Meet Jodi
Jodi Hwang teaches Digital Communications CTE classes — Journalism One and Yearbook Publication Design — at Los Altos High School. She previously taught tenth grade World Literature classes in the English department. As a teacher, she finds ways to innovate with media literacy in the classroom through KQED Teach courses and as a PBS certified media literacy educator. Her favorite media projects with students have included identity podcasts and research-based infographics. Prior to her teaching career, she was the editor in chief of Urban Family, an expat family magazine in Shanghai, China, as well as a web show producer and reference coordinator at a cable news channel in New York City. Jodi is currently a graduate student at the San Jose State University School of Information and holds an M.A. in Media Ecology from New York University and B.A in Communication from DePauw University, where she was also a Media Fellow.
Teaching Philosophy
“People will come to adore the technologies that undo their capacities to think.” ― Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business
As a student of Neil Postman's Media Ecology graduate program at NYU, I began to fully understand media studies as an academic discipline. While I have always been a maker of media, learning to analyze it was empowering because it is only then that one can control or change the narrative. Instead of being a passive consumer of media, my goal is to teach how to actively engage with media messages. I do this by using the National Association of Media Literacy framework to teach students how to "access, analyze, evaluate, create, and act in all forms of communication."
I also created this infographic using the Media Literacy Key Questions from the Center for Media Literacy as a guide for my students.
Featured Teaching Work
Presentations
Through my academic and professional background, my goal as an aspiring librarian and information literacy scholar is to make media literacy a priority in schools. As part of this work I have spoken at conferences to share ways teachers can incorporate media analysis and creation through podcasting and social media.
National Media Education Conference Speaker | Seoul, Korea | 2024
Journalism Education Association California Teach-In Presenter at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo | 2023
National Association of Media Literacy Education (NAMLE) Conference Presenter 2022
MLIS Research Projects
Exploratory Research Project on Algorithmic Search Bias for INFO 202 Information Retrieval System Design
After being given time to further explore a topic which was introduced in the course, I chose to look at how algorithms affect web searching and the bias in search results. In terms of information retrieval for the students I teach, algorithmic search bias will limit their search results. Learning how to recognize this and use terms to avoid this kind of bias in search is an essential skill for students.
Info 200 Information Communities Teens & Tech Research Infographic
Gathering the extensive sources used to better understand teen information behaviors and needs throughout the course, research was synthesized and presented in this infographic using Adobe Express. Because I am a high school teacher and I want to continue working with teens as a librarian, this research has informed my practice, particularly the ways teens are getting health information. After making this I used a lesson on health misinformation from The News Literacy Project with my students.
Approach to AI
As AI continues to evolve and the scope of my work as an academic and teacher is transformed, I approach AI with the same curiosity as I have with all forms of media and have explored various AI platforms to learn. My goal is to use critical thinking skills to evaluate AI outputs, verify information, and recognize potential biases while maintaining healthy skepticism about AI capabilities. In using and exploring AI, I am also learning responsible AI collaboration through effective prompt engineering, understanding limitations, and using AI as a thinking partner that enhances rather than replaces my human judgment. I'm also staying informed about ethical implications, privacy considerations, and societal impacts of AI technologies and adapting my practices as the field evolves.
In addition, through my work as a KQED Media Literacy Innovator, I provided feedback in the development of these GenAI guidelines for student media projects.
I also completed a course on AI and Student Voice through KQED Teach.
As part of my AI exploration, I have used Adobe Firefly to generate images for projects and teaching. Adobe is committed to responsible AI image generation compared to other platforms and I am comfortable introducing it to my students to explore and enhance their work.
Photography
When I am not teaching or studying, I can often be found with a camera. I picked up my first Nikon manual camera in high school and began shooting sports and school news for my local newspaper. Photography is my passion and I especially enjoy street photography after living in New York City, Beijing, and Shanghai. I also collect old cameras and still enjoy shooting on film. I recently purchased a new Nikon Z mirrorless camera, which has a retro look and reminds me of when I first started shooting.
My photography has also been recognized in the Journalism Education Association Adviser fall 2025 contest with the top Superior rating for this photo.
Below are some of my photos from a recent trip to Taiwan.
This self-portrait captures so much of my identity as a photographer, media maker, and an outsider in a culture where I lived and now have family.
Let's connect! Find me on LinkedIn.
Credits:
Created with images by stock mp - "Close up of mobile phone between various books" • Kiattisak - "Man touching virtual book online classroom education and seminar with learning icon." • patpitchaya - "Searching Information From the Books" • tadamichi - "Generative AI artificial intelligence generate text document and abstract papers. Man touching AI icon on electronic circuit board."