Empowering educators: perspectives and confidence levels of teacher candidates in digital media literacy

Abstract

In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, digital media literacy emerges as an indispensable skill that extends beyond the confines of formal education and permeates everyday life. There is a significant gap in current research regarding the state of digital media literacy in Ontario, particularly focusing on the perspectives and confidence levels of teacher candidates in teaching this competency. Digital media literacy in education is crucial as it equips students with the critical skills needed to navigate and participate in the digital landscape, fostering informed and responsible digital citizenship in a democratic society. This thesis analyzes the current landscape of digital media literacy education in Ontario by drawing conclusions from two distinct datasets. First, it examines research data generated for a report for the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, focusing on the integration of online privacy education within the K-12 curriculum in Ontario. This analysis establishes current expectations and benchmarks for DML in the province. The second dataset comprises responses from Lakehead University teacher candidates to the end-of-year survey titled "Operation Happy To Be Here" (OH2BH). This survey, to which I contributed questions and organized data as a research assistant, evaluates candidates' self-reported comfort levels in imparting essential media literacy competencies, with a specialized focus on data privacy awareness and AI use. By synthesizing findings from both the Privacy Commissioner's report and the OH2BH survey, this thesis offers a comprehensive overview of how digital media literacy is currently being taught in Teacher Education programs in Ontario. It demonstrates that teacher candidates are not always emerging from these programs with the confidence and preparedness necessary to teach this critical competency. This comparative analysis aims to highlight gaps and propose actionable strategies for enhancing digital media literacy education, ensuring that future educators are well-equipped to foster digital literacy and responsible digital citizenship among their students.