The Future of Education
Child as Co-Author: Interdisciplinary Integration of Visual Arts and Media Literacy in Early Childhood Education
Lana Skender, Academy of Arts and Culture, J. J. Strossmayer University (Croatia)
Darija Kuharić, Faculty of Education, J. J. Strossmayer University (Croatia)
Abstract
This paper examines the interdisciplinary integration of visual arts and media literacy in early childhood education, based on the concept of the child as a co-author in processes of meaning-making. Drawing on contemporary approaches to media literacy, visual culture, and constructivist pedagogy, the study positions the child as an active constructor of knowledge rather than a passive recipient of media content. The empirical part presents a qualitative case study of a six-year-old child who, after reading a story written by one of the authors, developed a narrative interpretation and translated it into a series of original illustrations. The analysis explores the relationship between verbal narrative and visual representation, focusing on how the child identifies and interprets elements of media messages—such as colour, characters, emotional tone, and communicative intention—and reconfigures them through artistic expression. The findings suggest that integrating visual arts with media literacy supports the development of critical thinking, visual analysis, and creative interpretation. The child emerges as an active interpreter and co-author of meaning, highlighting the pedagogical value of artistic production in fostering early media competence and supporting interdisciplinary approaches in early education.
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Keywords |
media literacy; visual arts; early childhood education; child as co-author; constructivism; case study |
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