Role of Art Education in Teaching Students Media Literacy?

In today's technological era, it is essential that kids become literate in digital media.  After reviewing the ibrain article, I believe the statements regarding a generation being skipped due to the technological revolution that is upon us.

MORE IMPORTANTLY, it is essential that we (as educators) stay up to speed on digital literacy.  It is quite simple to fall into the ordinary drab of the technology that is available to us today.  For instance, I teach Adobe Photoshop.  I am currently using a version of CS3 in my classroom.  After purchasing these liscences, I have learned EVERYTHING about CS3 in the last 3 years.  There is a version CS6 out on the market, and it does WAY more.  Students in my classroom today, are already passing me by in the sense that they are using CS5 & 6 at home, and are confused at the backwards technology of CS3.  Some Freshman students are coming to me only to have learned on CS5.  It is difficult to take them backwards.

I love Muddy's concept of a technological Boot Camp.  It forces both educators and students alike to explore what is out there, familiarize with it, and make an educated decision as to whether it would be a beneficial educational tool.  I am going to (with Muddy's permission of course), try and adopt a boot camp style training for my digitalites in class.  I think this will help me learn, as well as help them help me by deciding what "works" for the necessary literacy in an educational setting.