Page 341 - Štremfel, Urška, and Maša Vidmar (eds.). 2018. Early School Leaving: Contemporary European Perspectives. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut.
P. 341
critical media literacy: a new tool and pedagogy for tackling esl
issues of control and pleasure, while it promotes the production
of alternative media forms and consequently develops critical
thinking skills.
Critical media literacy and the development of critical
thinking
Critical media literacy’s curriculum is one of the most compatible curricu-
lums for teaching students critical thinking (Kanpol, 1994). Critical media
literacy encourages individuals to apply analytical tools to media practic-
es, promotes critical thinking by encouraging them to examine connec-
tions among media, self and others and to understand the issues of power
and the media’s role in identity shaping (Buckingham, 1998; Lewis & Jhally,
1998). Critical media literacy also provides a framework to understand me-
dia’s impact on shaping beliefs, attitudes and behaviours (Brown, 1998;
Kellner, 1995), sociocultural theories of learning and development (Garcia,
2005; Valenzuela, 2005) and critical pedagogy (Kincheloe, 2006). Critical
media literacy helps individuals to expand their concept of literacy and de-
velop higher order thinking skills (Hobbs, 1996; Kozma, 1991), which are
necessary for developing critical thinking, collaboration and self-direction
(Steinberg & Kincheloe, 1998; Dweck, 2000) and are directly related to stu-
dent achievement (Boske & McCormack, 2011).
Teachers, students and other individuals are often not aware of media’s
educational potential and how they shape our reality as its pedagogy is fre-
quently invisible and unconscious. Therefore, it is important to be aware of
how media construct messages, influence and educate audiences and im-
pose their messages and values (Kellner & Share, 2005).
To sum up, critical media literacy establishes a critique of mainstream
approaches to understanding media messages. Moreover, it is seen as a pro-
ject which is a tool of democratic social change. This process combines crit-
ical inquiry of the media culture and cultural industries, which discuss is-
sues of class, race, gender, sexuality and power. In addition, it promotes
the creation of alternative media messages which are opposing the domi-
nant hegemonic media (Kellner & Share, 2007). Marginalised individuals,
who are too often stereotyped or misinterpreted in the mainstream media
such as the poor, minorities, low-achievers, individuals with behavioural
and mental issues etc. who are at risk of ESL and even ESLers themselves
(Gunn, Chorney, & Poulsen, 2009), can use media and information tech-
nology through critical media pedagogy. Critical media pedagogy serves as
341
issues of control and pleasure, while it promotes the production
of alternative media forms and consequently develops critical
thinking skills.
Critical media literacy and the development of critical
thinking
Critical media literacy’s curriculum is one of the most compatible curricu-
lums for teaching students critical thinking (Kanpol, 1994). Critical media
literacy encourages individuals to apply analytical tools to media practic-
es, promotes critical thinking by encouraging them to examine connec-
tions among media, self and others and to understand the issues of power
and the media’s role in identity shaping (Buckingham, 1998; Lewis & Jhally,
1998). Critical media literacy also provides a framework to understand me-
dia’s impact on shaping beliefs, attitudes and behaviours (Brown, 1998;
Kellner, 1995), sociocultural theories of learning and development (Garcia,
2005; Valenzuela, 2005) and critical pedagogy (Kincheloe, 2006). Critical
media literacy helps individuals to expand their concept of literacy and de-
velop higher order thinking skills (Hobbs, 1996; Kozma, 1991), which are
necessary for developing critical thinking, collaboration and self-direction
(Steinberg & Kincheloe, 1998; Dweck, 2000) and are directly related to stu-
dent achievement (Boske & McCormack, 2011).
Teachers, students and other individuals are often not aware of media’s
educational potential and how they shape our reality as its pedagogy is fre-
quently invisible and unconscious. Therefore, it is important to be aware of
how media construct messages, influence and educate audiences and im-
pose their messages and values (Kellner & Share, 2005).
To sum up, critical media literacy establishes a critique of mainstream
approaches to understanding media messages. Moreover, it is seen as a pro-
ject which is a tool of democratic social change. This process combines crit-
ical inquiry of the media culture and cultural industries, which discuss is-
sues of class, race, gender, sexuality and power. In addition, it promotes
the creation of alternative media messages which are opposing the domi-
nant hegemonic media (Kellner & Share, 2007). Marginalised individuals,
who are too often stereotyped or misinterpreted in the mainstream media
such as the poor, minorities, low-achievers, individuals with behavioural
and mental issues etc. who are at risk of ESL and even ESLers themselves
(Gunn, Chorney, & Poulsen, 2009), can use media and information tech-
nology through critical media pedagogy. Critical media pedagogy serves as
341
