The Creative Participation pedagogical approach to media literacy education

Abstract

Approaches to media literacy education have developed over time in response to cultural understandings and the development of new media digital technologies. One approach that extends on current Media Arts approaches to media literacy is the Creative Participation approach. Underpinning this approach is an emphasis on how young people work together to make meaning through the process of production. The Creative Participation approach draws on the theory of Communities of Practice (Wenger, 1998) and the concept of participatory culture (Jenkins, 2006) to support the assertion that young people, through shared practices, the generation of meaning through media artworks, and through their connection with each other, can develop media literacy through critical production-based practices. This study reports on the findings of three case studies where the teachers and students enacted the approach or where, at times, the approach could be strengthened to ensure a robust media literacy education for all students.