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.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Mihailidis, P., Foster, B., Burth, S., Ramasubramanian, S., Tully, M., & Johnson, P. (2025). 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
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