MEDIATING MEDIA PRACTICES AND CRITICAL THINKING

Creating and consuming media products in a self-reflective mode is possible through and as a result of critical thinking. Meanwhile being part of media practices that reflect on their medial aspects develops the sense of critical thinking. Social technologies can be understood with help of different media practices. While mediatization refers to the increasing influence of media in various aspects of society, there are instances when media practices can work against this trend. Arguments and examples will be presented that as media literacy education improves, people learn to critically evaluate media content. Research data indicate that media literacy encourages questioning, which can work against powerless exposure to mediatization. Training individuals to be media literate allows them to critically perceive and evaluate information conveyed through media, reducing negative effects. Moreover, different media platforms cater to specific audiences with varying interests, and do that in qualitatively different ways. The fragmentation can limit the overall influence of media by preventing a cohesive narrative across all channels.