Implementation of Ecomedia Literacy for Critical Pedagogy Classrooms in Lebanon

Abstract

Critical media literacy is advocated as an essential skill by multiple media scholars however, there is little work done on incorporating environmental education into media literacy. Though media literacy is a necessary skill to obtain in all disciplinary fields, there should be consideration of how media frame and cover environmental issues, how media affect attitudes towards the environment, and how technology production and consumption practices are physically unsustainable for the environment. Drawing on critical pedagogy, environmental communication, and critical media literacy, this study researched, developed and assessed a curriculum in order to implement ecomedia literacy through a critical pedagogy approach in Lebanon. This thesis uses a mixed method research-creation approach to research and develop two case studies from Lebanon to prepare an ecomedia literacy curriculum, which was then be piloted to students to assess the developed curriculum and online learning platform. The developed curriculum facilitates learning about ecomedia literacy by using the case studies, lesson plans, and the online learning platform. Data assessing the curriculum was obtained through qualitative pre-and post-surveys that were analyzed to evaluate the usefulness, applicability, and relevance of the curriculum. This thesis contributed to ecomedia literacy scholarship, teaching practices, and media education policies.