Beyond The Screen: How Media Shapes Students’ Understanding Of Society
Katie Hazel
Young people’s views of the world today are being heavily shaped by the media they consume, online and on screen.
Research and theory suggest that repeated themes and long-term exposure to certain media messages can gradually shape a person’s perception of reality, aligning it with the world portrayed on screen. With growing attention towards a media literacy curriculum, teachers will need to stay up to date with the media their students will be consuming to help them reflect critically on it.
Television shows, for instance, are not just for entertainment, they often carry messages about relationships, identity, society, and morality. Waterloo Road explores school life and issues such as knife crime, teenage pregnancies and mental health; Stranger Things delves into friendship, power, and government authority; Heartstopper celebrates LGBT representation and empathy; The Simpsons uses satire to explore societal norms and stereotypes; and Horrible Histories mixes humour with learning, often described as “education through entertainment.” Students watching these programmes may unconsciously adopt perspectives or norms portrayed within them.
Beyond the television screen, teenagers’ views are also being shaped by what they see on their phones. Algorithms reinforce content that aligns with their interests or existing beliefs, subtly influencing how they understand issues such as politics, identity, and the wider world around them. This process is often described by theorists as the Cultivation Theory, where repeated exposure to mediated content gradually normalises certain portrayals of life, society, and identity. A related phenomenon, the rise of algorithmic echo chambers, ensures that teenagers are often only presented with content that reinforces their pre-existing worldviews, subtly influencing their understanding of everything from politics to personal identity.
Understanding how media shapes young people’s worldviews isn’t just an interesting observation, it’s a vital part of modern education. As students absorb messages about society, identity and morality through their screens, teachers could be playing a crucial role in helping them think critically, question narratives, and develop balanced perspectives. However, this is often easier said than done.
Many teachers may feel uneasy discussing controversial topics that students may bring up in the classroom, especially when conversations risk being politically charged or emotionally sensitive. Debates around influences like Andrew Tate, for instance, reveal how online figures can strongly impact young people’s attitudes toward gender, success, and power. Teachers may encounter students echoing his viewpoints yet feel uncertain about how to respond or challenge them, particularly if they are unfamiliar with the influencer’s background or content. Without proper guidance or confidence, opportunities for meaningful dialogue can easily be missed. In addition to this internal uncertainty, teachers are increasingly wary of external repercussions. The fear of parental complaints, negative feedback on social media, or even the risk of a classroom discussion being recorded and going viral out of context can lead to self-censorship, making it easier for educators to avoid sensitive topics altogether.
The recent release of award-winning series Adolescence reignited this tension. Following its release, Prime Minister Keir Starmer suggested it should be shown in schools to spark conversations about masculinity, relationships and online influence. Yet this raised an important question, by which teachers? Should it fall under PSHE, English, or even Computing and Media Studies? With no clear structure or space within the curriculum, such initiatives risk becoming tokenistic rather than transformative.
For English and Literacy, the core skills of media analysis – identifying audience, purpose, and bias, are fundamentally literacy skills. In an English lesson, a teacher might use a news report or a celebrity’s Instagram post as a primary text. Instead of a classic poem, students can be asked to analyse the author’s tone, the use of rhetorical language, and the underlying message being communicated about wealth, gender, or success. This grounds abstract analysis in immediate, modern context.
For PSHE and RSE, the natural home for discussing the influence of figures like Andrew Tate or programmes like Heartstopper. Here, the focus shifts from deconstructing the text to empathy and ethical reflection. Students can engage in structured debates using a ‘spectrum activity’ (strongly agree to strongly disagree) on statements derived from media portrayals of relationships, helping them articulate and test their moral compass in a safe, moderated environment.
Teachers also face curriculum and assessment pressures that leave little room for open-ended discussion. The shift towards exam-heavy qualifications has sidelined critical reflection in favour of measurable outcomes. Even when teachers want to explore media influence, they may feel constrained by school policies or safeguarding guidelines that discourage tackling sensitive or “off-topic” issues.
Despite these challenges, classrooms remain one of the few spaces where young people can safely question and analyse the media messages shaping their lives. By equipping teachers with confidence, up-to-date knowledge, and practical frameworks for discussion, schools could help ensure that these conversations don’t just happen online, but within guided, reflective, and educational settings.
While the influence of media can feel overwhelming, teachers don’t need to be experts in every trend or platform to make meaningful progress. What matters most is creating opportunities for students to explore how and why media shapes their understanding of the world. One simple approach is to start with what students already know. Inviting learners to bring in examples of TV shows, influencers, or online stories that have recently caught their attention can make discussions immediately relevant. Asking open questions such as “What messages or values does this show promote?”, “Who is represented, and who isn’t?” or “How does this compare with real life?” encourages reflection and co-learning. When teachers position themselves as curious facilitators rather than experts, it helps build trust and makes these conversations more authentic.
Media texts can also be used as catalysts for deeper discussion. Short, age-appropriate clips from familiar programmes such as Waterloo Road, Heartstopper, or Horrible Histories can open rich analysis on themes like school life, diversity, and fairness. Through small-group conversations, students might consider whether the media normalises or challenges stereotypes, and what audiences might learn about society from each storyline. These activities develop empathy and critical thinking, while remaining accessible within limited classroom time.
It’s equally important to explore how algorithms and influence shape what young people see online. Teachers can demonstrate how social media feeds are personalised, helping students recognise how two people can experience entirely different digital realities. Comparing anonymised screenshots or news headlines can be a powerful visual way to show how bias and echo chambers form.
Connecting media themes to real-world contexts can extend these conversations further. Linking a storyline about crime in Waterloo Road or identity in Heartstopper to local or global issues encourages students to see how media reflects, distorts, and sometimes challenges reality. Creative follow-up tasks, such as designing a “media campaign for good”, allow learners to apply their critical insights and see how their voices can contribute positively online.
It’s essential to create space for reflection. Whether through journals, digital portfolios, or guided discussions, giving students time to process what they’ve explored helps them internalise the skills of questioning, comparing, and empathising. These reflective activities can easily link to PSHE, English, or Computing objectives, reinforcing that critical engagement with media isn’t an extra, it’s an integral part of preparing young people to navigate society thoughtfully and responsibly.
In an age where the media young people consume increasingly shapes how they see themselves and society, schools have a vital role to play in helping them think critically about the stories that surround them. Teachers don’t need to be experts in every new trend, show, or platform, but they do need to stay curious and informed about the media their students engage with. By watching, listening, and asking questions, educators can bridge the generational gap and guide young people toward healthier, more reflective media habits.
Embedding media literacy within everyday classroom practice—whether through analysing TV shows, unpacking online influence, or discussing representation—helps students make sense of the world beyond the screen. In doing so, teachers empower students not only to understand and challenge the media, but to become the thoughtful, critical, and responsible shapers of the digital society they are inheriting. The classroom is, and must remain, the crucible where critical awareness is forged.
