Media Detective Parent Night (MDPN) uses an original approach to incorporating parents into a school-based, media literacy, substance use prevention program through a minimal intervention format. The framework for this program has been informed by literature on media exposure, media-related cognitions, parental influence, and substance use. By inviting parents into the classroom, they learn with their children and are able to help reinforce their children’s media literacy skills at home.

This program is designed to be used as a one-time workshop that is hosted by one or more teachers who have taught Media Detective to their third through fifth grade students. MDPN can be used to provide students with an opportunity to share their new media literacy skills with their parents through completing interactive activities together. Students will also show the media advocacy projects created in class to their parents. Teachers can use the MDPN program to provide their students with structured activities designed to reinforce the media literacy skills taught in the Media Detective program and to motivate parents to get excited and involved in helping their children apply and practice media literacy skills at home and outside of school.