Media Literacy Education - A discussion about Media education in the Western countries, Europe and Sweden

Abstract

Media Education is perhaps even more important today as more and more students have practical access to a variety of media both at home and in school. There is a need to develop new skills and competencies that allow users and consumers “information literate”. Media literacy has tended to focus on cultural expressions and has a critical dimension that information skills are lacking. Recently, however, information literacy has become increasingly linked to issues of democracy and active citizenship. In late 2000-century the concepts often migrate internationally and education for all media now subsumed under the name Media (Literacy) Education. The media and information literacy are increasingly linked to issues of democracy and participatory citizenship. Media and information literacy has come to the fore, and are fundamental parts of the work to achieve a media and information society capable of promoting a professional, sustainable society. The paper is written as a brief integrative literature review. The core aim is to find a common line in what goal with this education could be. The text describes what research, policy documents and various media organizations consider to be the core goals of Media Literacy education, and these goals are reported both in the running text and in different tables. The paper concludes with practical advices on the critical media education, and with suggestions for further research.