Preservice Elementary Teachers’ Entertainment-oriented Media Literacy and Critical Literacy Skills for Internet

Abstract

This study explores the relationship between entertainment-oriented media literacy and critical literacy skills for internet among preservice elementary teachers, considering demographic factors. Using a relational survey model, data was collected from 355 preservice teachers across three universities during 2023-2024 academic year. Findings indicate high levels of both literacy types, with a weak positive correlation between them. Female students demonstrated higher entertainment-oriented media literacy, while critical literacy skills showed no gender difference. Fourth-year students and those with media literacy course experience exhibited enhanced skills in both areas. Students producing content and those using the internet for education and shopping displayed higher entertainment-oriented media literacy. Additionally, students who used the internet for news and information had higher critical literacy. Frequent entertainment media users also exhibited stronger media literacy skills. Results suggest that media literacy courses contribute to improved critical evaluation of media content, though room for growth remains. The study highlights the significance of media literacy education in teacher preparation programs and recommends targeted interventions to further develop critical literacy skills related to media and Internet use among future educators.

Keywords

• critical literacy
• entertainment
• media literacy
• internet
• preservice teachers

Öğretmen Adaylarının Eğlence Odaklı Medya Okuryazarlığı ve İnternet İçin Eleştirel Okuryazarlık Becerileri

Öz

Bu çalışma, sınıf öğretmen adaylarının eğlence odaklı medya okuryazarlığı ile internet için eleştirel okuryazarlık becerileri arasındaki ilişkiyi demografik faktörleri de göz önünde bulundurarak incelemektedir. İlişkisel tarama modeli kullanılarak, 2023-2024 döneminde üç farklı üniversitedeki 355 öğretmen adayından veri toplanmıştır. Bulgular, her iki okuryazarlık türünün de yüksek düzeyde olduğunu ve aralarında zayıf düzeyde pozitif bir korelasyon bulunduğunu göstermektedir. Kadın öğrenciler daha yüksek düzeyde eğlence odaklı medya okuryazarlığı becerisi gösterirken, eleştirel okuryazarlık becerilerinde cinsiyet farkı görülmemiştir. Dördüncü sınıf öğrencileri ve medya okuryazarlığı dersi almış olanlar her iki alanda da gelişmiş beceriler sergilemiştir. İçerik üreten ve interneti eğitim ve alışveriş için kullanan öğrenciler daha yüksek eğlence odaklı medya okuryazarlığı göstermiştir. Ayrıca, haber ve bilgi için internet kullanan öğrencilerin eleştirel okuryazarlığı daha yüksektir. Medyayı eğlenceye yönelik daha sık kullananlar ise yüksek medya okuryazarlığı becerilerine sahiptir. Sonuçlar, medya okuryazarlığı derslerinin medya içeriğinin eleştirel değerlendirilmesine katkıda bulunduğunu, ancak gelişim için hala alan olduğunu göstermektedir. Çalışma, öğretmen yetiştirme programlarında medya okuryazarlığı eğitiminin önemini vurgulamakta ve geleceğin öğretmenlerini yetiştirmek adına eğlence amaçlı medya ve internet kullanımıyla ilgili eleştirel okuryazarlık becerilerini daha da geliştirecek müdahaleler önermektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• eleştirel okuryazarlık
• eğlence
• internet
• medya okuryazarlığı
• sınıf öğretmen adayı

References

1. Abbott J. (2013). Introduction: Assessing the social and political impact of the internet and new social media in Asia. Journal of Contemporary Asia, 43(4), 579–590. https://doi.org/10.1080/00472336.2013.785698
2. Anderson, M., & Jiang, J. (2018). Teens, social media & technology 2018. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2018/05/31/teens-social-media-technology-2018/
3. Arğın, E. (2021). Algı, sosyal algı ve algı yönetiminin sosyal medyada kullanımı [Perception, social perception, and the use of perception management in social media]. İksad Yayınevi.
4. Aslan, N., & Tuncer-Basel, A. (2017). Media literacy levels of students in education faculty (Izmir sample). Kastamonu Education Journal, 25(3), 1218-1237.
5. Ata, R., & Yıldırım, K. (2016). The use of internet and social media of pre-service teachers in the context of media literacy course. Ahi Evran University Journal of Kırşehir Faculty of Education (KEFAD), 17(2), 581-602.
6. Atmaca, Ç. (2016). Effects of media literacy course on prospective teachers. Ege Journal of Education,17(2), 442-480. https://doi.org/10.12984/egeefd.280753
7. Baltacı, A. (2018). A conceptual review of sampling methods and sample size problems in qualitative research. Bitlis Eren University Journal of Social Sciences, 7(1), 231-274.
8. Bedir, A. (2016). The effect of using social media on collage academic success and attitude [Unpublished master's thesis]. Erzurum Atatürk University.

