"Media Education and Digital Media: Nurturing Digital Literacy and Critical Thinking"

Abstract

Digital media has firmly established its presence in the educational and academic spheres, particularly in journalism and media departments in the Arab world. The rapid developments in digital media have necessitated a focus on social media, given the dominance of social networking platforms and their influential and active nature. Understanding the various dimensions of this phenomenon has become vital and essential.

The importance of this study lies in shedding light on media education as an imperative necessity resulting from the advancements in communication channels and information technologies. It addresses the negative impacts that are associated with the dissemination of superficial and trivial content through various media channels. It emphasizes the need to activate collaborative practices among individuals within society.

This study aims to recognize the significance of media education within the context of the expanding field of digital media. Numerous questions arise in this regard, necessitating answers that link the importance of media education with the rapid and extensive development of digital media. Furthermore, it explores the dialectical relationship between media education and digital media, particularly within the Arab world, as an integral part of the global system. The study's theoretical and empirical aspects have revealed several findings: Firstly, Arab efforts in media education and digital media within the Arab world remain weak and limited, necessitating further conceptual groundwork in educational institutions and raising awareness before entering the implementation phase. Secondly, there is a clear confusion between the concepts of educational media and media education in categorized research. Thirdly, there is a lack of investment in media education or education through media channels, as reflected in the limited number of Arab scientific research papers in the field of media education and digital    media.