I-CARE™
An inquiry framework for navigating stories, media, and information with curiosity and care.
Navigate Stories, Media, and Information with Curiosity and Care.
We live in a world shaped by stories.
The headlines we read, the videos we share, the influencers we follow, the AI tools we use, and the conversations we have all shape how we understand ourselves and the world around us.
Media literacy is more than spotting misinformation or checking facts. It's about learning to ask better questions, seek multiple perspectives, and participate thoughtfully in digital communities.
That's why I developed I-CARE™—an inquiry framework that helps learners move from passive consumption to active engagement.
The I-CARE™ Framework
Identify
What am I looking at?
Who created this message? Who is the intended audience? What is the purpose?
Learning begins by slowing down and noticing.
Consider
What else do I need to think about?
What perspectives are represented? Which voices are missing? What assumptions am I bringing to this story?
Curiosity creates space for deeper understanding.
Analyze
How is meaning being constructed?
Explore language, images, algorithms, emotion, design, and storytelling techniques that influence how messages are received.
Critical thinking helps us see beyond the surface.
Engage
How will I respond?
Media literacy is not just about consuming information—it's about participating responsibly and creatively.
Engagement might mean asking a question, sharing a different perspective, creating your own story, advocating for change, or choosing not to amplify misinformation.
Because every interaction shapes our digital communities.
Research
What evidence exists?
Seek multiple sources. Verify claims. Explore context. Follow the information rather than the algorithm.
Research transforms information into understanding.
Why I-CARE™
I-CARE™ is grounded in the belief that media literacy is an act of curiosity, creativity, and civic participation.
Rather than teaching learners what to think, it invites them to explore questions, examine perspectives, and engage thoughtfully with the stories that shape our lives.
The framework is flexible enough to support elementary classrooms, secondary students, post-secondary learning, professional development, and community conversations while remaining rooted in inquiry and dialogue.
Media literacy isn't a checklist.
It's a practice.
It's the willingness to pause before we scroll, to ask questions before we share, to seek understanding before certainty, and to engage with one another with curiosity and care.
That's the heart of I-CARE™.
Bringing I-CARE™ into Practice
I-CARE™ can be integrated into:
K–12 classrooms
Professional learning for educators
Library programming
Community workshops
Youth leadership initiatives
Digital storytelling projects
AI and media literacy education
Research and knowledge mobilization
Every workshop is adapted to the learners, the context, and the questions that matter most.