Is This the Truth? Examining Student Critical Media Literacy Through Arts-Based Inquiry

Critical media literacy is vital for citizenship in a democracy and visually saturated world. Online media is almost indispensable to contemporary life, exerting increasing influence over real-world events. Therefore, future citizens must be able to evaluate the reliability of online media. I initiated a mixed-method arts-based study examining how my undergraduate students, learning online during the COVID-19 pandemic, related to possibly manipulative and misleading online media imagery. I invited students to make artwork, answer survey questions, and complete an assessment. My findings revealed that my students are highly susceptible to misleading media online while exhibiting unwarranted overconfidence in their media literacy, which may compound their vulnerability. Meanwhile, their art, representing their relationships with online media, generally depicted negative emotions and suggested impacts on their mental health. But artmaking also seemed to inspire realizations and increased self-awareness. As a result, art educators are called on to address critical media literacy.