Constructing Possibilities for Critical Media Literacy Instruction: A Case Study

• In Event: Critical Media Pedagogies in Teacher Preparation and Practice

Abstract

The ability to critically engage with digital media texts is a crucial skill that 21st-century educators must foster. This paper presents a case study exploring how English language arts (ELA) students responded to a unit in which they engaged critically with conflicting media messages about a contentious environmental issue. The study draws on the integration of critical media literacy (CML) and the Apt-AIR framework of epistemic cognition, offering a fresh approach to unit design and analysis. Findings revealed that students' epistemic beliefs were multifaceted, influenced by diverse sources, and open to change. Teacher engagement with students' digital literacy played a crucial role in promoting transfer of CML skills. This research contributes valuable insights for exploring CML in ELA classrooms.

Author

• Benjamin N. Lathrop, Purdue University