The effects of an advertising-based intervention on critical thinking and media literacy in third and fourth graders

Year of production: 2020

Image is illustrative. By Janko Ferlič on Unsplash.

The goal of this study was to assess whether a short, media literacy intervention could effectively support third- and fourth-graders’ abilities to interpret and produce persuasive arguments. The intervention was delivered to students (N = 50) and focused on the knowledge and skills associated with advertising literacy. Students participated in tasks that measured changes in their advertising knowledge, their abilities to evaluate argumentative messages, and their abilities to develop a written persuasive argument. Results indicate that instructional intervention boosted students’ advertising knowledge and their abilities to evaluate and produce effective arguments. This study provides important insights into the impact of media literacy lessons on children’s understanding and application of persuasion knowledge in everyday contexts.

Recommended Citation
Stanley, S. L., & Lawson, C. (2020). The effects of an advertising-based intervention on critical thinking and media literacy in third and fourth graders. Journal of Media Literacy Education, 12(1), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.23860/JMLE-2020-12-1-1