Information Overload as a Challenge and Changing Point for Educational Media Literacies

Abstract

This article deals with the concept of information overload as a crucial element of the changing information environment. Against this background, the authors discuss an alternative process for the conceptualisation of educational media literacy. By combining two nationally-based concepts on media literacy (German and Anglo-American), the yield of such a transnational approach will be demonstrated. The first section is dedicated to a historical overview. Based on the observation that humanity is currently dealing and always has dealt with information overload, leads to the necessity of coping with said overload. To this end, the second section will present and didactically reduce both discourses to their essentials. The third section provides a possible conceptualisation of both concepts and practical application of the combined approach for scholastic learning. The aim of this paper is to stimulate an international exchange on media literacy.

Age-Independence for Media Pedagogy

“…Even in this case, there are differences between different school systems or regions, like comparing lowerclass schools with private ones. With the end of schooling, people's career steps differ (Haubold and Ganguin, 2017) and age is not an indicator of the connection between working life and media competences.…”

“…Diversity within generations of adults is high in terms of career patterns (Bergström, 2017;Christensen, 2017;Givskov and Deuze, 2018;Haubold and Ganguin, 2017;Stone et al, 2016;Doh, 2011). Therefore, age is not relevant in informal or non-formal mediapedagogical research and practice or personal media use in leisure time or daily routines.…”

“…These abilities do not decrease with age. The skills and abilities which are needed for media-usage do not distinguish adults from older people or teenagers (Bergström, 2017;Christensen, 2017;Haubold and Ganguin, 2017).…”

“…(3) discovering the Backgrounds of the Indicator age An alternative to using the empty variable of age as a category is to investigate the content of media competence and medium-specific interests of the subjects (Haubold and Ganguin, 2017). Both can be age-independent.…”

“…Contrary to the theoretical German media competence, the media literacy tradition lies in pragmatism (Dewey, 1997). Following the aim of alphabetization -as the word literacy illustrates -it is an empirical approach (Ganguin et al, 2017). With the aim to decode information (Swertz and Fessler, 2010), the media are described as technical devices and mediators of content.…”