Media Education Today and Tomorrow
Publication
This article looks at the state of media education in Finland in the autumn of 2015 by answering the question: what is the definition of media education on the curriculum level in basic education and in the Master’s Degree programs of universities?
Written by:
Heli Ruokamo
Sirkku Kotilainen
Reijo Kupiainen
Mari Maasilta
Year of publishing:
2016
In the National Core Curriculum for Basic Education, which will come into effect in the autumn of 2016, seven fields of transversal competence areas are described, the fourth of which is multiliteracy and the fifth is information and communication technology (ICT). Multiliteracy should be developed in all subjects; it is both a goal and an entity that everyone should master. Competences in information and communication technology are important for all citizens, both in isolation and as a part of multiliteracy. These competence areas are a target and a tool of learning, and should be utilized systematically in all age groups. (FNBE, 2014, 22–23.)
This article looks at the concepts of multiliteracy and media literacy in the context of media education, and what these concepts mean scientifically and practically in both national and international discourses. It is also worthwhile to discuss how these concepts and competence areas have been taken into account in today’s Teacher Education curricula and in the know-how of future teachers.