9. Bircan, A. (2022). Investigation of information and technology literacy levels in determining teachers’ critical literacy levels for the internet [Unpublished master’s thesis]. Necmettin Erbakan University.
10. Boyd, D. M., & Ellison, N. B. (2007). Social network sites: Definition, history, and scholarship. Journal of computer‐mediated Communication, 13(1), 210-230.
11. Buckingham, D. (2003). Media Education: Literacy, Learning and Contemporary Culture. Cambridge.
12. Buckingham, D. (2015). Defining digital literacy—what do young people need to know about digital media? Nordic Journal of Digital Literacy, 10, 21-35. https://doi.org/10.18261/ISSN1891-943X-2015-Jubileumsnummer-03
13. Burnett, C., & Merchant, G. (2019). Revisiting critical literacy in the digital age. The Reading Teacher, 73(3), 263-266. https://doi.org/10.1002/trtr.1858
14. Currie, D. H., & Kelly, D. M. (2021). Critical social literacy: Media engagement as an exercise of power. Review of Education, Pedagogy, and Cultural Studies, 44(5), 406–446. https://doi.org/10.1080/10714413.2021.1941551
15. Çepni, O., Palaz, T., & Ablak, S. (2015). Examining prospective social sciences teachers’ level of media and television literacy according to different variables. Turkish Studies, 10(11), 431-446.
16. Çiftçi, H. (2019). The comparison of the university students’ critical literacy level for Internet. Journal of Erciyes Communication, 6(2), 1341-1358. https://doi.org/10.17680/erciyesiletisim.501027
17. Dal, S., & Aktay, S. (2015). Development of critical literacy skills for Internet scale. Journal of Academic Studies, 17(67),185-199.
18. De Abreu, B. S. (2019). Teaching media literacy. American Library Association.
19. Erdem, E. (2010). Electronic media and social networking sites as a new media [Unpublished master's thesis]. Istanbul University.
20. Erol, G., & Hassan, A. (2014). Using of social media of young people and effects of using social media on holiday preferences. The Journal of International Social Research, 7(31), 804-812.
21. George, D., & Mallery, P. (2021). IBM SPSS statistics 27 step by step: A simple guide and reference (17th ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003205333
22. Ghasemi A., & Zahediasl, S. (2012). Normality tests for statistical analysis: A guide for non-statisticians. International Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism, 10(2), 486-489.
23. Gutiérrez-Ángel, N., Sánchez-García, J-N., Mercader-Rubio, I., García-Martín, J. & Brito-Costa, S. (2022). Digital literacy in the university setting: A literature review of empirical studies between 2010 and 2021. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 896800. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.896800
24. Güney, B. (2018). Investigation of social media attitudes of social studies teacher candidates in terms of variable variables. The Journal of Academic Social Science, 66, 614- 629.
25. Gürcan, N., & Kargın, T. (2023). Gender stereotypes in preschool children: A critical literacy study. RumeliDE Journal of Language and Literature Studies, 34, 487-511.
26. Hammer, R., & Kellner, D. (Eds.) (2009). Media/cultural studies: Critical approaches. Peter Lang.
27. Hazar, M. (2011). Social media dependency-filed survey. Journal of Communication Theory and Research, 32, 151-176.
28. Hitchcock, D. (2022). Critical thinking. In E. N. Zalta & U. Nodelman (Eds.), The Stanford encyclopedia of philosophy. Stanford University. https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/sum2024/entries/critical-thinking/
29. Hobbs, R. (2010). Digital and media literacy: A plan of action. A White Paper on the Digital and Media Literacy Recommendations of the Knight Commission on the Information Needs of Communities in a Democracy. Aspen Institute.
30. Hobbs, R., & Jensen, A. (2009). The past, present, and future of media literacy education. Journal of Media Literacy Education, 1(1), 1-11.
31. İnan, T. (2010). Examining media literacy level of teacher candidates and their perspectives on media literacy [Unpublished master's thesis]. Dumlupınar University.
32. Janks, H. (2018). Texts, identities, and ethics: Critical literacy in a post‐truth world. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy 62(1), 95-99. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaal.761
33. Jenkins, H. (2006). Convergence culture: Where old and new media collide. New York University Press.
