Professor Antonio Lopez Co-edits Journal Issue on Ecomedia Literacy
JCU Communications Professor Antonio Lopez, leading international expert on media literacy education, co-edited a special issue on ecomedia literacy co-published by the Journal of Sustainability Education and the Journal of Media Literacy. The other editors are Jeff Share (Faculty Advisor in the Teacher Education Program at UCLA), Theresa Redmond (Associate Professor of Media Studies and Teacher Education at Appalachian State University), and Clare Hintz (editor in chief of the Journal of Sustainability Education).
From left: Jeff Share, Antonio Lopez, and Theresa Redmond
As Professor Lopez explains, ecomedia literacy, also referred to as “green media education,” is an emerging area of media literacy that bridges environmental issues and sustainability with media literacy by critically examining the impact of media and communications technology on the physical environment.
“During the more than 20 years I have been working as a media educator, I have always been surprised by the lack of environment-related curricula and materials that were available. So, I dedicated my research to figure out the barriers and opportunities for solving this problem. This ecomedia literacy-themed issue culminates that work and fulfills my dream of bridging sustainability and media education. Of course, there is still lots to do, but this is a major breakthrough. This is one of many steps to get an international ecomedia literacy movement going,” said Professor Lopez.
In this issue, the collected authors explore various aspects of communication, including the intersections of food, art, language, media as material objects, and the human response to the climate crisis. Some of the topics tackled include various concepts of ecomedia, how contemporary issues are framed through dominant paradigms, how interdisciplinarity can provide new teaching strategies for educators, sustainable classroom strategies, and community-based media programs.
Professor Lopez wrote the articles “Ecomedia: the Metaphor that Makes a Difference,” “Bella Gaia and the Pedagogical Power of the Overview Effect: Interview with Kenji Williams,” and “Fake Climate News: How Denying Climate Change is the Ultimate in Fake News (with Jeff Share).” JCU Studio Art professor William Pettit also has an article called “The Origin of Resources: Sustainable and Experiential Learning in Italy.”
“This issue began as a reaction to the growing global attacks on journalism, the disinformation campaigns around climate chaos, and active fear and spite against science and learning in the United States,” said Hintz.
About the editors
Antonio Lopez has a Ph.D. in Sustainability Education and his research focuses on bridging sustainability with media literacy. He has written three books and published numerous journal articles and book chapters, and he is currently writing a book on ecomedia literacy that will be published by Routledge. Lopez is Chair and Associate Professor of Communications and Media Studies at JCU.
Jeff Share focuses on preparing educators to teach critical media literacy in K-12 education, for the goals of social and environmental justice.
Theresa Redmond studies how media and communication technologies impact literacy, fluency, learning, community, and expression.
Clare Hintz has a Ph.D. in Sustainability Education with a focus on Regenerative Agriculture. Her research focuses on arts-informed inquiry, regenerative agriculture, place, and ecofeminism.
