Understanding Media & Information Literacy

• Media and Information Literacy is crucial in a world saturated with information from various media sources like the Internet and traditional media

• Individuals communicate and consume media through different tools and means of communication

• Communication has been essential to human development, even before traditional media existed

Ancient Communication

• The earliest known forms of communication are cave paintings, dating back to about 30,000 BCE
• Humans used writing on surfaces like clay, parchment, and stones to record their thoughts

Communication Process

• Communication involves exchanging messages or information between a sender and a receiver to generate meaning

• Laswell and Shannon-Weaver's model of communication includes a sender, message, channel, receiver, and feedback (effect)

Media Defined

• "Media" is the plural of "medium"
• The term comes from the Latin word "medius”, which means middle.
• Media refers to the tools or channels employed to mediate or facilitate communication between a sender and a receiver

Mass Media Defined

• Mass media reaches a large audience through television, radio, and newspapers

Impact of Media Exposure

• Media exposure can influence how people behave and interact in society

Disinfodemic

• UNESCO noted that the COVID-19 pandemic led to a "disinfodemic."
• Conspiracy theories and harmful, erroneous information spread rapidly online and offline
• The rapid spread of misinformation disputed both the reality of Coronavirus and the necessity for vaccines.

Importance of Critical Evaluation

• It is essential to critically evaluate the content that is consumed

Information Processing Choices

• One can passively accept information or actively process and filter it for usefulness

Self-Reflection on Media Consumption

• Consideration should be given as to whether you are a passive or active media consumer

• Media and Information Literacy recognizes the role of information and media in daily lives

• It encompasses the skills needed to navigate today's complex communications environment, according to UNESCO

Definitions

• Media are vehicles carrying messages from one person to another, or from one person to a group
• Information is a broad term derived from study, experiences, or instruction, referring to any facts or details about a subject
• Media Literacy highlights the ability to understand how the media functions and to determine media platforms' relevance and worth
• Individuals with media literacy know how to manage media accounts and platforms
• Information Literacy is a skill set that involves recognizing information needs and effectively locating, evaluating, and using information
• Information literacy involves careful and legal gathering of information, while avoiding plagiarism and respecting intellectual property rights
• Technology Literacy is the ability to use technology responsibly for communication, problem-solving, accessing, managing, integrating, evaluating, designing, and creating information
• It improves learning and helps individuals in the 21st century get lifelong knowledge and skills

Media and Information Literacy

• Media and Information Literacy is the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, and create information from media and various sources

Real-world applications

• The late Manila Archbishop Jaime Cardinal L. Sin played a crucial role in the historic and peaceful February 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution

• The EDSA People Power Revolution ended the 20-year rule of former President Ferdinand E. Marcos

• In 2001, Filipinos used cellphones and text messages to rally against then-President Joseph Estrada

• In a single day, 70 million texts were recorded

• In 2014, mobile telecommunications networks advised the public against text scams involving fake discounts and prizes aimed at stealing cellphone loads and private information

• During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, public health organizations and governments utilized social media to share updates and verified resources about the disease and vaccines

Rights and Access

• Citizens are entitled to freedom of speech and public information, which is their property
• Media and information providers like libraries, archives, and the Internet should ensure free access to information for all

Content Considerations

• Not all content qualifies as information, says UNESCO

Disinformation vs Misinformation vs Fake News

• Disinformation: Deliberate attempts to confuse or deceive, often through planned campaigns that spread false information
• Misinformation: Misleading information spread without manipulative or malicious intent
• Fake News: An oxymoron used to undermine credible material that meets standards of verifiability and public interest (i.e., real news)

Impact of Learning MIL

• Learning Media and Information Literacy helps individuals become critical thinkers, information producers, and innovators in media
• MIL-equipped citizens can demand high-quality, rights-respecting services from media and information providers

Skills Involved in Information Literacy Include:

• Understanding the need for information

• Recognizing the type and amount of information needed, and why it is needed

• Recognizing available resources--where to find them, how to access them, and when they are appropriate to use

• Seeking information as more than a one-step process

• Evaluating information through triangulation for validity, reliability, and accuracy

• The Internet is key for comparing, combining, and testing results with other sources

• Applying ethics and responsibility while giving proper attribution to avoid copy-pasting from the internet without giving credit

• Communicating in a suitable way depending on who receives the information

• Managing findings effectively involves knowing how to store and organize acquired information using methods like folders, hard drives, flash drives, and cloud storage (Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive)