Research forum > Aims and background

International Media Literacy Research Forum

Aim

To provide a platform for professional researchers and practitioners from across the
world to share knowledge and expertise in the field of media literacy research.

Background

As the promotion of media literacy moves up the policy agenda there is a growing need to maximise efforts to understand and share learning about emerging issues at a global level.

Researchers in the field of media literacy often receive an audience for their work only in their own country. Much could be gained by creating a route through which research findings, techniques and methodologies could be examined and shared by others. An increased awareness of approaches taken to media literacy in
different cultures can only serve to refine our own techniques to this broad and everchanging field.

The International Media Literacy Research Forum (the Forum) provides a platform to improve understanding of the emerging issues, promote innovative methodologies and raise media literacy up the agenda of policy making bodies across the world. Most of the Forum's activity should be conducted online. A dedicated website could be created to showcase research and provide an opportunity for discussion.

The Forum is currently supported by leading organisations in America, Australia, Canada, Europe, Ireland, New Zealand and the UK with broader networks to follow.

The inaugural meeting of the Forum hosted by Ofcom in May 2008 was both a showcase for the latest research together with an exploration of the issues raised for policy makers.

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