Toward Generative AI Literacy: Historical Perspectives on Media Literacy Education’s Response to Media Technologies

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Friday 1:45 pm
  In Roundtable Session: Curriculum in the Age of AI: Digital Mythopoetics, Media Literacies, and Futurisms

Abstract

This study examines the historical evolution of media literacy education in response to technological developments from the 1950s to the present generative AI era. Using historical analysis methodology, the research traces how media literacy education adapted to mass media (1950s-1960s), audiovisual technologies (1970s-1990s), digital and Internet technologies (1990s-early 2000s), social media (2010s), and now generative AI. The study reveals that each technological transition required fundamental shifts in educational paradigms, from protectionist approaches to participatory and critical engagement models. Findings demonstrate recurring patterns of adaptation that can inform current efforts to develop generative AI literacy frameworks, emphasizing the importance of critical thinking skills and cognitive autonomy in navigating increasingly complex media environments.

Author

• Xin Chen, University of British Columbia