34. Jenkins, H., Ito, M., & Boyd, D. (2016). Participatory culture in a networked era: A conversation on youth, learning, commerce, and politics. Polity Press.
35. Jeong, S., Cho, H. & Hwang, Y. (2012) Media literacy interventions: A meta-analytic review. Journal of communication, 62(3), 454-472. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-2466.2012.01643.x
36. Jordan A. (2017). Growing up online: media use and development in early adolescence. In P. Vorderer, D. Hefner, L. Reinecke & C. Klimmt (Eds.) Permanently online, permanently connected (pp.165–175). Routledge.
37. Karaman, M. K., & Karataş, A. (2009). Media literacy levels of the candidate teachers. Elementary Education Online, 8(3), 798-808.
38. Karasu, M., & Arıkan, D. (2016). Investigation of relationship between habits of using social media and media literacy levels of teacher candidates. Ege Journal of Education, 17(2), 549-566. https://doi.org/10.12984/egeefd.280757
39. Kartal, O. Y. (2007). The effect of media literacy on perception of television serials' messages for high school 10th grade students [Unpublished master's thesis]. Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University.
40. Keles, B., McCrae, N., & Grealish, A. (2020). A systematic review: The influence of social media on depression, anxiety and psychological distress in adolescents. International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, 25(1), 79-93. https://doi.org/10.1080/02673843.2019.1590851
41. Kellner, D., & Kim, G. (2010). YouTube, critical pedagogy, and media activism. Review of Education, Pedagogy, and Cultural Studies, 32(1), 3–36. https://doi.org/10.1080/10714410903482658
42. Kellner, D., & Share, J. (2019). Critical media literacy guide: Engaging media and transforming education. Brill Sense
43. Kırık, A. M. (2017). Changing communication process with new media: the position of young people in the social sharing networks. Gumushane University E-Journal of Faculty of Communication, 5(1), 230-261.
44. Korkmaz, Ö. (2009). The influence of education faculties on students’ critical thinking level and disposition. Journal of Turkish Educational Sciences, 7(4), 879-902.
45. Kula, S. S., & Güler, M. P. D. (2019). Internet usage of classroom teachers for educational purposes. Van YYU Journal of Education Faculty, 16(1), 620-647.
46. Kuss, D. J., & Griffiths, M. D. (2017). Social networking sites and addiction: Ten lessons learned. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 14(3), 311. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph14030311
47. Kurt, A. A., & Kürüm, D. (2010). Relationship between media literacy and critical thinking: A conceptual view. Mehmet Akif Ersoy University Journal of Social Sciences Institute, 2(2), 20-34.
48. Küçükvardar, M., & Türel, E. (2022). A research on the level of digital game play in the Covid-19 pandemic. Selçuk Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi 47, 47-58. https://doi.org/10.52642/susbed.1010309
49. Küslü, F. (2022). Investigation of teachers' critical digital literacy skills in terms of various variables [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. Anadolu University.
50. Livingstone, S. (2004). Media literacy and the challenge of new information and communication technologies. The Communication Review, 7(1), 3-14. https://doi.org/10.1080/10714420490280152
51. Luke, A. (2012). Critical literacy: Foundational notes. Theory Into Practice, 51(1), 4–11. https://doi.org/10.1080/00405841.2012.636324
52. Marlatt, R. (2020). Encounter and counter: Critical media literacy in teacher education. Journal of Media Literacy Education, 12(2), 93-99. https://doi.org/10.23860/JMLE-2020-12-2-8
53. Mason, L. E., Krutka, D., & Stoddard, J. (2018). Media literacy, democracy, and the challenge of fake news. Journal of Media Literacy Education, 10(2), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.23860/JMLE-2018-10-2-1
54. McMillan, J. H. & Schumacher, S. (2014). Research in education: Evidence-based inquiry (7th Ed.). Pearson.
55. Mihailidis, P. (2020). The civic potential of memes and hashtags in the lives of young people. Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education, 41(5), 762–781. https://doi.org/10.1080/01596306.2020.1769938
56. Ocak, İ. (Ed.). (2019). Eğitimde bilimsel araştırma yöntemleri [Scientific research methods in education] (1st ed.). Pegem Akademi.
