Media information literacy education and evaluation system in Japan - An example of Japanese high school information curriculum

Abstract

From 2020 to 2023, governance of false information becomes a global issue as covid-19 pandemic continues to spread around the world. WHO has even coined the term "Infodemic" to highlight the dangers of false information. False information, as a global issue, has already caused severe problems, challenging the governing capacity of administrators all over the world. In Japan, there are ridiculous but widespread rumors like "running out of toilet paper due to the shortage of masks". On the other hand, with the rapid development of AI technology, the cost of spreading false information is getting lower while the expense of refuting it is getting higher. Media Information Literacy (MIL) is the most effective strategy to address this dilemma. Since the 1980s, Japan has developed a comprehensive media information literacy education system and a learning effectiveness evaluation system based on the experiences of European and American countries. This paper will introduce the Japanese media information literacy education and evaluation system by taking the Japanese high school "information" course as an example, whose course syllabus are closely integrated with the current social reality and the evaluation methods applied are also derived from its learning objectives. The exploration and practice of Japan in the development of media information literacy education and evaluation set a good example for country whoever faces the same situation.