Abstract:

This paper discusses the development of the Minding Media video training library. Developed for use by teachers in the classroom, the video training library comprises a series of 8 interactive videos designed to engender in children critical media literacy skills. Employing gamification strategies, this resource is being developed in response to the demand for participatory media literacy curricula and the need to improve the digital competences of children.

Though digital skills have been a part of primary education curricula for the past number of years, the delivery of critical media literacy education in European primary schools is not homogenised. The amount of time afforded to critical Media Literacy Education (MLE) in primary school curriculum across Europe differs. Regardless, the need to enable children to apply critical thinking skills to the messages, signs, symbols and imagery they are exposed to via the media is recognised universally. Across Europe there is demand for dynamic media literacy curricula to facilitate the building of resilience to misinformation. The European Framework for the Digital Competence of Educators highlights the need to deliver pedagogy that focuses on “information and media literacy” and the ability to “compare and critically evaluate the credibility and reliability of information and its sources”. There is further demand from educators for media literacy support and resources for teaching critical media literacy in classrooms. It is challenging for teachers to stay abreast of new applications and stealth marketing techniques, and it cannot be assumed that teachers possess appropriate pedagogic strategies to engender critical media literacy in children.

The COVID19 pandemic has resulted in increased usage of digital media for all age cohorts in society. Children are one societal group who became adept in utilising digital technologies for education and communication. While Generation Alpha (those born after 2010) have become very accustomed to digital marketing content, this does not automatically equate to an understanding of the persuasive intent of messages. Children are vulnerable to the harms of the internet, and as they mature into teenagers they are still susceptible to the appeal of advertising and fake news. Although children’s persuasion knowledge inevitably increases as they mature, the nature and form of media messages also becomes more sophisticated, stealthy and covert, thus developing the requisite cognitive competences and defences in children remains challenging. There is a requirement for children to develop multiple media literacies, including advertising literacy, as multiple media literacies will empower children to critically evaluate media messages and make informed choices.

This educational resource is being developed as part of the Erasmus+ Minding Media project. The aim of the Minding Media project is to engender in children critical media literacy skills through the creation of digitised supplementary primary school media literacy teaching materials.

Keywords:

Children's media literacy, media literacy education, gamification, digitised educational resources.