GAMES FOR MEDIA AND INFORMATION LITERACY - DEVELOPING MEDIA AND INFORMATION LITERACY SKILLS IN CHILDREN THROUGH DIGITAL GAMES CREATION

The developments during the last three decades within the fields of both media and education studies have encountered controversy, yet "point toward a common ground of shared interests around people, practices, and processes in using digital media in different contexts and for different purposes" [10]. This proposal present and discusses the preliminary findings of 'GamiLearning' (2015-2018), an ongoing research project that aims to promote critical and participative dimensions of media and information literacy (MIL) in children through the creation of digital games. The project presents an innovative approach by arguing that games not only promote learning across the curriculum, but that games also can promote media and information literacy (MIL) through the process of creation and development of videogames, in particular operational, editorial, and organizational, socio cultural skills, as well as digital identities managing skills. Children aged 9 to 14 years old participated in the study that included an experimental phase at schools where game design and development was taught, and students created their own games on issues as online security and digital identities. Fieldwork was conducted in four schools and pre and post-test were administered. Preliminary results indicate an increase in some of the variables analyzed, promoting a discussion on the potential of digital game creation as a reflexive tool to enhance MIL, as well as critical thinking and participative skills.