Media literacy is the ability to access, analyse, evaluate, and create messages in a variety of forms from print to video to the internet. It builds the understanding of the role of media in society as well as essential skills of inquiry and self-expression necessary for all. Since we live in a world shaped by media values, messages and technologies, media literacy is an educational and faith formation imperative for the twenty-first century.[1]
From media literacy, we advance to media mindfulness which calls for critical thinking skills and the ability to question the media to discern the values and ideologies of media messages and engage them with the values presented by Jesus. Media mindfulness is a guide for investigating culture, understanding the world, and making media choices consistent within the faith for kids, teens and grown-ups. When put into consideration, media mindfulness skills can empower young people into wise consumers and producers of media.[2]
‘Media mindfulness’ is not only refreshing, but it offers critical thinking and a way of viewing opportunities engaging young people in a better understanding of the media and their popular culture, choices and decisions. Today, we live in a world where media is pervasive. Consumerism which has been highly promoted by the media, in most cases, undermines the meaning and value of family and worst integrity of the human person.[3]
Although media are gifts from God, they are not used as they are supposed to, and oftentimes, they do not reflect the truth and the beauty they are made to portray. Media literacy does not mean that one should be afraid of the media or means of communication or one should stop watching but that one should do everything carefully and think critically.[4]
[1] Gretchen Hailer, and Rose Pacatte, Our Media World; Teaching Kids K-8 About Faith and Media, 6.
[2] Pauline Center for Media Studies, Accessed 24/7/2021, https://media.pauline.org/Resources/Blog/ArticleID/3477/Media-Mindfulness-Part-6-practical-application.
[3] Gretchen Hailer, and Rose Pacatte, I.
[4] Gretchen Hailer, and Rose Pacatte, 5.