Media education and computer literacy in India: The need for an integrated 'compunication education'

Abstract

Access and exposure to the mass media and to computers are still very limited in India, even in urban areas. Some experiments in Media Education have been conducted outside the school curriculum. The Central Government has launched a pilot project in Computer Literacy and Studies in School (CLASS) in 248 higher secondary schools and an evaluation of it has been commissioned. This paper sketches the media and computer scene in India, the policies of the Central (Federal) Government on media, computers and school education and computer literacy. Some preliminary findings of a media survey in Bombay's secondary schools suggest a wide interest among students, teachers and parents in media education and computer education. The paper concludes with a plea for a bringing together of the two areas of study because of the intimate connections between them - as reflected in the terms 'compunications' or 'telematics' — not as vocational professional subjects but to promote critical thinking about the new media, especially about their role and influence in our society and the international context in which they function.

Knowledge Management in the Age of Unreliable Messages. Do University Students Trust Online Messages? (A Survey from the Middle East)

“…Studies with a similar concern about people's easy trust, usually fall under the concept of media literacy. It is hard to present a literature review on media literacy because it covers a diverse range of issues from specific aspects of using media-related technologies to broad discussions on the role of media in the society (Kumar, 1987). Different topics from people's critical thinking and skepticism to people's skills in using different features of their smart phones can be all considered sub-topics of media literacy.…”

Media Literacy and Education in India During Times of Communication Abundance

“…Traditionally, ICTs have been a cornerstone of communication policies, education and governance in India. Although educationalists long suggested ‘compunication’ of media education for a truly empowered, participative public (Kumar, 1987), ICT initiatives have not been participatory, proactive and focused on content creation. Developing ICT infrastructure has received overwhelming attention at the cost of professed objectives to encourage education, technology-enabled learning and technology-mediated pedagogies (Yadav, 2015, p. 69).…”