06/16/2026
Last week, NAMLE Executive Director Donnell Probst served as an invited respondent at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine workshop, Media Literacy Education for Children & Youth, in Washington, DC.
Donnell joined the session “How Did We Get Here? The History and Evolution of Media Literacy Theory and Practice,” responding to a commissioned paper by James Potter and helping frame a solutions-oriented conversation about where the field has been and what is needed next.
During this session, she emphasized an essential truth about media literacy: Media literacy is not only about protecting young people from harm. It is also about helping them fully participate in a connected world.
New forms of media have given young people, especially those in marginalized or under-resourced communities, access to information, self-expression, cultural participation, economic opportunity, civic engagement, community building, and creative expression.
As Donnell noted, “The shift from audience to participant fundamentally changed this field.”
That shift is why media literacy education matters.
When young people have the skills to ask questions about authorship, evidence, representation, credibility, purpose, power, and participation, they are better prepared to navigate media environments with confidence and care.
NAMLE’s work focuses on ensuring every educator has the guidance, tools, and support needed to help learners build those skills.
Thank you to NAMLE board member Kristy Roschke for moderating the session, and to the Andrew Carnegie Foundation for making this workshop possible and for leading the way in supporting media literacy education in the U.S.