Abstract

In increasingly media-saturated educational contexts, teachers are expected not only to use media effectively but also to engage with media texts in critical, reflective, and informed ways. This study presents the design and evaluation of a semester-long media literacy (ML) course for pre-service English language teachers grounded in ML frameworks with a critical perspective. The course aimed to address the growing need for teachers to engage critically with media texts in educational contexts and was structured around key ML competencies, including accessing, analyzing, evaluating, and producing media content. The ML course focused on the analyses of various media tools, language in media, and how to use media as a language teaching material in the classroom. Using a mixed-methods approach, the research examines the impact of the course on participants’ ML levels, expectations, and course evaluations. Participants were undergraduate pre-service English teachers enrolled in a teacher education program in Turkey. Data were gathered through pre-and post-tests using the Media Literacy Skills Scale, as well as mid- and end-of-term evaluations and semi-structured interviews. Findings revealed a statistically significant improvement in ML levels, especially in accessing, analyzing, and evaluating media content, while progress in content creation remained limited. Participants reported high levels of satisfaction, highlighting the course’s relevance, practical value, and influence on their critical thinking and professional development. They also suggested including a wider range of media examples and hands-on media production activities. The results point to the value of integrating structured and subject-specific ML education into language teacher education programs to support teachers’ ability to engage with media in educational settings.

Keywords: Media literacy, Media literacy education, Teacher education, English language teacher candidates, Course evaluation

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Copyright © 2026 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

How to cite

Kibar, E. P., & Okan, Z. (2026). Media literacy education with a critical perspective: a course design for pre-service English teachers. Education and Science, 1-25. https://doi.org/10.15390/ES.2025.2775