Media Literacy Education
As media literacy becomes a mandated standard across all 50 states, educators face a growing need for specialized training to effectively teach these vital critical thinking skills. The Media Literacy Education program equips graduate students and current teachers with the conceptual understanding and pedagogical tools to confidently integrate popular media and digital texts into the modern classroom.
Program Overview
Despite the pervasive influence of media in contemporary US culture, students have historically been underexposed to the critical analysis of media texts. However, the educational landscape is rapidly shifting. Today, all 50 states include media literacy in their curriculum standards, and major professional organizations—including the National Council of Teachers of English, the National Council of Teachers of Science, the International Reading Association, and the National Council for the Social Studies—heavily emphasize media literacy in their guidelines and research.
While this growing emphasis on media texts across literature, science, politics, and technology is a positive step, it presents a significant challenge for educators who have rarely had the opportunity to learn appropriate methods for teaching these subjects. The Media Literacy Education specialization directly addresses this gap. The program provides a rigorous, structured environment for graduate students to investigate how popular media culture and internet texts can be leveraged to support holistic literacy growth in students.
Program Highlights
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Customizable Course of Study: We recognize that every educator’s path is unique. Students work closely with a dedicated faculty member to design a personalized academic plan that meets their specific professional goals while fulfilling the rigorous requirements of the UF Graduate School, the College of Education, and the School of Teaching and Learning.
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Diverse Areas of Focus: While grounded in foundational educational theory, students have the flexibility to tailor their degree by electing to focus on:
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Media literacy education
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Teacher education and professional development
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Critical literacy and critical pedagogy
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Multicultural literature
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Adolescent literacy
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Language acquisition and inquiry
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Literacy and the arts
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Or other specialized areas of personal and professional interest.
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Fills a Critical Educational Gap: Bridges the divide between new state-mandated media literacy standards and the current lack of specialized methodological training for classroom educators.
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Flexible Degree Pathways: Offers multiple avenues for graduate study, whether you are adding a 12-hour specialization to a Curriculum and Instruction degree, pursuing a dedicated Master of Arts in Education (MAE), or entering our Ph.D. track.
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Program Contact: For additional information regarding admissions or program specifics, please contact Dr. Angela Kohnen.
Required Courses
The Media Literacy Education specialization consists of core foundational coursework and a selection of tailored electives. Each required program course includes an applied project component relevant to the educator’s intended audience. Minimum course requirements for the specialization include:
- LAE 6348: Teaching Multiliteracies: Introduces methods for teaching students to read, question, and learn from expanding forms of multimodal texts. Educators examine the connections between school and non-school literacy, alongside the promise and pitfalls of popular culture media.
- LAE 6865: Media Literacy and the Internet: An eight-week course focused on utilizing technology, popular culture, and Web 2.0 resources to enhance literacy skills. Students develop strategies for organizing media content in classrooms to support specific curricular goals.
- LAE 6869: Teaching Digital Storytelling: Prompts students to use narrative patterns and transmedia concepts (film, television, graphic novels, online news) as organizing structures for teaching media texts and guiding learners in creating their own digital stories.
- Completion of approved Elective Courses, which may be selected from the following to meet individual professional goals:
- EME 6205: Digital Technology
- ESE 6939: Instructional Design
- EDG 6931: Creating and Delivering Online Content
- EME 5405: The Internet in K-12 Instruction
- EDG 6047: Teacher Leadership for School Change
- EME 5207: Designing Technology Rich Curricula
- EDG 6348: Instructional Coaching
- EDG 6207: Transforming the Curriculum
- EDG 6415: Culturally Responsive Classroom Management
Required student projects within the core courses will vary but typically focus on the theoretical implications of new literacies, developing units of study for specific age groups, or analyzing media.
With their academic advisor’s approval, students will select the electives that best complement their overarching degree program and align with their specific areas of focus.
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Media Literacy Education Program Requirements
TBD
Please visit the School of Teaching and Learning’s How Do I Apply? page for deadlines and information about applying to our English Education Graduate Certificate programs.
General application information about Graduate Certificates from the Graduate School can be found here.
Program Highlights
Typical Course Load: [TBD]
Full-Time/Part-Time: [TBD]
Application Deadline: [TBD]
Program Completion: [TBD]