Holistic Media Education: An Assessment of the Effectiveness of a College Course in Media Literacy

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.

Keywords:

• Holistic Media Education
• Media Literacy
• Media Literacy Scale

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.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Robert L. Duran

Robert L. Duran (PhD, Bowling Green State University, 1981) is a professor in the School of Communication at the University of Hartford, West Hartford, Connecticut.

Bill Yousman

Bill Yousman (PhD, University of Massachusetts, 2003) is an assistant professor at Central Connecticut State University.

Kaitlin M. Walsh

Kaitlin M. Walsh (MA, University of Hartford, 2004; MSt., Oxford University, 2006) is a doctoral candidate at St. Catherine's College, Oxford University.

Melanie A. Longshore

Melanie A. Longshore is a graduate student in the School of Communication at the University of Hartford.