Empowerment Media Literacy

 

However, Potter’s paper might lead one to believe that media literacy as a whole is reactive. Renee Hobbs, in a response to Potter, differentiates between two theories of media literacy: protectionist, reflecting Potter’s perspective; and empowerment, reflecting her own. “Examining Potter’s essay as a whole, a reader might suppose that he offers a rationale for media literacy not based on the development of critical thinking or communication skills at all, but based instead on a type of inoculation or persuasion.” (Hobbs, 2011) She posits media literacy as a creative, productive process. “Emerging theoretically from constructivist learning theory and articulated in the work of visual literacy specialists, media arts educators, and youth development professionals, this approach to media literacy emphasizes young people as capable, resilient and active in their choices as both media consumers and as creative producers” (Hobbs, 2011).

 

The creation of media seems to be an effective means by which to teach media literacy to students. Karen Vanmeenan offers that empowerment thought is “the assumption that much media production offers positive effects and that an informed practice of critical literacy may enhance enjoyment of this media.” (Vanmeenan, 2009) Digital storytelling, music making, social media, and film production are all powerful ways that students can learn the language of media, and thereby become critical and creative consumers of it. (Baker, 2013) In a study of the effectiveness of media literacy towards reducing risky behavior, students creatively used the techniques of tobacco advertisers to produce counter-advertisements promoting tobacco use prevention. It was found that there was “increased awareness of the efforts made by message producers to manufacture attractive portrayals. This awareness reduces or eliminates the effect that positive affect otherwise would have on their decision making about risky behavior.” (Austin, Weintraub, Pinkleton, Funabiki, and Patterson, 2007) Even though this research was preventative, it positively measured the effectivity of an typically empowering method of media literacy.