Third International Conference on Communication & Media Studies

Abstract

Current limitations in Egypt can obstruct citizens from adequately understanding the effects of current affairs on their daily lives, including rigid state control on news media, absence of journalistic ethical standards that result in spreading of rumors and political bias, and a lack of adequate media awareness. Citizens, and specifically youth, need to learn the value of the media around them. This paper addresses current challenges teachers in Egyptian private and public schools may face in implementing media literacy programs. An Egypt-based model of media education in schools is drafted with recommendations based on descriptive analysis of such programs in different countries, and derived from in-depth interviews with experts as well as surveys with teachers. The purpose is to offer a media literacy educational model as a basis for application in schools. The problem being addressed is the lack of comprehensive education that teaches youngsters how to critically and purposely consume, and create media. Theoretical framework is based on uses and gratification as well as media ecology theories.