The National Association for Media Literacy Education (NAMLE) announced an international research initiative to assess the current state of media literacy education in the United States and Australia. The field of media literacy began in the late 1960’s, and changes in technology, social media, media industries, and global communication have brought attention and focus to the need for media literacy education today. Media literacy, the ability to access, analyze, evaluate and create using all forms of communication, is widely acknowledged as a necessary skill for full participation in civic life. 

Read the full press release here.

This project seeks to build a common framework for identifying and measuring impactful media literacy practice in the United States. The research will use an “ecosystem approach” comprised of the following three actions:

• Conduct a systematic literature review and meta-analysis of media literacy research in the United States.
• Identify common practices and means of assessment and map them across different educational settings.
• Create an evaluation tool that helps media literacy educators identify and report on the impact of their work.

The US research team will be led by Dr. Paul Mihailidis, associate professor and graduate program director of media design, Emerson College. US research associates are Dr. Melissa Tully, associate professor, School of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of Iowa, Dr. Srivi Ramasubramanian, Presidential Impact Fellow and professor of Communication, Texas A&M University, and research manager, Bobbie Foster Bhusari, PhD candidate at the University of Maryland, Phillip Merrill College of Journalism.

This project seeks to address information gaps relating to the media literacy values, practices and needs of Australian citizens. It will build on recent research by the Investigators which focused on young Australians and media literacy, to ask questions about media literacy in the broader society.

The research will be comprised of the following four actions:

• Conduct Australia’s first nationally representative media literacy survey.
• Hold a National Media Literacy Research Symposium.
• Improve understanding of the specific media literacy needs and experiences of groups with specific media needs.
• Co-design of a national media literacy framework and strategy.

The Australia research team will be led by Dr. Tanya Notley, senior lecturer, School of Humanities and Communication Arts and Institute for Culture and Society, Western Sydney University. Australia research associates are Dr. Michael Dezuanni, associate professor and associate director, Digital Media Research Centre, Queensland University of Technology, and Dr. Sora Park, associate professor and associate dean, faculty of Arts & Design, University of Canberra, and research associate, Simon Chambers, also from Western Sydney University.