Category Archives: Policy
The ban on ‘digital childhood’
What’s the rationale behind Australia’s ban on under-16s using social media platforms, and how effective is it likely to be? An interview with Professor Michael Dezuanni. Continue reading
Media literacy: a case of policy failure
A new report from the House of Lords provides interesting reading on the current state of media literacy in the UK.
Should we ban mobile phones in schools?
Reviewing arguments for and against – and proposing a media education approach.
Rumours of our demise…
The numbers of students opting for specialised courses in Media Studies and English Literature in the UK have been in decline for several years. How might we explain this, and how can we respond? Continue reading
Education policy and the ‘war on woke’
In the past few years, education has become one of the key fronts in the so-called ‘culture wars’. It’s a development that is likely to prove extremely damaging for teachers and students.
The trouble with ‘information literacy’
Media literacy is increasingly coupled with a particular version of ‘information literacy’. I argue that this is not only conceptually incoherent but also educationally problematic.
Can we legislate for online safety?
The UK government’s Online Safety Bill has been continually beset by delays and difficulties – and by some justified criticisms. Further thought is clearly needed… Continue reading
The uselessness of literacies
Who needs data literacy?
Is ‘data literacy’ a useful response to the datafication of contemporary life – not least of education itself? It all depends, not only on how it’s defined but also on how it is practically implemented.
David Buckingham 