Media and Education: dichotomies and other possibilities

Abstract

The media have permeated the relationships between people and systems on a global scale, occupying a vital role in contemporary life in terms of culture, politics, economy, and personal relationships. In this sense, it is necessary to understand the limits and possibilities offered by the media and to whom they serve. Reflecting on media education involves the instrumental, critical, and productive/creative appropriation of media by both teachers and education professionals, as well as students and society at large, considering that this knowledge is essential for civic education. Based on the author's experiences in the Graduate Program in Education at the Federal University of Santa Catarina and her work as a temporary teacher in the Municipal Education Network of São José-SC during the years 2023 and 2024, this reflection aims to address how to navigate the dichotomy between the market-driven interests behind educational technologies, considering the verticalization of governmental processes in the educational system, and the role of media education in fostering critical, reflective, and creative thinking for citizenship.