Page 338 - Štremfel, Urška, and Maša Vidmar (eds.). 2018. Early School Leaving: Contemporary European Perspectives. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut.
P. 338
ear ly school leaving: contempor ary european perspectives
By applying the five core questions of critical media literacy (Who
created this message?; What creative techniques are used to attract
my attention?; How might different people understand the same mes-
sage differently?; What lifestyles, values and points of view are rep-
resented in – or omitted from – this message?; Why is this message
being sent?), educators can teach critical thinking not only in the
area of media, but also in any kind of communication (Erjavec, 2010;
Kellner & Share, 2005; Thoman & Jolls, 2004). In such a way, edu-
cators can and should create an inclusive environment in which all
students feel welcome and safe to express their own views. Students
thus become empowered and gain strategies for how to transform
their educational process (Kellner & Share, 2007) and how to be-
come active citizens – active creators of their own lives and their so-
ciety (McInerney, 2009), which are all circumstances that reduce the
risk of ESL.
Key words: media literacy, critical thinking, critical pedagogy, ESL
Introduction
Many surveys show that low-achievers doubt that the education they are
receiving will have a positive impact on their lives (Bacolod & Hotz, 2006;
Duncan-Andrare & Morrell, 2008; Halx & Ortiz, 2011; Kincheloe, 2006),
which often serves as the basis for their disinterest in school and sometimes
even the decision to drop out of school and is especially common among
students from marginalised groups and students with low SES. Therefore, it
is evident that the need for a new, more student-sensitive, more student-fo-
cused and more relevant to students’ lives pedagogy is needed. Halx (2014)
argues that a new kind of pedagogy which proves to be successful among
marginalised and low-SES students and includes all of the previously stat-
ed characteristics is pedagogy developing critical thinking skills (i.e. crit-
ical pedagogy), which is most evident in critical media literacy’s curricu-
lum (Kanpol, 1994). By using contemporary media messages included in
music videos, movies, news etc., educators can relate and connect to stu-
dents’ lives, they can challenge students to critically think about the mes-
sages they are receiving and to actively internally and/or externally oppose
them (Kellner & Share, 2004, 2005, 2007; Masterman, 1994). Internally, by
changing their self-perception and thus improving their self-esteem and
consequently their motivation for learning. Externally, by showing their
feelings, thoughts, dilemmas to their peers, teachers, parents and other
338
By applying the five core questions of critical media literacy (Who
created this message?; What creative techniques are used to attract
my attention?; How might different people understand the same mes-
sage differently?; What lifestyles, values and points of view are rep-
resented in – or omitted from – this message?; Why is this message
being sent?), educators can teach critical thinking not only in the
area of media, but also in any kind of communication (Erjavec, 2010;
Kellner & Share, 2005; Thoman & Jolls, 2004). In such a way, edu-
cators can and should create an inclusive environment in which all
students feel welcome and safe to express their own views. Students
thus become empowered and gain strategies for how to transform
their educational process (Kellner & Share, 2007) and how to be-
come active citizens – active creators of their own lives and their so-
ciety (McInerney, 2009), which are all circumstances that reduce the
risk of ESL.
Key words: media literacy, critical thinking, critical pedagogy, ESL
Introduction
Many surveys show that low-achievers doubt that the education they are
receiving will have a positive impact on their lives (Bacolod & Hotz, 2006;
Duncan-Andrare & Morrell, 2008; Halx & Ortiz, 2011; Kincheloe, 2006),
which often serves as the basis for their disinterest in school and sometimes
even the decision to drop out of school and is especially common among
students from marginalised groups and students with low SES. Therefore, it
is evident that the need for a new, more student-sensitive, more student-fo-
cused and more relevant to students’ lives pedagogy is needed. Halx (2014)
argues that a new kind of pedagogy which proves to be successful among
marginalised and low-SES students and includes all of the previously stat-
ed characteristics is pedagogy developing critical thinking skills (i.e. crit-
ical pedagogy), which is most evident in critical media literacy’s curricu-
lum (Kanpol, 1994). By using contemporary media messages included in
music videos, movies, news etc., educators can relate and connect to stu-
dents’ lives, they can challenge students to critically think about the mes-
sages they are receiving and to actively internally and/or externally oppose
them (Kellner & Share, 2004, 2005, 2007; Masterman, 1994). Internally, by
changing their self-perception and thus improving their self-esteem and
consequently their motivation for learning. Externally, by showing their
feelings, thoughts, dilemmas to their peers, teachers, parents and other
338
