In the rapidly evolving digital landscape, the gap between the media experiences of high school teachers and their students has surfaced as a critical barrier to effective media literacy education. A recent study conducted by researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Northwestern University highlights this pressing issue within Illinois public schools, where a legislative mandate requires media literacy instruction. This investigation sheds light on the multifaceted digital divides that impede the state’s goal to equip young learners with essential media literacy skills, amidst an increasingly polarized sociopolitical climate.
The study, led by doctoral fellow Sakshi Bhalla and Michelle Nelson, chair of the advertising department, alongside Michael A. Spikes from Northwestern University, explored the realities of media literacy education by interviewing 20 educators from diverse regions and socioeconomic contexts across Illinois. The research primarily focused on examining the impact of differing media consumption patterns and political environments on teaching media literacy under Illinois’ Public Act 102-0055, which mandates at least one unit of media literacy instruction in public high schools starting from the 2022-23 academic year.
Central to the findings is the revelation of a profound generational and technological disconnect between educators and students. Teachers often draw their media experience from legacy platforms such as traditional television news and social networks like Facebook, which have gradually diminished in significance among younger demographics. Conversely, students predominantly engage with vibrant, algorithmically driven social media platforms like TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube commentators, and other emerging digital venues where news is disseminated through unconventional formats and personalized feeds.
This divergence in media environments influences not only access but also perceptions and interpretative frameworks of media content. “Our research disclosed sharp contrasts in how teachers and students access, evaluate, and interact with media,” Bhalla noted. “Teachers tend to operate within well-established news ecosystems, whereas students navigate a fragmented digital media world that resists standardized analysis or critique.” This insight challenges the traditional assumption embedded in the Illinois law that there exists a common media experience on which a uniform media literacy curriculum can be built.
Compounding this challenge is the scarcity of resources and professional development for educators tasked with implementing media literacy curricula. The statute mandates instruction yet provides no accompanying funding or training, leaving many teachers unequipped to effectively interpret or incorporate students’ preferred media. Some educators admitted to relying on their students to teach them about platforms like TikTok or to explain emerging social media trends, underscoring a reversal of traditional pedagogical dynamics.
Socioeconomic disparities further complicate the landscape. Nearly half of the participants in the study worked in schools where a significant portion of students come from low-income households. In these settings, media literacy instruction often centers around basic functional competencies—keyboard skills and technical proficiencies relevant for workforce entry—rather than on analytical or critical thinking skills related to media content. In contrast, educators in more affluent districts emphasized higher-order skills such as critical examination of media narratives, source credibility, and the political undertones implicit in media messages.
Another critical dimension revealed by the research involves educators’ navigation of controversial and politically charged topics within classrooms. The polarized media environment that students inhabit frequently mirrors broader national fissures amplified by events like the 2016 presidential election, the COVID-19 pandemic, and movements such as Black Lives Matter and Blue Lives Matter. Teachers reported that discussions often became emotionally charged and fraught with challenges to maintaining classroom neutrality. When teachers attempted to correct misinformation or highlight fallacious arguments, students frequently perceived these interventions as biased, reflecting a broader erosion of trust in factual authority.
Furthermore, the complexity of defining media bias and political leanings was a constant struggle. “Media bias is multidimensional and fluid,” Bhalla explained, “shifting with each news article, story, and political event. This makes it exceedingly difficult for educators to provide clear frameworks for students to critically interrogate media sources without appearing partisan.” Such nuances complicate the development of curricula that can meaningfully engage students without alienating them or inciting further polarization.
Despite these daunting challenges, the participating educators overwhelmingly affirmed the importance of media literacy education in today’s hyper-connected and politically charged environment. They expressed a strong commitment to fostering critical thinking and media evaluation skills among their students, emphasizing the urgent need for curricula that acknowledge the diversity of media experiences and provide practical tools relevant to students’ lived realities.
Informed by their findings, the research team spearheaded media literacy workshops targeting Illinois educators during the summers of 2022 and 2023, hosted by the Initiative for Media Education Inquiry and Action (IMEDIA). This collaborative effort, situated within the University of Illinois’ College of Media and College of Education, aims to equip teachers with adaptable lesson plans and pedagogical strategies grounded in current digital media landscapes. Workshops were designed to foster collaborative learning and shareable resources to overcome the gaps identified in the study.
Michelle Nelson emphasized the practical outcomes of these initiatives: “One of our goals was for teachers to leave the workshops with ready-to-implement lesson plans tailored to their students’ contexts. By fostering peer-to-peer exchange, we aimed to build a community of practice around media literacy instruction that can adapt as digital platforms continue to evolve.” These efforts represent a meaningful step toward bridging the divide between academic mandates and classroom realities.
Ultimately, this research spotlights the need for a paradigm shift in media literacy education that transcends traditional models reliant on homogeneous media experiences. It calls for an expansive view that embraces media plurality, acknowledges sociopolitical factors shaping media consumption, and integrates functional and critical skills across socioeconomic divides. Addressing these complexities is vital not only for Illinois but for any educational system striving to prepare students for informed citizenship in the digital age.
The findings underscore that media literacy is much more than curriculum content — it is a dynamic educational practice situated at the intersection of technology, culture, and politics. Effective instruction demands support structures including teacher training, resource development, and responsive pedagogical frameworks that recognize students as active navigators of a diversifying media ecosystem. Without these, the promise of media literacy education risks being undermined by digital, social, and political disparities.
As media environments continue to evolve at a breathtaking pace, educators and policymakers alike must grapple with the nuanced realities shaping how young people consume and interpret information. This study serves as a clarion call for comprehensive, context-sensitive approaches that equip learners to critically engage with the mediascape of today and tomorrow, fostering not only media competence but also resilience against misinformation and polarization.
Subject of Research: People
Article Title: Classroom contexts: Teachers talk teaching media literacy
News Publication Date: 31-Jul-2025
Web References:
- Public Act 102-0055: https://www.ilga.gov/Legislation/publicacts/view/102-0055
- Initiative for Media Education Inquiry and Action (IMEDIA): https://mediaeducation.illinois.edu/
References:
Bhalla, S., Nelson, M., & Spikes, M. A. (2025). Classroom contexts: Teachers talk teaching media literacy. Journal of Media Literacy Education. DOI: 10.23860/JMLE-2025-17-2-3
Image Credits: Photo by Michelle Hassel
Keywords: Education, Education technology
