LESSON 5 - Defining and Articulating Information Needs - PDF

Defining and Articulating Information Needs LESSON 5 How to Identify Information Needs Every individual needs correct and relevant information to make better decisions. Information needs refer to what an individual recognizes as needs regarding information, whether personal or professional...

Defining and Articulating Information Needs LESSON 5 How to Identify Information Needs Every individual needs correct and relevant information to make better decisions. Information needs refer to what an individual recognizes as needs regarding information, whether personal or professional, that will serve as basis for decision making in order to survive. How to Identify Information Needs For instance, a parent needs to know more about certain products in the supermarket before he or she purchases them. Moreover a student needs to know the right college course for him or her, taking into consideration his or her interests and competencies. How to Identify Information Needs It is important to know, first and foremost, what we want and how to get there so that we can recognize the need for information and identify and find the right information at the right time. How to Identify Information Needs When we are doing research for our academic work, we need to decide the kind of information that we need. We have to make sure that the topic we have chosen appeals to our own interests and appropriate for us given the needed time and resources to complete the academic requirement. How to Identify Information Needs For example, if this is about mass media, what kind of information are we talking about? s this about television, radio, or newspaper? If this is about television, will this be about telenovelas, news stories, or public service programs? What do we need to know to find out about it? How to Identify Information Needs We need to clarify, revise, and refine these questions to make it easier for us to source out the specific information and arrive at an appropriate and applicable decision. This process is about identifying the nature and extent of information. How to Identify Information Needs The next stage is to answer the question “Why do we need it?” This will allow us to think about our purpose in seeking out particular information and the credible sources for this kind of information. Then, we also need to know for whom we are doing this. Who is the audience of our work and what do they want to know? How to Identify Information Needs In locating information, we need to initially ask ourselves about what we already know about the topic. Some information may be explained based on our experience. Knowing what information is exactly needed and how such will be used is important in deciding where to get it. How to Identify Information Needs In the case of media and the Internet, some of this information may come to us in unfiltered or unrefined formats or unverified ways that we need to check the authenticity, validity, and reliability of the information. Opportunities and Challenges in Media and Information Opportunities and Challenges in Media and Information Some information may be taken from the mass media. If we watch television, we will notice that there are different types of programs such as newscasts, entertainment shows, situational comedies, drama, sports, and public service programs, among others. Opportunities and Challenges in Media and Information Some information may be taken from the mass media. If we watch television, we will notice that there are different types of advertisements and programs such as newscasts, entertainment shows, situational comedies, drama, sports, and public service programs, among others. Opportunities and Challenges in Media and Information Through these programs and advertisements, we gain a lot of information about issues, events, people, products, and places. We learn about events that have transpired, that are happening, and that are yet to happen. These information help us to improve our personal, professional, and social lives. Opportunities and Challenges in Media and Information While there are benefits that we derive from television, there are also some programs and content that may be harmful. Television as the modern-day storyteller relies on content and techniques that are becoming increasingly graphic and realistic. The telenovelas adapted from some parts of the West and Asia may erode Filipino cultural values and perpetuate dependence on foreign programs. Opportunities and Challenges in Media and Information Most advertisements also drive consumerism, particularly those endorsed by celebrities. Repeated exposure to these ads may reinforce materialistic attitudes. Yet others may influence teenagers’ eating habits and thus may impact on their health. Opportunities and Challenges in Media and Information The use of social media, mobile phones, and the Internet may also lead to some challenges such as bullying, identity theft, sexting (use of sexually oriented messages sent through text messaging), commercial fraud, money theft, scandal, and intrusion into privacy. In Conclusion Media and Information as Change Agents Media and information are vital to change and development. A farmer will not be able to sell crops at the right price if he or she is not equipped with information on actual market prices that can be accessed over the radio, online, or print. Media and Information as Change Agents Media and information are critical to our participation in democratic processes. Aside from engaging in the national elections, we also gain information from media reports about government officials who are involved in anomalies and corrupt practices, and we allow the rule of law to decide on their fate. Media and Information as Change Agents Our society is dependent on media and information in order to grow and develop. Information is power. This is why access to information is important to guide us in making decisions. Indeed, knowing the kind of information that we need and where and how to source it are important skills toward becoming media and information literate.