Are We Speaking the Same Language? Assessing the State of Media Literacy in U.S. Higher Education

Abstract

Are We Speaking the Same Language? Assessing the State of Media Literacy in U.S. Higher Education surveys the reported existence of media literacy education in U.S. universities. Looking at two national surveys that investigated the existence of media literacy programs and/or courses in the academy, this paper shows how the term has been conceived in many different ways and across all academic departments. This has resulted in wide and varied adoptions of media literacy in U.S. higher education which, the paper argues, has caused vague and somewhat disparate understandings of what media literacy education is and how it functions in a university classroom. The paper concludes by asking three questions about post-secondary media literacy education: Should media literacy develop definitional parameters for the university? What differentiates media literacy from other media-related disciplines? What should media literacy look like in the university? and offers suggestions for future inquiry into post-secondary media literacy education that can enable dialog around media literacy frameworks for higher education.