THE EXPERIENCE OF MEDIA LITERACY EDUCATION OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS AND THE AWARENESS THEY HAVE GAINED: AN ACTION RESEARCH

Abstract

n the ongoing struggle with media and technology on the individual-society axis, the importance of having a say in social and political issues as active citizens and being able to express oneself in digital environments is increasing. For this reason, media literacy, which is a life skill, appears as a skill that should be maintained throughout life in both formal and informal environments. The aim of this study is to improve the media literacy awareness of university students. The participants of the research are 150 university students who are studying in different departments of three state universities in three underdeveloped cities in Turkey and have not previously received media literacy education. The data of the research, which was designed as action research, was collected in the 2021-2022 academic year within the scope of an international outsourced project. An eight-week media literacy training was completed by providing face-to-face and online training to the students three days a week. The data results of the training were collected through a semi-structured interview form and also by the evaluation of student activities. According to the results of the research, the media literacy awareness of the students studying at all three faculties, which was weak at the beginning, increased by strengthening after the education. Students have gained an important awareness about criticizing the media and questioning the media, and media production.