. As communication technologies transform society, they affect our understanding of ourselves, our communities, and our diverse culture. By applying literacy skills to media and technology messages, by learning to skillfully interpret, analyze, and create messages, media literacy empowers people to be both critical thinkers and creative producers of messages using image, language, and sound. NAMLE was formed to unite the media literacy field and lead the drive to include the teaching of media literacy in a wide range of educational settings.
Our MISSION
To expand and improve the practice of media literacy education in the United States.
- We define both education and media broadly. Education includes both formal and informal settings, classrooms and living rooms, in school and after school, anywhere that lifelong learners can be reached. Media includes computers, radio, video, television, and communication technologies that we haven't even dreamed of yet.
Our GOAL
To ensure that all people have the skills needed to critically analyze and create messages using the wide variety of communication tools now available.
Media literacy is a basic life skill for the 21st century. It is essential for a healthy democracy.
Our METHOD
NAMLE brings together a broad-based coalition of media literacy practitioners and advocates from diverse fields, professions, and perspectives in a national, non-profit membership organization to act as a key force in bringing high quality media literacy education to all students in the United States, their parents, teachers, health care providers, counselors, clergy, political representatives, and communities. Our membership includes K-12 teachers, academics, health care professionals, community activists and students.
We are committed to:
- including voices across the wide range of media literacy practices and perspectives
- supporting and practicing respectful, responsible, and productive dialogue
- not duplicating the work of others
- focusing our own work on the things we can do together as a national membership organization that we cannot accomplish as individuals
NAMLE serves as a resource for the field of media literacy education through our web site, monthly newsletter, biennial conference, caucus groups and other initiatives.