Abstract

This study aims to analyse the media excerpts found in the officially approved textbooks for the social studies course in Turkey from the perspective of the thematic areas included in UNESCO MIL’s [Media and Information Literacy] Curriculum. In the study, the descriptive analysis method was applied and the data were collected using document analysis. In order to determine whether the examined media excerpts contribute to the UNESCO’s MIL Curriculum achievements defined for these thematic areas, 11 research questions were prepared. In the first stage of the study, a checklist was prepared based on an examination of the UNESCO MIL’s Curriculum. In the second stage, the textbooks to be analysed were selected by the convenience sampling method, taking into account the textbook production policy carried out under the authority of the Ministry of National Education. The study, which examined 6 different textbooks approved for the 5th, 6th and 7th grades of secondary school, revealed that although the media excerpts are sufficient in number, they fail to reflect the diversity in the national and/or regional media. Moreover, these media excerpts are utilised primarily for the specific purposes of the course, and, naturally, they do not make a significant contribution to media literacy education. In conclusion, the reviewed media excerpts hardly meet the criteria for the thematic areas upon which UNESCO MIL’s Curriculum is based. Within the context of the findings and conclusions of the study, a set of recommendations has been shared with people and institutions operating in the fields of social studies textbooks and media literacy.

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