The construct of media and information literacy in Singapore education system: Global trends and local policies

Abstract

This paper discusses the representation of information literacy and media literacy in the Singapore education discourse as part of its 21st century competencies framework. Through examining the conceptual definitions, purposes/aims, and means of these two significant 21st century competencies in the global context and the Singapore education policy, the authors argue that despite both information literacy and media literacy have been widely recognized as crucial skills in the knowledge-based economy, they are perceived as separate concepts, given differentiated emphasis, and implemented using similar approaches by various governmental and educational agencies in Singapore. To facilitate the acquisition of these critical competencies, this paper argues that an overarching framework featuring the seamless integration of information and media literacy in school curricula and public education needs to be in place to clarify conceptual concerns and guide its practical implementation.