Improving Wellbeing-Focused Media Literacy in the Digital Age
Young people are increasingly exposed to risk of online harm – including trolling, pornography and pro-eating disorder content - that can negatively affect their wellbeing. To combat this, we are reviewing evidence on existing school-based interventions and talking to teachers to develop a what works guide for educators.
"Educators have a vital role to play in improving youth wellbeing in the digital age"
Dr Beth T Bell
The Issue
How can we promote adolescent wellbeing in a digital world through media literacy education?
Adolescents are growing up in an increasingly digital world. While online spaces can foster social connection, creativity, and learning, they also expose young people to harmful content such as cyberbullying, trolling, pro-eating disorder messaging, and the glamorisation of risky behaviours.
In England, education on online harms is now a compulsory part of the National Curriculum. However, existing wellbeing-focused media literacy interventions vary widely in their focus, design, and evaluation quality. This inconsistency makes it difficult for teachers to identify effective, evidence-based approaches and adapt them to their classroom contexts.
The Research
Funded by the Nuffield Foundation, this project will explore what works in wellbeing-focused online media literacy interventions in English secondary schools. The project is led by Dr Beth T, Bell (Education, University of York) and Co-Investigators Dr Gill Francis (University of York) and Dr Gianfranco Polizzi (University of Birmingham).
The research will be completed in three key phases:
- A systematic review and meta-analysis of existing research to identify effective interventions and their components. This will include international interventions where the findings are likely to be transferable to the UK context.
- Thirty interviews with Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) teachers to understand their experiences of delivering media literacy and wellbeing lessons, as well as to identify the perceived barriers and facilitators to implementation.
- Working with RSHE teachers and curriculum resource developers, the project will co-produce practical ‘what works’ guidance to support effective classroom delivery. In partnership with Internet Matters, we will work with teachers to co-design three sample lesson plans aligned with National Curriculum requirements.
The Outcome
The overall aim of the project is to improve the quality of wellbeing-focused media literacy teaching in secondary schools. To achieve this, we will produce practical guidance, curriculum resources, and recommendations for future research, practice, and policy on wellbeing-focused online media literacy education. Project Partner The PSHE Association will disseminate the outputs through its network of 60,000 educators.
Featured Researcher: Dr Beth T Bell
Dr Beth T Bell's work aims to understand and improve young people’s wellbeing in the digital age.
