Renee Hobbs

Renee Hobbs is a tenured Professor at the University of Rhode Island with expertise in media literacy, digital literacy, AI literacy, measurement of media literacy competencies, implementation practices in K-12 education, and global approaches to media literacy. She is the Founding Director of the Harrington School of Communication and Media and founder of Media Education Lab, Inc. Her research focuses on algorithmic personalization, propaganda education, persuasive genres, media and violent extremism, dialogue and discussion pedagogies, and community engagement for violence prevention.

She has an H-index of 56, i-10 index of 110, with 16,448 citations and is ranked #25 in Literacy by Scholar GPS.

Professor (Tenured) at University of Rhode Island (2012-01 – Present)

Tenured Professor at the Harrington School of Communication and Media with joint appointment in the School of Education. Responsible for teaching graduate and undergraduate courses across three departments: Communication Studies, Education, and Library and Information Studies.

• Co-Director, Graduate Certificate in Digital Literacy - responsible for program marketing, promotion, curriculum and instruction, including leading the annual Summer Institute in Digital Literacy and teaching a graduate course in digital authorship
• Founding Director, Harrington School of Communication and Media - led development of the new school consisting of 60 full-time faculty, 1,200 undergraduates and 300 graduate students in six departments or programs
• Interim Director, Graduate Program in Library and Information Studies - guided faculty through comprehensive curriculum renewal and reorganization approved by the State of Rhode Island and NEASC in 2014
• Courses taught include: Media Studies, Digital Literacy, Seminar in Digital Authorship, Media Research Methods, Information Competencies of Youth, Texts and E-Tools for Children, Mass Media and Children

Founder and Director at Media Education Lab, Inc (2003-09 – Present)

Founder and Director of Media Education Lab, Inc. Supervise research initiatives and manage a global team of 12 to coordinate programs in professional development, multimedia curriculum development, and research. Transitioned from sole proprietorship to public benefit corporation, chartered in Delaware, in 2023.

• Liaison with community organizations and national and international professional associations to share knowledge and coordinate action
• Offer research, program evaluation, and outreach services
• Professional development programs and conferences include the MediaEd Forum (formerly the Northeast Regional Media Literacy Conference) and the Summer Institute in Digital Literacy
• Acquired the Elizabeth Thoman Center for Media Literacy Archives and coordinated its move to Temple University Paley Library

Professor of Broadcasting, Telecommunication and Mass Media at Temple University (2003-09 – 2011-12)

Professor of Broadcasting, Telecommunication and Mass Media in the School of Communications and Theater. Director of Media Education Lab. Promoted to full professor in 2007.

• Taught courses including Communication Theory, Mass Media & Children, Graduate Research Methods, Youth Cultures, Mass Media and Society, Theory and Practice of Media Literacy, Field Experience in Youth Media, Media Literacy, Special Topics in Advanced Production
• Supervised independent studies in educational multimedia curriculum development and production and research on media, technology and urban youth
• Associate Professor (2003-2007)

Associate Professor of Communication at Babson College (1985-09 – 2003-08)

Associate Professor of Communication in the History & Society Division. Responsible for teaching approximately 200 students per academic year, 6 courses annually.

• Taught courses including Introduction to Media Studies, Mass Media I: Media and Society, Mass Media II: Understanding News Media, Communication Policy in the Information Age, Public Speaking, Human Communication, Communication Seminar
• Assistant Professor of Communication (1985-1992)
• Received tenure in 1992

Visiting Associate Professor of Education and Director of the Media Literacy Project at Clark University (1996-09 – 1997-06)

Visiting Associate Professor of Education and Director of the Media Literacy Project. Responsible for development and implementation of Summer Institute for Teachers.

• Developed and implemented Summer Institute for Teachers, 'Teaching the Humanities in a Media Age'
• Taught undergraduate course in Media Education

Lecturer on Education at Harvard University (1992-09 – 1994-06)

Lecturer on Education at Harvard Graduate School of Education. Director, Harvard Summer Institute on Media Education (2 summers).

• Responsible for teaching a graduate course in Evaluation of Educational Communication
• Developed a week-long summer program in media literacy education for 200 teachers

Ed.D. in Human Development – Harvard University

M.A. in Communication Studies – University of Michigan

B.A. in English Literature; Film/Video Studies – University of Michigan