Digital Media Literacy – Policy Contexts and Future Prospects

Brian O'Neill, Dublin Institute of Technology

Document Type Presentation

Presentation at ICT in Education 2009, Tipperary Institute, May 16, 2009.

Abstract

Across Europe and beyond, efforts are growing to promote digital media literacy among children and adults, and an increasingly prominent role is being given to the notion that media literacy is a precondition for full and effective participation in contemporary society (European Audiovisual Media Services Directive – AVMSD, Broadcasting Bill 2009 etc.). This presentation draws on research commissioned by the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland and published in 2009. Firstly, I present an overview of the key features of digital media literacy and locate it within current public policy, nationally and internationally. Secondly, I present some of the main findings from the qualitative study of media literacy from the BCI study. And thirdly, I look at possible models and future prospects for enhancing public awareness of digital media literacy.