Model
Digital Document
Publisher
Florida Atlantic University
Description
Ubiquitous media communications technology necessitates democratic and
critical media literacy education for developing an active 21st century polity. This study
analyzed the context of democratic and critical media competencies in national
curriculum standards across Australia, England, and the United States. This, based on
Lefebvre’s (1991) conception of conceived space, where standards operate as manifest
educational policy and as a basis for establishing good practice.
The study employed a multi-theoretical approach to textual analysis, within
Bereday’s (1964) comparative structure of inquiry. A critical policy lens supported the
contextualization of ideological influences that frame democratic and critical media
literacies in standards, per Bay-Cheng, Fitz, Alizaga, and Zucker’s (2015) neoliberal
subscales. A purposive sample of civics and citizenship, English/English language arts,
and media arts/studies was employed. Differences across three main indicators were
identified: socio-cultural and youth-based concerns, personal growth via media production and other skills development, and reasoning and communication skills
improvement. The neoliberal influences on curricular standards were subsequently
explored across three emerging themes: identity politics, problem-based and critical
inquiry experiences, and the inclusion of digital new media in curriculum inquiry.
Though recognized in the countries’ standards as multifaceted and complex, each
obfuscates identity in some way. Both England and the United States inadequately
confront race, class, gender, socio-economic status, cultural commodification, and youthbased
issues. Though not overtly neoliberal, the Australian standards present identity
hegemonically.
The role of media is somewhat siloed from the curriculum’s conceptions of
identity and active citizenship across all three countries. The English standards are least
adept at developing learners’ understandings of the influence of media on identity
development, whereas both England and the United States over-emphasize text to the
neglect of new media understandings. An apolitical view of media literacy, accompanied
by techno-economic terminology, is pervasive in U.S. standards.
Despite a counter-critical approach to the framing of its curriculum priorities,
Australia presents the most balanced view of democratic/critical media citizenship.
England’s standards reflect neoliberal-communitarian citizenship and largely neglect
critical questioning. Whereas the United States takes a similarly cosmopolitan view of
citizenship to Australia and England, the standards fail to comprehensively explore the
links between digital democracy and political engagement.
critical media literacy education for developing an active 21st century polity. This study
analyzed the context of democratic and critical media competencies in national
curriculum standards across Australia, England, and the United States. This, based on
Lefebvre’s (1991) conception of conceived space, where standards operate as manifest
educational policy and as a basis for establishing good practice.
The study employed a multi-theoretical approach to textual analysis, within
Bereday’s (1964) comparative structure of inquiry. A critical policy lens supported the
contextualization of ideological influences that frame democratic and critical media
literacies in standards, per Bay-Cheng, Fitz, Alizaga, and Zucker’s (2015) neoliberal
subscales. A purposive sample of civics and citizenship, English/English language arts,
and media arts/studies was employed. Differences across three main indicators were
identified: socio-cultural and youth-based concerns, personal growth via media production and other skills development, and reasoning and communication skills
improvement. The neoliberal influences on curricular standards were subsequently
explored across three emerging themes: identity politics, problem-based and critical
inquiry experiences, and the inclusion of digital new media in curriculum inquiry.
Though recognized in the countries’ standards as multifaceted and complex, each
obfuscates identity in some way. Both England and the United States inadequately
confront race, class, gender, socio-economic status, cultural commodification, and youthbased
issues. Though not overtly neoliberal, the Australian standards present identity
hegemonically.
The role of media is somewhat siloed from the curriculum’s conceptions of
identity and active citizenship across all three countries. The English standards are least
adept at developing learners’ understandings of the influence of media on identity
development, whereas both England and the United States over-emphasize text to the
neglect of new media understandings. An apolitical view of media literacy, accompanied
by techno-economic terminology, is pervasive in U.S. standards.
Despite a counter-critical approach to the framing of its curriculum priorities,
Australia presents the most balanced view of democratic/critical media citizenship.
England’s standards reflect neoliberal-communitarian citizenship and largely neglect
critical questioning. Whereas the United States takes a similarly cosmopolitan view of
citizenship to Australia and England, the standards fail to comprehensively explore the
links between digital democracy and political engagement.
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