Media Literacy and Critical Thinking Should Be a Required Class by Prisha

Media Literacy and Critical Thinking Should Be a Required Class by Prisha - June 2025 Scholarship Essay

In an era where information travels faster than verification, I think Media Literacy and Critical Thinking should be a required class for all students. This is based on my two-year research project on misinformation and media literacy which I published through RARS and presented at San Francisco State University and Chabot College.

The Urgent Need

During my research from April 2022 to December 2023 I found out that misinformation doesn’t just spread – it fundamentally changes how people make decisions from health choices to voting patterns. My experience as a project manager at Prisit, a student-owned graphic design company, has shown me how fast content can be created and disseminated. Students need systematic training to navigate this landscape.

What This Class Would Include

A comprehensive media literacy class would teach students to evaluate source credibility, understand how algorithms shape information consumption, analyze visual media for manipulation, and practice information triangulation across multiple sources. These are skills I’ve developed through my research and content creation for my blog StartUpTips101.

Why It Should Be Required

Making this an elective would be like making reading optional. The students who would choose media literacy are often those who already have critical thinking skills. Meanwhile those most vulnerable to misinformation would likely skip it. Through my leadership roles in the Youth Voices Task Group and Student Advisory Council I’ve learned that systemic problems require systemic solutions.

My work with the Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council has shown me how students struggle to evaluate conflicting information about college and career choices. A required media literacy class would give them tools to make informed decisions about their futures.

The Democratic Imperative

Democracy depends on an informed citizenry. The skills taught in media literacy – evidence evaluation, logical reasoning and perspective-taking – are essential for thoughtful participation in democratic society. As I’ve learned through my community service work including my Girl Scouts Silver Award project, the ability to think critically and communicate effectively is key to creating positive change.

In conclusion, media literacy should join reading, writing and arithmetic as fundamental skills taught to every student. In our information-saturated world the ability to navigate truth from fiction isn’t just academic – it’s necessary for personal success and democratic participation.