The Difference Between Knowledge and Action. A Qualitative Media Literacy Typology

• In Event: It’s All About the Process: Media Literacy in Digital Age: Motives – Mediation – Measurement

Abstract

For analyzing media literacy the difference between knowledge and practice is decisive. This study aims at showing when and how knowledge concerning digital literacy is acquired and when, how and if it is put into practice. We conducted 82 qualitative interviews with boys and girls between 10 and 19 years about their media literacy, developmental tasks and everyday life. A typology of their digital literacy shows how knowledge and practice are approaching over the time. We identified nine types of literacy, which go from limited action and knowledge (The Undemanding) over knowledge that is ignored (The Conformists) to young boys who show great evaluative skills and use the Internet restrictively (The Critics). The typology shows that their ability and willingness to put their knowledge into practice is widely influenced by the developmental tasks they are focusing and changes over time.

Authors

• Claudia Riesmeyer, LMU Munich

• Senta Pfaff-Ruediger, LMU Munich

• Anna Sophie Kuempel, LMU Munich