Media and Information Literacy - Week 2 Day 2

Objectives of Study

• Distinguish between traditional media (e.g., tabloid, rotary telephones) and new media (e.g., streamed music, cloud computing).
• Trace the historical origins and evolution of various media forms.
• Encourage discussion of personal thoughts and feelings during class activities.
• Prepare for assessments related to media literacy.

Evolution of Media

• Pre-Industrial Age: Predates the 1700s, characterized by early writing and communication developments.

  • Invention of fire, paper from plants, and initial tools made from stone and metals.
  • Significant artifacts include cave paintings (35,000 BC), clay tablets (2400 BC), and papyrus (2500 BC).
  • Early records: Acta Diurna in Rome (130 BC), Dibao in China (2nd Century), and the Codex in the Mayan region (5th Century).
  • Printing innovation with wood block printing emerged in 220 AD.

• Industrial Age (1700s-1930s): Marked by steam power and machine tool development.

  • Major advancements in mass production due to the printing press around the 19th century.
  • Introduction of key inventions: The London Gazette newspaper (1640), typewriter (1800), and telephone (1876).
  • Innovations in entertainment: motion picture photography (1890) and sound films (1926).

• Electronic Age (1930s-1980s): Development of transistors transformed communication technology.

  • Key inventions included the transistor radio, television (1941), and early computers like EDSAC (1949) and UNIVAC 1 (1951).
  • Mainframe computers began to emerge, with IBM 704 introduced in 1960.

• Information Age (1900s-2000s): Internet emergence led to rapid communication advancements.

  • Significant developments included web browsers like Mosaic (1993) and Internet Explorer (1995).
  • Rise of social networks: Friendster (2002), Multiply (2003), and Facebook (2004).
  • Introduction of blogs and microblogs: Blogspot (1999), Twitter (2006).
  • Multimedia platforms emerged, such as YouTube (2005) and videoconferencing tools like Skype (2003).
  • Birth of search engines: Google (1996), Yahoo (1995); and portable computing devices including laptops and smartphones.

Conclusion

• Understanding the historical progression of media enhances comprehension of contemporary communication technologies.
• Ongoing interaction between technology and human behavior raises questions about influence and adaptation.

Explore the differences between traditional and new media in this engaging quiz. From tabloid journalism to streamed music, identify key elements and their origins. Participate in discussions and demonstrate your understanding through assessment tasks.