[1] Hobbs holds a BA in English Literature and Film/Video Studies and an MA in Communication from the University of Michigan and an EdD from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
[5] In January 2012, she was appointed the Founding Director of the Harrington School of Communication and Media at the University of Rhode Island, a position she held until 2014, where she became the Co-Director of the URI Graduate Certificate in Digital Literacy program.
In 2003, she published the results of a quasi-experimental naturalistic field research comparing two New Hampshire public high schools, one of which had integrated Media/Communication into the year-long Grade 11 English class.
[21] Results showed that, compared to a matched control group, students receiving media literacy education improved the ability to critically analyze both advertising and news in print, video and audio formats.
[22] In another study, Hobbs found that students enrolled in a news media production program increased their intellectual curiosity, comfort in collaborating with peers and intent to be civically engaged.
[28] Hobbs also developed Powerful Voices for Kids, a university-school partnership that demonstrates the application of media literacy in urban elementary education.