COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY 3104
Topic/Concept: Human Rights and Communications
Outcomes:
- To foster an awareness how human rights can be promoted through communications technology
- To create awareness and sensitivity among the course participants concerning human rights issues.
Curriculum Connections:
The Communications Technology course is a technical one and it is therefore difficult to infuse articles and exercises into the curriculum. More appropriate is to create an awareness of human rights through practical applications. The connection is through skill development involving the evaluation, retrieval, and dissemination of human rights information.
Strategies:
The following activities are recommended as part of the different course outcomes.
- review advertising in popular publications to determine stereotyping based on such factors as gender, minorities, and persons with disabilities.
- investigate the use of symbols in promoting intolerance. A study of Second World War film footage may be appropriate.
- review human rights promotion videos such as the "the Right To Be You" or "Hearts of Hate" to determine the most appropriate means of educating one's peers about the need to foster tolerance. The National Film Board has various films and videos that are appropriate for this activity.
- Review the Internet for:
- Human Rights documents
- peacekeeping information
- human rights links such as Amnesty International, Artists Against Racism, etc.
- search for newspaper articles on current human rights topics (Globe and Mail, etc.)
- respond to government requests for public input such as Department of Foreign Affairs.
Implications for Teaching/Learning:
Teachers can make a conscious decision to access human rights themes/material while acquiring competencies for themselves and their students in communications technology.
Modern communications technology can greatly assist global understanding of human rights issues and specific areas.
An awareness that communications can be abused by hate groups.