Cultivating Civic Engagement Through Critical Media Pedagogy: A Case Study

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

Abstract

Teenagers navigate complex literacies in their digital lives, yet today’s classrooms rely on pedagogies that leave students disengaged. Critical Media Pedagogy (CMP) helps students – especially marginalized populations – rewrite their world. This qualitative case study used CMP and Critical Consciousness theories to explore how students experienced their learning during a 2021 project. The study captured students’ retrospective reflections on their learning and examined how that learning impacted future thinking, learning, and actions. Findings reveal that 1) CMP fostered purposeful learning, 2) CMP provided opportunities for critical consciousness development, and 3) CMP prepared students for post-secondary education. This case contributes to an emerging body of research that seeks to understand the role and impact of media literacy in the 21st Century.

Author

• Anthony Voulgarides, Hunter College - CUNY