Cultivating Courage, Creativity, and Critical Thinking: Professional Development in Media Literacy to Address Violent Extremism

• In Event: From Dashboards to Dialogues: Reimagining Teacher Preparation through AI, Media Literacy, and Transnational Partnerships

Abstract

In an age of political polarization and algorithm-driven disinformation, educators face growing challenges in fostering democratic values, empathy, and civic resilience. This mixed-method longitudinal case study explores how a 10-hour professional development (PD) program helped 54 middle school, high school, and college educators gain the confidence to use media literacy (ML) instructional practices to address violent extremism, disinformation, and political polarization. Findings from three waves of data collection show significant increases in educator confidence and implementation, continuing nine months after the program’s conclusion. This study offers evidence that intentional, dialogue-rich, and creative PD grounded in social-emotional learning and civic engagement can cultivate teacher agency and reimagine the role of education in preventing violence and nurturing democratic resilience.

Authors

• Renee Hobbs, University of Rhode Island

• JOHN Palella, Brown University

• Kent Lenci, Middle Ground School Solutions