What Teachers Think and Students Know : Expanding the view of media literacy in religious education

In Sweden, media in various forms act as one of the main settings where young people encounter religion, both in schools and elsewhere. With a seemingly ever-expanding development of communication technology, researchers and politicians alike are arguing for the need to educate our citizens in media literacy. By applying the concept of multiple media literacy, this article argues for a more nuanced view of the skills needed to critically engage with various kinds of media. By analysing interview material of both teachers and students, the article concludes that increased focus within RE on how various mediums operate, and on the complex nature of social media, would likely result in a richer media literacy for students and teachers alike.Keywords: multiple media literacy; mediatization; pupil perspectives; religious studies