Media & Information Literacy: Communication Models

Media & Information Literacy

• Media are communication channels.
• The term "media" is the plural form of "medium".
• The word "communication" comes from the Latin word "communis," meaning to make common or to share.

The Shannon-Weaver Model

• Involves message transmission between a sender and a receiver.
• Claude Shannon introduced the model in 1948.
• Requires two parties involved at both ends.
• Illustrates a linear communication process and is the simplest, oldest model.

David Berlo's SMCR Model

• David Berlo added the receiver's reaction, or feedback, to the communication process.
• Communication is only effective if the message is received.
• Main components include: Sender, Message, Channel, and Receiver.

Grapevine Communication

• The Wheel: One person predominantly transmits information.
• The Cluster: several groups of people are linked together by a cluster or chain of communication
• The Chain: Information is passed indirectly from person to person.
• Free flow: Rumors and gossip spread randomly through a haphazard network.

Media, Information, and Culture

• Media Literacy: the ability to critically analyze media stories for accuracy and credibility.
• Information Literacy: the ability to recognize, locate, and evaluate needed information.
• Media Information and Literacy: the ability to fully use various types of media
• Culture is the sum of characteristics that identify and differentiate human societies, including a nation's language, history, and traditions.

Pre-Historic Age

• Information was first inscribed on stones.
• The Pre-Historic age occurred approximately 4.5 million years ago.
• Prehistoric people carved stones for hunting use.
• Crude stone tools were used to create petroglyphs and pictographs.
• Petroglyphs are rock carvings, while pictographs are rock paintings.
• Pictographs are often found on cave walls and depict words or ideas.

Industrial Age (1700s - 1930)

• Began in 18th century Great Britain.
• Characterized by media inventions that changed information spread.
• 1774, George Louis Lesage invented electric telegraph.
• 1829, W.S. Burt invented typewriter.
• 1876, Alexander Graham Bell invented telephone.
• 1877, Thomas Edison invented phonograph, revolutionizing audio recording.
• 1894, Radio invented by Guglielmo Marconi.
• Printing Press: Invented by Johannes Gutenberg

Golden Age of Television, Radio, and Cinema (Early 1900s)

• Entertainment via TV, radio, and cinema increased.
• 1918, "Cupid Angling" was the first color movie.
• 1920, John Logie Baird invented television.
• 1923, TIME magazine was launched.
• 1927, Philo Farnsworth made the first successful TV transmission.

Electronic Age (1940s Onward)

• 1940, CATV system for cable TV was developed.
• 1950, Black and white television became mainstream.
• 1960, FM radio gained popularity.
• 1963, Introduction of audio cassettes.
• 1972, Ray Tomlinson developed email.
• 1973, John Mitchell and Martin Cooper developed the first handheld mobile phone.
• 1975, VCRs allowed for recording TV programs.
• 1980, Color TV became mainstream and the "Columbus Dispatch" became the first online newspaper.
• 1981, IBM introduced the personal computer.
• 1985, Microsoft launched Windows.
• 1986, MCI Mail became the first commercial email service.

Evolution of New Media (21st Century)

• 1990s-2000s: Digital Revolution with the invention of the internet and rise of social media.
• 1991: Tim Berners-Lee developed the World Wide Web.
• 1995: Microsoft launched Internet Explorer.
• 1997: DVDs replaced VCRs.
• 2001: Instant messaging services like AOL Instant Messenger became popular.
• 2002: Launch of satellite radio.
• 2004: Facebook was launched.
• 2005: YouTube was launched.
• 2006: Twitter was launched.
• 2007: Tumblr was launched.
• 2010: Instagram and Reddit were launched.
• 2010: Quora was launched.
• 2011: Snapchat introduced ephemeral messaging.
• 2013: Telegram was launched.
• 2016: TikTok was launched.

Information Literacy

• Ability to recognize when information is needed.
• Requires discerning information gaps and knowing what type of resources to use.
• Requires critical evaluation skills with the ability to present information effectively.

Information Literacy Steps

• Identify the nature and extent of the information needed.
• Locate information effectively and efficiently.
• Critically evaluate information and its sources.
• Organize systematically by categorizing the information.
• Create and share knowledge responsibly and ethically.

Five Important Skills for information literacy

• Practice critical thinking skills
• Use various search strategies
• Evaluate sources
• Synthesize information
• Seek guidance

Print Media

• Print media uses words and photos to inform people.
• Books: record information using written and images
• Newspapers: publications containing current events, business, sports, art, and science
• Newsletters: publications similar to newspapers, and contain business or organization activities
• Magazines: periodicals with content is often weekly or monthly
• Journals: records of personal thoughts and events.

Broadcast Media

• Broadcast includes a different spectrum of media such as TV, radio, newspapers, and magazines
• Radio: transmits audio to a public audience
• TV: transmits moving images and sound for advertising, entertainment, news, and sports.
• Film: communicates experiences and or emotions through moving images

New Media/Internet

• Created by ARPANET in 1969 for the government, later became the internet concept in 1982
• The internet has broadcasting capabilities and collaboration and interaction

Types of New Media

• Blogs: Informational websites of diary style entries
• E-mail: Sends messages using devices
• Social Media: Involves sharing interactive forms of media to enhance human connectivity
• Infographics: Intended to present information quickly and clearly

Media Convergence

• Multiple media technologies are brought together into one device

Information Source

• Knowledge and data processed by signals.
• Includes study, experience or instructions

Media Source

• Any resources that are communicating to the general public the origin of information.
• It can also be referred to as a communication channel, such as books or news networks

Types of Information Sources

• Human sources are people that are conduits of information, such as Journalists, experts and even social media users
• Indigenous knowledge is produced naturally and is specific to our society, but is no often written down.

Forms of Indigenous Media

• Folk or traditional media.
• Gatherings and social organizations.
• Direct observation.
• Records (Written, carved, oral).
• Oral instruction.

EXAMPLES OF INDIGENOUS MEDIA: Folk Dances, Folk Song, Folktales

• Indigenous communities adhere to oral tradition communication.
• Indigenous media as a tool for expression and participation
• Libraries hold literary, musical, and artistic materials for use, and provide access to physical and digital materials.

Types of Libraries

• Public libraries serve cities or towns.
• School libraries serve students from kindergarten to grade 12.
• Academic libraries support higher education.
• Specific libraries are located in specialized environments

Internet vs Libraries

• Similarities: Both offer a lot of information such as books videos articles and more.
• Differences: Libraries are curated like books, and journals. The internet contains a vast amount but it can be unreliable
• Accessibility: Libraries may have limited physical hours to access, but internet is accessible 24/7
• Evaluation of Information: Libraries offer guidance from librarians, and the internet requires critical thinking skills.

When evaluating online information

• Be awar of the author ship
• Who is publishing the body behind
• How accurate are facts and support
• Currency and the timeliness

Additional consideration

• Is it reliable and trustworthy
• How valuable is it and how relevant
• Is it from an authority or author
• How timely the data is

Skills for assessing reliability

• Check the author
• Verify the pub date
• Review supporting evidence
• Examine the domain