| Over the years, the Catholic Church has explored issues of media technology and how it relates to education. At the same time, a number of profound, modern Catholic thinkers have wrestled with the nature of media technology and how it affects the human condition. These two threads have been independent of each other. An effective conceptual understanding of the role and meaning of media technology in Catholic education requires us to weave these two threads together to craft an integrated and coherent synthesis. The question I raise is: in a culture that promulgates the digital lifestyle as the standard and norm, is there a proper way for Catholics to engage media technology? And because education forms the foundation with which we transmit our values, heritage, and worldview, we ask the attendant question of how Catholics should integrate media technology in their education? Directed at Catholics, and particularly educators, administrators, policymakers, parents, communicators, as well as creators and recipients of media technologies, this dissertation proposes seven foundational policies or keys for effective media technology engagement. These keys are in turn grounded on fundamental precepts found in scripture, magisterial documents on social communications or education, as well as discerningly mined from a wide range of other sources that offer wisdom about education and/or media technology. A prototype for an instructional technology lesson that is naturally derived from these keys is the logical next step, and is proffered in anticipation that it may be adapted to various lesson plans, home schooling activities, as well as courses in other subject areas that have with them a goal to integrate media technologies. We are at a point in multimedia learning and educational technology where practical explorations can greatly help chart the direction, type, and methods of instruction. This exploration set at the intersection of Catholic education and media technology is a first step on the journey toward empowering Catholic institutions, parents, and educators to engage media technologies in a practical way while at the same time upholding and actively living the Catholic identity and philosophy of life (Ong, 1990, p. 347). |
