A Position Statement of National Council for the Social Studies
© 2009 National Council for the Social Studies. All rights
reserved This position statement was prepared by a task force of
the Technology Community of National Council for the Social
Studies (NCSS), and was approved by the NCSS Board of Directors
in February 2009. “In the twenty-first century, participatory
media education and civic education are inextricable”
(Rheingold, 2008, p. 103) This position statement focuses on the
critical role of media literacy in the social studies
curriculum. The statement addresses the following questions.
First, why and how has media literacy taken on a significantly
more important role in preparing citizens for democratic life?
Second, how is media literacy defined, and what are some of its
essential concepts? Finally, what is required to teach media
literacy and what are some examples of classroom activities? The
21st century world is media saturated, technologically
dependent, and globally connected. We live in