Media Education as Theoretical and Practical Paradigm for Digital Literacy: An Interdisciplinary Analysis

TL;DR

This paper advocates for media education as a comprehensive pedagogical approach to foster digital literacy, emphasizing its theoretical foundations and practical applications in a society influenced by techno-media convergence and socio-political dynamics.

Contribution

It provides an interdisciplinary analysis of media education as a paradigm essential for developing democratic, critical, and socially responsible digital literacy skills.

Findings

Media education integrates pedagogical theories for digital literacy development.

Understanding techno-media languages is crucial for authentic digital literacy.

Media education promotes democratic values and societal growth.

Abstract

In this article we offer an analysis of the practical and theoretical paradigm of media education as a fundamental pedagogical model for the adequate development of the current methods of digital literacy. In a society dominated by the flow of information and communicative processes - in which digitalization has led to techno-media convergence, the complete uniting of ICT novelties and traditional media - it is essential to use all the vast experience of basic principles, pedagogical theories and practice which this educational paradigm has offered during decades. The current techno-media society is not an altruistic system; the communicative processes continue to be dominated by economic, political and social elites whose main interest is to influence and control the population. In this context -conceiving education as the only way to achieve the full and democratic development of our society, for its growth in values and solidarity - an analysis of reality starting in school is essential by forming a citizenship conscious of the power and influence of the ICT and its true meaning in the world. An authentic digital literacy should include the correct understanding of the new techno-media languages, and cannot simply be reduced to a formation of a technical and instrumental kind.