Digitalization amidst educational crises: A comparative study of the new media literacy (NML) levels of the Philippines and Myanmar

Abstract

While traditional media literacy (TML) facilitates outdated patterns of digital media response, new media literacy (NML) frames the adaptation of literacy to the ever-dynamic trend of media development. It then raises the cruciality of integrating NML concepts into national educational frameworks. The study aims to explore the case of Myanmar and the Philippines' NML capacity levels. Both countries have a digital media environment enveloped by information distortions mainly rooted in tumultuous political climates. The study leans to notions of educational crises in both countries as seen in terms of (1) sociopolitical contexts that lead to the irresponsive initiatives to improve individual criticality, (2) lack of emphasis on NML response, and (3) the implication of state and individual approaches against false information. Finally, the study presents a multifaceted response to educational paradigms derived from interpretive social-scientific approaches in seeing the critical issues concerning digital media use.