Abstract
The general purpose of this study was to test the effectiveness of a college course in media literacy. Specifically, the course took a holistic approach to media literacy and was designed to heighten college students' awareness of media structures, content, and impact, as well as to encourage students to become more critical/informed participants in the media environment. A pre-test, post-test, control group post-test only, quasi-experimental design was employed to assess the effectiveness of this approach to media literacy education. Overall, students' responses produced significant differences between the control group and the experimental groups' post-test scores on most (but not all) dependent measures. The implications of these results and suggestions for future research were discussed.
Notes
†Factor 1 = media economic structure, factor 2 = media activism strategies, factor 3 = media advocacy groups, factor 4 = involvement in media activism, factor 5 = media reform concerns.
†Factor 1 = media influences others, factor 2 = media influences self.
More information about this course, and a copy of the complete syllabus, as well as a list of assigned readings and details on course assignments are available from the authors.