A proactive strategy: using a critical digital literacies approach to support the anti-bullying movement

Abstract

This paper outlines an eight-week project in a grade 9 English course that integrated a Critical Digital Literacies (CDL) framework. The CDL approach focuses on critical literacy and social justice principles while learning with digital media. This narrative details the experiences of those involved in the project, while reflecting on the affordances, challenges, and learnings associated with CDL pedagogies. The educators consider the impact of CDL on adolescents' perspectives of social norms, inequalities, relationship dynamics, and dominant ideologies. Lastly, they seek to discover the influence of CDL practices on students' awareness of social justice issues and attitudes towards taking action.