“Giving them the Opportunity to Create”

Planning for Critical Media Literacy in a STEM+C Context

Abstract

The importance of Critical Media Literacy (CML) has been established, yet teachers, particularly those in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and computer science (STEM+C) fields, remain unsure of how to implement these tenets in their classroom practice. In this article, we examine the ways that one group of STEM+C teachers in an experimental space grappled with taking on and implementing a CML lens and practices in curriculum development for a summer program. Our findings show that this space was vital as it allowed teachers to integrate their other spaces and work with CML practices to create something new. Critical Media Literacy does belong in the STEM+C classroom, and the space these teachers were granted allowed them the opportunity to figure out how to do it authentically. The importance of Critical Media Literacy (CML) has been established, yet teachers, particularly those in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and computer science (STEM+C) fields, remain unsure of how to implement these tenets in their classroom practice. In this article, we examine the ways that one group of STEM+C teachers in an experimental space grappled with taking on and implementing a CML lens and practices in curriculum development for a summer program. Our findings show that this space was vital as it allowed teachers to integrate their other spaces and work with CML practices to create something new. Critical Media Literacy does belong in the STEM+C classroom, and the space these teachers were granted allowed them the opportunity to figure out how to do it authentically.