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It’s All in the Family�

Media Education in the Age of AI

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Renee Hobbs

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Catholic University of Croatia, Zagreb

December 10, 2025

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Humans See Humanity in Everything

McCloud, S. (1994). Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art. Harper Perennial.

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My husband talks to ChatGPT���

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Preview of Key Ideas���

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  • Talking to Family about their AI Experiences�
  • Algorithmic Awareness, Data Reasoning, and Ethical Reflection�
  • Implications for Educators, Researchers, and Practitioners

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  • What’s Coming: OECD’s Media and AI Literacy Assessment

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  • A Challenge for You

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Podcasts

Social Media

Films

Influencers

Videos

Videogames

Advertising

Music

News

Chatbots

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Podcasts

Social Media

Films

Influencers

Videos

Videogames

Advertising

Music

News

Chatbots

AI is Embedded in

Texts, Platforms, and Relationships

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Image created by Canva AI

Texts

The symbolic forms used to

convey meaning

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Authorship

The people, platforms, and processes used to construct meaning through symbols

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Literacy

The sharing of meaning through symbols

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It’s All in the Family�How to Talk about AI and Machine Learning in Everyday Life

Josh

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Which video would you like to view first?

What are your reasons for your choice?

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Which video would you like to view first?

What are your reasons for your choice?

What do you think you might see and hear when you click on the image?

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Why did YouTube choose these videos for you? What guesses are they making about what you like?

Which video might your little sister might find scary?

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Algorithmic Awareness

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Because algorithms on platforms like social media and search engines:

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  • Select and filter information
  • Personalize content to maximize engagement
  • Rely on users’ behavior to continuously shape outputs

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People need to:

  • Appreciate how incentives for widespread creating and sharing have benefitted digital platforms
  • Recognize how increased awareness can change how people use online platforms
  • Question the potential for bias, fairness, and manipulation

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Hobbs, R. (2020). Propaganda in an age of algorithmic personalization: Expanding literacy research and practice. Reading Research Quarterly, 55(3), 521-533

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Data Reasoning

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People need skills of:

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  • Sensemaking
  • Pattern Detection
  • Inference and Interpretation
  • Critical Evaluation of Evidence

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Hobbs, R. (2020). Propaganda in an age of algorithmic personalization: Expanding literacy research and practice. Reading Research Quarterly, 55(3), 521-533

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Ethical Reflection

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People need skills of:

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  • Self-Awareness

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  • Understanding Perspectives

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  • Ethical Issue Recognition

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  • Application & Analysis

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  • Evaluation & Decisionmaking

Hobbs, R. (2020). Propaganda in an age of algorithmic personalization: Expanding literacy research and practice. Reading Research Quarterly, 55(3), 521-533

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PROTECTION

EMPOWERMENT

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Measure What Matters

First large-scale statewide survey of the current practices of media and AI literacy in K-12 schools

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METHODS

  • Document analysis
  • 42 in-depth interviews
  • Classroom observations
  • Online survey with 1,166 educators
  • 3-round Delphi expert panel study
  • Curriculum frameworks crosswalk

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Measuring

the frequency of 21 instructional practices

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Create Media. Students plan and create original content in a media genre, including PowerPoint Slides, written scripts, animations, video, or graphic design. 

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Guided Viewing, Reading & Listening. With a teacher’s support, students examine a media artifact to identify author, purpose, target audience, and point of view. 

Research Project. Students generate questions and gather information from multiple media sources to learn something new and then summarize what they learned by creating a written work, video, oral presentation, podcast, infographic, or other media project. 

7.99

7.68

7.67

How many of the learners

in YOUR school got

exposed to this

instructional practice

during THIS school year?

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Balancing Online and Offline Life. Students keep track of their use of digital media over a period of time and discuss how it may be beneficial or harmful to their health, identity, and relationships. 

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4.25

4.24

How many of the learners

in YOUR school got

exposed to this

instructional practice

during THIS school year?

AI & Algorithmic Personalization. Students understand that their digital data are a commodity and that algorithms and AI are used to target personalized content to them. 

The Business of Media. Students learn that selling audience attention is the way that media companies make money. 

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  • interpret and analyze digital media content thoughtfully

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  • participate responsibly in online discourse

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  • reflect ethically on the role of media and technology for individuals and society

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  • act responsibly when consuming, creating, and sharing digital content 

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The OECD

Media and AI Literacy (MAIL) Assessment

for PISA 2029

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The OECD

Media and AI Literacy (MAIL) Assessment

for PISA 2029

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Review of Key Ideas���

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  • Talking to Family about their AI Experiences �
  • Algorithmic Awareness, Data Reasoning, and Ethical Reflection�
  • Implications for Educators, Researchers, and Practitioners

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  • What’s Coming: OECD’s Media and AI Literacy Assessment

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  • A Challenge for You

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The Challenge: Apply the Core Pedagogies of

Media Literacy to Examine Spotify

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

DIALOGUE & DISCUSSION

TALKING BACK TO MEDIA

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  • Spotify knows a lot about me based on how I use it
  • Human curation from my friends offers context, emotion, and originality
  • Spotify algorithmic personalization uses mathematical representations of sound in creating recommendations
  • Algorithmic personalization keeps me engaged longer on the platform

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  • Will the instantaneity of music streaming services devalue music that isn’t instantly accessible?
  • Do personalized recommendations make the discovery of new musical genres easier or harder?
  • How do AI systems “learn” musical formulas and conventions?
  • How does Spotify affect the incentives for musicians to make money?
  • In the future, will the work of music critics become more important or less important?
  • If music streaming services are optimized to promote “more listening,” is that really a good thing?

TIME TO WONDER

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How is Spotify Shaping Us?

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Spotify Shapes the Platform and then the Platform Shapes You

How is Spotify Shaping Us?

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CRITICAL ANALYSIS

  • Encountering the awe
  • Appreciating the (math)magic
  • Understanding the business model

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DIALOGUE AND DISCUSSION

  • What is missing?
  • Who benefits and who is harmed?
  • What are the unintended consequences?

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TALKING BACK TO MEDIA

  • Adjusting personal behaviors to align with insights from reflection
  • Advocating for policies that increase platform accountability and fairness

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The Challenge: Apply the Core Pedagogies of

Media Literacy to Examine Spotify

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

DIALOGUE & DISCUSSION

TALKING BACK TO MEDIA

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It’s All in the Family�

Media Education in the Age of AI

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Renee Hobbs

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Web: https://mediaeducationlab.com

Email: renee@mediaeducationlab.com