Stereotypes vs. Strategies for Digital Media Artists: The Case for Culturally Relevant Media Production

Abstract

Digital media arts programs continue to be added to school curricula throughout the United States. Education through digital media arts also occurs outside school settings. We need to ensure that educational digital media arts programs actively and consciously teach students to critique societal stereotypes and biases they encounter in their media training as well as in their own artwork. This article argues for the inclusion of pedagogical approaches that encourage critical thinking in digital media arts production spaces. In response to this need, culturally relevant media production is proposed as a set of criteria that media producers and instructors can use to create effective prosocial content for educational and/or entertainment purposes. The 3 criteria for culturally relevant media production are instructional methods and theories, culturally conscious content, and critical thinking skills support. These criteria and examples of existing forms of media that meet these criteria are explored in this article.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional Resources

1. Common Sense Media (www.commonsensemedia.org) helps families make smart media choices by offering independent, age-based educational ratings and reviews for movies, games, apps, TV shows, websites, books, and music. Educators and parents who sign up for their newsletter will receive updates about media that has been reviewed by the organization along with their recommendations on how to analyze and discuss them with kids. Digital media arts educators can visit the site to find examples of media that can be incorporated into their production class discussions and analyses.

2. The Joan Ganz Cooney Center (http://joanganzcooneycenter.org) is an independent research and innovation lab that conducts original research on emerging education technologies and collaborates with educators and media producers to put this research into action. Digital media arts educators can use their site as a resource repository for finding established instructional methods and theories as requested by the first criteria in Culturally Relevant Media Production guidelines.

3. Extra Credits (https://becausegamesmatter.com) is a weekly YouTube show that teaches viewers about various subjects, (e.g. video game production, history, politics, and mythology). Digital media arts educators can use this website as an example of educational video essays that utilize the same research methods that entertainment industries use to create successful media experiences.