Re-centering relation in media literacy practice

Author(s)/Creator(s)

• Paul Mihalidis, Emerson College
• Bobbie Foster, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
• Shannon Burth, Syracuse University
• Srivi Ramasubramanian, Syracuse UniversityFollow
• Melissa Tully, University of Iowa College of Law
• Patrick R. Johnson, Marquette University

ORCID

Srividya Ramasubramanian; 0000-0003-2140-8008

Document Type

Article

Date

2025

Keywords

media literacy, relationality, critical cultural studies, DEI, diversity, equity, social justice

Language

English

Disciplines

Communication | Communication Technology and New Media | Critical and Cultural Studies | Gender, Race, Sexuality, and Ethnicity in Communication | International and Intercultural Communication | Journalism Studies | Mass Communication | Social Media

Description/Abstract

As calls for media literacy in formal and informal learning spaces continue to grow, educators’ understanding of media literacies and their purposes remains complex. In 2021, the authors of this paper led a multi-methods research project on media literacy education in the United States, focusing on impact and equity. Findings showed that educators share a commitment to equity and justice but are unclear on how to incorporate them into their work. In response, our research team developed a field guide that maps out equitable media literacy practices for classrooms and communities. In this study, we detail the findings from 11 focus groups gathered from six different workshops. These focus groups were conducted with 35 secondary educators across three locations in the US. The findings of this research show that the participation gap has widened between educators and students, causing a range of new challenges for bringing media literacy education into the classroom. At the same time, our findings show a positive disposition to media literacy practices that focus on relation, empathy, and community engagement with and through creative media practices.

Recommended Citation

Mihailidis, P., Foster, B., Burth, S., Ramasubramanian, S., Tully, M. & Johnson, P. R. (2025). Re-centering relation in media literacy practice. Journal of Media Literacy Education. 17(1), 134-149. https://doi.org/10.23860/JMLE-2025-17-1-9

Source

submission

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.