57. Özdemir, Ş. (2021). Sosyal medya çağında kuşakların medya kullanım alışkanlıklarının incelenmesi [Examination of media use habits of generations in the age of social media]. İstanbul Arel Üniversitesi İletişim Çalışmaları Dergisi, 9(20), 281-308.
58. Park, N., Kee, K., & Valenzuela, S. (2009). Being immersed in social networking environment: Facebook groups, uses and gratifications, and social outcomes. Cyber Psychology & Behavior, 12(6), 729-733.
59. Polanco-Levican K, & Salvo-Garrido S. (2022). Understanding social media literacy: A systematic review of the concept and its competences. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 19(14), 8807. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19148807
60. Potter, W. J. (2019). Media literacy (9th Ed.). SAGE Publications.
61. Potter, W. (2022). Analysis of definitions of media literacy. Journal of Media Literacy Education, 14(2), 27-43. https://doi.org/10.23860/JMLE-2022-14-2-3
62. Potur, Ö. (2014). Critical literacy in language arts education. Journal of Mother Tongue Education, 2(4), 32-49. Redmond, T. (2015). Media literacy is common sense: Bridging common core standards with the media experiences of digital learners. Middle School Journal, 46(3), 10–17. https://doi.org/10.1080/00940771.2015.11461910
63. Seçer, İ. (2015). SPSS ve LISREL ile pratik veri analizi [Practical data analysis with SPSS and LISREL]. Anı Yayıncılık.
64. Semerci, N., & Semerci, Ç. (2017). The effect of teacher candidates' critical literacy levels on their media literacy levels. Universal Journal of Educational Research, 5(n12A), 13-18. https://doi.org/10.13189/ujer.2017.051303
65. Scolari, C. A., Ardèvol, E., Pérez-Latorre, Ò., Masanet, M. J., & Rodríguez, N. L. (2020). What are teens doing with media? An ethnographic approach for identifying transmedia skills and informal learning strategies. Digital Education Review, 37, 269-287. https://doi.org/10.1344/der.2020.37.269-287
66. Share, J., Mamikonyan, T., & Lopez, E. (2023). Critical media literacy in teacher education, theory, and practice. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Education. Retrieved 10 Oct. 2024, from https://oxfordre.com/education/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780190264093.001.0001/acrefore-9780190264093-e-1404.
67. Syam H. M., & Nurrahmi F. (2020). “I don’t know if it is fake or real news”: How little Indonesian university students understand social media literacy. Jurnal Komunikasi: Malaysian Journal of Communication, 36(2), 92–105. https://doi.org/10.17576/JKMJC-2020-3602-06
68. Tatar, İ. (2016). Exploring the relationship between teacher candidates' media literacy and online information seeking strategies [Unpublished master's thesis]. Anadolu University.
69. Türkben, T., & Satılmış, S. (2022). Examination of pre-service teachers' academic literacy, digital literacy and critical literacy skills in terms of various variables. Türkiye Education Journal, 7(2), 345-364. https://doi.org/10.54979/turkegitimdergisi.1159184
70. Ulu Aslan, E. & Baş, B. (2022). Developing a media literacy scale sensitive to entertainment purpose. Journal of Mother Tongue Education, 10(1), 74-88.
71. Uslu, S., Yazıcı, K., & Çetin, M. (2016). Media literacy levels of social studies pre-service teachers. Adıyaman University Journal of Social Sciences, 1(2), 755-777. https://doi.org/10.14520/adyusbd.31201
72. Vatandaş, D. D. C. (2011). Toplumsal cinsiyet ve cinsiyet rollerinin algılanışı [The perception of gender and gender roles]. Istanbul Journal of Sociological Studies, 35, 29-56.
73. Valle, N., Zhao, P., Freed, D., Gorton, K., Chapman, A. B., Shea, A. L., & Bazarova, N. N. (2024). Towards a critical framework of social media literacy: A systematic literature review. Review of Educational Research, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543241247224
74. Wang, S., Zhong, Z., & Chen, L. (2019). The past, present, and future of media literacy education research theme: a network and cluster analysis of literature. In 2019 International Joint Conference on Information, Media and Engineering (IJCIME) (pp. 78-82). IEEE.
75. Yetkiner, B., & Öztürk, B. (2020). The use of tik tok by Inönü University faculty of communication students in the context of uses and satisfaction approach. Igd. Univ. Jour. Soc. Sci., 24, 215-236.
76. Yılmaz, M. B. (2012). Profiles of university students according to internet usage with the aim of entertainment and communication and their affinity to Internet. International Online Journal of Educational Sciences, 4(1), 225-242.