PanSIG 2025

Critical Analysis in News Education: A Collaborative Approach

17 May 2025, 16:55

25m

BLDG 8/1F-111 (Kanda University of International Studies (神田外語大学))

Practice-oriented Oral Face-to-face presentation Critical Thinking B8-111 SAT: Teacher Development & Critical Thinking; SUN: ICLE & TBLT

Speakers

Edward Howland (Kanda University of International Studies)Ms Samar Kassim (Rikkyo University)

ABSTRACT

News literacy education faces specific challenges in Japanese university settings, where traditional Western-centric materials often fail to support students' analytical development. This presentation details a systematic, evidence-based renewal of a required news unit through collaborative action research. Initial surveys and semi-structured interviews with 20 Media English teachers revealed key challenges: teaching bias recognition, evaluating source credibility, and bridging the gap between traditional print and digital media consumption. Our iterative redesign process prioritized scaffolding complex concepts through culturally relevant examples, particularly in areas teachers identified as problematic, such as bias recognition and editorial decision-making. The unit was piloted across multiple classes with systematic collection of teacher reflections, student responses, and learning outcomes. We will share our complete research timeline, data collection instruments, and revised materials, demonstrating how targeted lesson sequencing improved student engagement with challenging concepts. Attendees will receive practical insights into conducting collaborative curriculum renewal while maintaining academic rigor and meeting institutional requirements.

KEYWORDS

Critical Thinking
Action research
Media literacy