The research group works within the broad discipline of literature for children and young adults both in and out of educational contexts by researching children’s multimedia texts, their uses in classrooms for a variety of purposes, and their places in the daily lived realities of children and adults across the globe. It is a community of interests where collaboration on research and educational development related to media for children and young adults is central. This involves related topics such as diverse representation in children’s media, the selection and use of texts to support classroom learning, the development of critical literacy skills and education, and ongoing shifts in sociocultural constructions of childhood and adolescence. 

Children and teens encounter media in nearly every facet of their lives. In addition to traditional formats like novels, picture books, graphica, and poetry, the proliferation of digital media, social media, film, and television means that childhood and adolescence are increasingly shaped by the consumption, production, and dissemination of all manner of texts. This virtually unlimited access to information previously gatekept by adults and institutions is unprecedented and brings us to a key moment in research about children, adolescents, literature, and media. Literature and media for children and adolescents abounds, and educational practices that prepare students for a media-saturated world are essential. The research group works at the nexus of this enormous cultural change, examining the texts and contexts of childhood and adolescence. Members are involved in various projects related to the group’s core specialties and meet regularly to present research and discuss current issues in the field in a multidisciplinary forum. 

Activities and Objectives

• Seminars related to children’s and young adult media and literature in education
• Projects, research, and development related to thematic issues 
• Promote research collaboration between national and international institutions within relevant topics
• Contribute to academic and didactic development and research-based teaching practice
• Participation in national and international conferences

Projects

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