Introduction

Abstract

Media education in Asia is a relatively young, but rapidly developing part of the curriculum. Research has been conducted and papers written on various issues concerning media education in Asia. The dominant models of media education in the world are broadly Western and, more particularly, drawn from English-speaking countries; the question is whether a similar pattern exists in Asia, where there may be differences in culture, heritage, beliefs, values, education policy, as well as curriculum and pedagogy. Are educators in Asia following the western model in developing and implementing media education, or are they devising their own models? With this question in mind, this book sets out to understand the prevailing perspectives regarding media education in various Asian societies. While most debates about media education are carried out in Western contexts, this book hopes to provide a platform for readers to examine this issue in an Asian context. Though media education has made very uneven progress in Asian societies, a study of each case will give insights into the future development and implementation of media education in these Asian societies.