Connecting to Learn: A Case Study of Media Literacy in the College Classroom

Abstract

Teaching media literacy today means navigating technological change, contested definitions of the field, and engaging students amid constant digital distractions. Such challenges motivated a case study of an undergraduate media literacy course designed using Universal Design for Learning (UDL). The study drew on a survey, focus groups, and reflections to examine students’ experiences and perceptions of the course’s value. Although students entered with substantial lived media experience, they lacked formal terminology and prior institutional training. Students responded positively to the course’s validation of existing knowledge and emphasis on peer discussion. Postcourse reflections showed movement toward deliberate critique and strengthened personal agency.