본 연구의 목적은 후기청소년들의 미디어 활동 경험을 분석하여 후기청소년을 위한 미디어 리터러시 역량 개발 방안을 모색하는 데 있다. 이론적 논의로 미디어 리터러시 개념과 구성요소, 후기청소년 미디어 리터러시 교육 및 정책적 쟁점을 다루었다. 연구 방법은 스트라우스와 코빈의 근거이론 방법을 적용해 미디어 활동 경험이 있는 후기청소년들과 미디어 교육 및 정책 전문가 인터뷰 자료를 수집해 개방코딩, 축코딩, 선택코딩 분석을 진행하였다. 분석 결과, 후기청소년들은 진로 탐색 및 취업 준비를 위해 대학교 안팎에서 다양한 미디어 활동을 하고 있었고, 미디어 리터러시 역량 및 기술, 산업, 정책 등 개인적, 사회적 요인으로 인해 여러 한계를 경험하였다. 이를 극복하기 위해 후기청소년들은 능동적, 주체적인 태도로 미디어 리터러시 역량을 강화하고 사회공동체의 일원으로서 참여하고 실천하기 위해 노력하고 있었다. 또한 후기청소년들과 전문가들은 후기청소년 미디어 리터러시 역량 개발 방안으로서 미디어 교육과 정책 관련 법 제정, 통합된 조직 구성 및 조직의 역할 강화, 미디어 리터러시 교육의 제도적 개선을 제안하였다. 마지막으로, 선택코딩에서는 핵심 범주로 후기청소년들의 미디어 리터러시 역량 개발을 위한 실천 방안을 설정했고, 후기청소년들의 미디어 활동을 이론화하였다. 연구 의의는 후기청소년 대상 미디어 교육 및 정책의 의의 및 한계점을 살펴보고 이를 개선하기 위한 후기청소년 미디어 리터러시 역량 개발방안을 제시함에 있다.
The aim of this study is to analyze the media engagement experiences of late adolescents and explore strategies to enhance their media literacy skills. The research delves into the theoretical underpinnings of media literacy, examines relevant educational and policy considerations, and employs Strauss and Corbin"s grounded theory method. Participants include late adolescents with media experience, as well as media education and policy experts. Data collection involves interviews, followed by open, axial, and selective coding analyses. The findings reveal several key insights. Through open coding analysis, 95 conceptual items are identified, leading to the derivation of 27 subcategories and 11 categories. Axial coding highlights the interconnectedness of these categories, culminating in a paradigm model outlining the media engagement process of late adolescents. Despite their transition to adulthood, late adolescents engage in media activities for personal growth and career preparation, encountering challenges such as limited media literacy skills, technological constraints, and societal factors. To address these challenges, late adolescents adopt proactive measures to enhance their media literacy and advocate for policy changes. Recommendations from both late adolescents and experts include the enactment of media education laws, the establishment of integrated organizations, and improvements in institutional media literacy education. Selective coding identifies action plans for developing media literacy skills as a core focus, thus underlining the practical implications of the study. In summary, the study underscores the importance of developing media literacy capabilities among late adolescents and proposes concrete measures to achieve this goal. These measures encompass legislative reforms, organizational initiatives, and educational enhancements aimed at fostering a more media-literate society. Organizations focusing on media education and policy for post-adolescents are currently running projects with overlapping content and limited budgets, hampering their ability to offer diverse programs to the majority. Therefore, to enact legislation on media education, it is essential to establish an integrated implementation system at the government level and proactively pass special laws such as the ‘Digital and AI Literacy Special Act (tentative name)’ to address social issues. The significance of this study lies in examining the importance and constraints of media education and policies for late adolescents and proposing measures to enhance their media literacy capabilities. Particularly noteworthy is the study"s characterization of the media engagement process of late-adolescents and the identification of detailed media literacy needs based on empirical data from post-adolescents and experts. Additionally, the study analyzes the limitations of current media education and policies for post-adolescents and explores avenues to boost their media literacy capabilities. Given that the research was conducted on college students and late-stage adolescents in urban areas, there is a call for an expanded approach through follow-up studies, encompassing various late-adolescent demographics such as employed individuals, military personnel, reclusive youth, or regional late-adolescent groups.