The Past, Present, and Future of Media Literacy Education

Year

2009

Publisher

Journal of Media Literacy Education

DOI/Link

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Abstract

Media literacy education in the United States is actively focused on the instructional methods and pedagogy of
media literacy, integrating theoretical and critical frameworks rising from constructivist learning theory, media
studies and cultural studies scholarship. This work has arisen from a legacy of media and technology use in edu
cation throughout the 20th century and the emergence of cross-disciplinary work at the intersections of schol
arly work in media studies and education. Reflecting the emergence of a common ground for the field, the Core
Principles of Media Literacy Education in the United States was created by a team of scholars and practitioners
in 2007. This work reconciles the “protectionist” and “empowerment” wings of the media literacy education
community and attempts to counter various misunderstandings among non-specialists. Two issues are identified
for their potential to impact the future of the field: (1) media literacy’s relationship to the integration of educa
tional technology into the K-12 curriculum and (2) the relationship between media literacy education and the
humanities, arts, and sciences.

Keywords

Protectionist, Empowerment, Media Literacy, Pedagogy

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