Investigating the Impact of a Critical Media Literacy Course on CPGE Students' Critica Engagement with Media Content

Abstract

In today’s media-dominated world, it is vital for students to critically assess the messages they are exposed to. Critical media literacy affords students the required tools and skills to become discriminating and discerning ‘consumers’ of media, thus empowering them to see the broader sociocultural and political implications of the media surrounding them. This study, centered on critical theory, examined the effects of a critical media literacy unit on students’ perceptions and analytical skills in an English class at Classes Préparatoires aux Grandes Écoles (CPGE) in Marrakesh, Morocco. The unit aimed beyond conventional, basic media literacy to empower students to inquire into the ideologies embedded in media texts and to consider their social and cultural impacts on audiences. Over a six-week period, the teacher-researcher conducted a unit titled "Reading Mass Media Critically". The students are, on average, 20 years old. Throughout this course, students engaged with a range of media, including advertisements, news articles, and popular culture representations, to lay bare underlying biases and perspectives. A mixed-methods approach was used to collect data on students' experiences and progress, including interviews, observations, surveys, and pre- and post-tests. The study sought to answer the question: “How does a critical media literacy course impact CPGE students’ ability to critically engage with media texts?” The findings indicate that a critical media literacy framework significantly enhanced students’ capacity for critical analysis and increased their awareness of stereotypes and representational patterns within media.