Integrating the Book into Media Education Syllabi

Media education is an independent subject or an integral part of other subjects in cur-ricula at all levels of education in numerous countries. These countries recognise that in the contemporary world our time and environment are fundamentally defined by the mass media. Recent media research indicates a clear predominance of the visual media and new technologies over other forms of media communication. The book as the oldest mass medium has been marginalised in use and excluded from media education courses. The author argues that the book should be introduced in media education syllabi and that an appropriate environment should be secured where the book will receive due attention. Media competence, which is the proclaimed aim of all models of media edu-cation, cannot be achieved without reading literacy. Key words: media competence, media education, book as medium If we are no longer able to read, our world will first look threatening, then strange, and finally we will stop caring about it