National Policies in Media and Information Literacy Education in Finland

Abstract

Nowadays, we receive most of our information through an interconnected system of media technologies. The ability to read many types of media has become an even more necessary skill, especially in the 21st century. It is possible for media and information literate youth and adults to better understand the complex messages received from television, radio, the internet, newspapers, magazines, books, billboards, video games, music and all other types of media. Media and information literacy makes it possible to apply critical thinking skills to different types of media. Therefore, all states are required to include media and information literacy skills in educational standards and develop a media and information literacy education policy.

In order to understand media and information literacy education, first of all, the field of media and information literacy is discussed in the article. What is media and information literacy and its importance are explained, developments that pave the way for the development of media and information literacy education and education curriculum are examined, and examples of good practice in media and information literacy education curriculum are presented. In this context, UNESCO Media and Information Literacy Curriculum and Competency Framework and Finland Media and Literacy Policy were examined. The UNESCO Media and Information Literacy Curriculum and Competency Framework aims to provide teacher education structures with a framework for creating a program to train media and information literate teachers and aims to develop students' media and information literacy skills. Media literacy in Finland is promoted and supported with the help of high quality, systematic and comprehensive media education. Versatile media education is planned, implemented and developed in broad-based collaboration among a variety of different actors.