Media literacy of a child at an early school age from the perspective of teachers, parents and persons preparing to become educators

Abstract

Forming digital media competences and media contents awareness should start from the young age. Only carefully designed and comprehensive actions give a chance for growth of responsible members of the information society. Media education takes place in the family, school and other environments in which children operate. The aim of the qualitative and quantitative scientific explorations was to survey professionally active teachers, people preparing for taking up the profession of a teacher and parents, about media education in the early education process. 120 students of the University of Silesia (Poland) and Teacher Training College of Bytom (Poland) took part in the survey, as well as 32 early education teachers. 12 parents of children at the age of 6-8 took part in the interview. 80% of the respondents (N=152) who were surveyed believe that media education should be mandatory in the process of early education, at the same time both students (3,4 in the 5-point scale) and professionally active teachers (3,7) assessed its significance rather low. 88% of the surveyed teachers incorporate the elements of media education in their work. In the case of apprentice teachers – 65% of them want to implement those elements in the future. Teachers who were asked to provide a self-assessment, assessed their media competences and knowledge about media as good, while students assessed them as average. The section evaluating knowledge of the respondents revealed a diversified level of information held. The surveyed parents have a relatively low knowledge, at the same time in the interviews they present high expectations towards the school MLE. The approach to the media literacy produces a practical pursuit to its accomplishment. The study was designed to show opinions of representatives of three environments that have a genuine influence – or will have one in the future – on the form of actions in this regard aimed at young learners.