From the Classroom to the Conference: Harrisburg Academy Educator Shares Innovative Approach to Media Literacy

At Harrisburg Academy, learning extends far beyond the classroom—and sometimes, the lessons developed within our walls become part of a much larger conversation about education.

On October 22, Harrisburg Academy English Department Chair Pete Frengel, M.A., M.Ed., presented research at the Pennsylvania Association of Colleges and Teacher Educators (PAC-TE) conference in Harrisburg, sharing an innovative approach to teaching media literacy and helping students navigate today's increasingly complex information landscape.

His presentation highlighted research from “Using Alternate Framing to Teach Current Events: A Nonpartisan Classroom Practice,” a paper he is co-authoring with Dr. Yun-chen Yen, a Penn State professor whose professional learning workshops with Academy faculty helped inspire the classroom work behind the research. Those workshops were offered in partnership with Penn State's Hammel Family Human Rights Initiative.

In a world where news, social media, artificial intelligence, and competing perspectives shape how information is presented and consumed, the ability to think critically has never been more important.

That understanding is at the heart of Mr. Frengel's media literacy unit in IB Language and Literature.

Using an approach called alternate framing, students examine how the same event can be presented through dramatically different narratives depending on the source. They analyze the language, images, perspectives, and editorial decisions that influence how audiences understand a story.

Rather than directing students toward a particular conclusion, the approach encourages them to question how information is constructed, recognize potential bias, and develop their own informed perspectives.

The project began with students building a shared understanding of the modern news media ecosystem, exploring concepts such as selection, omission, and framing bias.

Working in research teams, students then selected and analyzed three major news events unfolding in real time during the previous school year: the federal government shutdown, the demolition of the White House East Wing for a new ballroom, and the killing of Charlie Kirk.

Each team examined coverage across eight different media sectors, including mainstream and international news organizations, partisan outlets, Reddit, social media, and AI-generated content.

Their research revealed how different sources could present the same underlying facts while emphasizing entirely different aspects of a story.

The unit culminated in students creating educational brochures and posters for their peers in grades 6 through 12, along with a presentation to the student body about responsible media consumption.

The impact of the project extended beyond the classroom in February 2026, when WITF's The Spark featured Mr. Frengel and two Academy students in a conversation about media literacy.

Ava Rooney '27 and James Lang '27, now seniors, joined Mr. Frengel to discuss their research and the discoveries they made while examining how news and information are presented across different platforms.

Ava discussed how bias can appear even in reporting that seems entirely factual, particularly through the information a writer chooses to include or omit.

James explored how political conversations unfold in gaming communities and Reddit forums, where information is often presented through informal, conversational exchanges rather than traditional reporting.

Their observations highlighted the importance of looking beyond headlines and considering not only what information is presented, but how and why it is communicated.

During the interview, Mr. Frengel described today's news environment as a "multi-headed creature," reflecting the many platforms, technologies, and perspectives that influence how people receive information.

Mr. Frengel's presentation at PAC-TE represents another opportunity to share the innovative teaching and learning taking place at Harrisburg Academy with educators beyond our campus.

The research, developed in collaboration with Dr. Yen, explores how alternate framing can provide a practical, nonpartisan approach to teaching controversial current events while strengthening students' critical thinking and analytical skills.

The two educators are currently completing their paper for publication.

For Harrisburg Academy, this work reflects a fundamental part of the International Baccalaureate educational philosophy: encouraging students to become thoughtful, informed, open-minded learners who can evaluate multiple perspectives and engage meaningfully with the world around them.

By empowering students to ask better questions, challenge assumptions, and examine information with curiosity and confidence, educators like Mr. Frengel are helping prepare the next generation to navigate an increasingly interconnected and complex world.

And as this classroom project demonstrates, the learning taking place at Harrisburg Academy has the potential to inspire important conversations far beyond our campus.