The Use of Media Literacy Instructional Strategies for Promoting Intercultural Communication in U.S. and Turkish Middle Schools

Presentation by Sait Tuzel and Renee Hobbs demonstrates how online social networking was used to promote dialogue between Turkish and American middle-school students. This project was a global collaboration designed to advance knowledge and demystify cultural stereotypes. 

 

 

SUMMARY: Teachers developed three lesson plans that enable students to share information about culture and values of their family and community, learn more about the history, cultural practices and social norms of these two cultures, and critically analyze popular entertainment media representations of culture and values. We examine teacher reflective writing about the construction of the project and student data including knowledge of Turkish and American culture, characteristics of the online content shared by students, and particular dimensions of online social interaction, including self-disclosure and questioning. This research contributes to advancing knowledge of best practices in the design, implementation and assessment of media literacy education programs designed to promote global education and cultural understanding.