POST TEST

Knowing You Media at Different Ages

DIRECTION: Fill in the table

Age What format/ What format/ What format/

equipment did equipment did equipment did
people use to people use to people use to
communicate store information? share or
with each other? broadcast
information?
Pre- Industrial ✓Traditional paper ✓Traditional paper ✓Traditional paper
Age and writing materials and writing materials and writing materials
(Clay tablets, ✓Cave writings ✓Cave writings
Papyrus, Acta (Clay tablets, (Clay tablets,
Diurna, Dibao, Papyrus, Acta Papyrus, Acta
Codex, Printing Diurna, Dibao, Diurna, Dibao,
press using wood Codex, Printing Codex, Printing
blocks) press using wood press using wood
blocks) blocks)
Industrial Age ✓Paper and Pen ✓Printing press for ✓Printing press for
✓Typrewriter mass production mass production
✓Telephone ✓Punch Cards (IBM ✓Telephone
✓Telegraph cards/Hollerith ✓Newspaper
cards) ✓Telegraph
Electronic Age ✓Telegraph ✓Printing press or ✓Transistor Radio
✓Telegram books ✓Printing press or
✓Telephone ✓Mainframe books
✓Mainframe/Personal Computers ✓Computers
Computers ✓Personal ✓Television
✓Transistor Radio Computers ✓Large Electronic
✓Large Electronic ✓Large Electronic Computers
Computers Computers ✓OHP, LCD
Projectors
Information Age ✓Portable Computer ✓Digital Books ✓ Television
✓Smart/ Mobile ✓Portable Computer ✓ Radio
Phones ✓Smart /Mobile ✓ Digital books
✓Wearable Phones ✓ Websites
Technology ✓Portable Computer
 ✓Social ✓Wearable ✓Smart / Mobile
Media/Network Technology Phones
✓Social ✓Wearable
Media/Network Technology
✓Blogs ✓Web browser
✓Microblogs ✓Social Media
✓Blogs
✓Social Networks
✓Microblogs
✓Video, Video Chat

DIRECTION: Answer the questions below.

Given the available media that we now have in the world, what are its roles and
functions in a democratic society?
The role of the media is vital in generating a democratic culture that extends beyond the
political system and becomes engrained in the public consciousness over time.

The media is often referred to as the fourth branch of government because of the power
they wield and the oversight function they exercise. Ideally, the media is a powerful tool for
informing the public and informing democratic choices through the clarification of complex
issues; provoking public debates leading to greater public participation in important
decisions; uncovering abuses and applying pressure to rectify them; alerting and mobilizing
public opinion on humanitarian causes and injustices; and allowing political pluralism to be
expressed through the propagation of various points of view/ideologies on specific problems
and building necessary support. Most significantly, the media acts as watchdogs, providing
political facts on which we, the voters, make decisions. They serve as the public’s eyes and
ears in monitoring and discovering errors and wrongdoings by people in positions of
authority.

If the media is free, neutral, independent, professional, responsible, and active, democracy is
bound to function more efficiently and the loopholes present in any democratic system can
certainly be plugged to the fullest satisfaction of the people.

1. In what way does media affect your life (personal, professional, academic,
social, others?
With its ever-increasing inventions and technology, the media has become such an integral
part of our lives that we can no longer imagine living without it. The media has the ability to
convey knowledge from one area of the world to another, thus affecting all aspects of our
lives, from personal to professional, academic, and social, to name a few.
One of the primary purposes of the media is to connect people. For personal and social use,
the media allows us to stay in touch with family and friends, form new relationships, and
even develop new identities. We can interact with a large group of individuals online, share
our daily activities, post our personal views and opinions about any subject matter, and get
knowledge from anyone. Media can also be used for various purposes, including advocacy,
both for business and social concerns. This can include advertising, marketing, propaganda,
public relations, and political communication. It improves our professional lives by providing
in-depth information on how to properly use media for profit, job applications, or career
advancement. In addition, it also has a significant impact on our academic lives. It introduces
us to a whole new method of learning, promotes knowledge retention and understanding,
develops digital literacy skills and boosts memory, and makes accessing information easier
and more convenient. Despite the countless benefits that the media has in our lives, it also
has disadvantages. It can have a negative impact on a person’s mental health, leading to
depression, anxiety, hopelessness, self-harm, and even suicidal thoughts. It can also
promote identity theft, cyberbullying, social isolation, corruption, and the dissemination of
false information in society.

Obviously, the way media affects our lives is like a pendulum swinging back and forth; it
doesn’t just stay on one side of the spectrum. Nevertheless, the media provides
communication and connection. It connects us to global events and provides us with
information such as news, history, entertainment, and a lot more. The media helps in
bringing the true facts and information of the world in front of our eyes. And there is no
doubt that the media has done a commendable job from time to time in making people aware
and informed about the realities of life.

2. How does media affect our social values and norms?

Media has the power to influence individual beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors. It provides new
information that persuades individuals to accept it (individual channel), but also informs
listeners about what others learn, thus facilitating coordination (social channel).

The formation of norms and values begins early in life at home, with the roles defined by
both parents, and continues as we grow through the phases of life. They are reinforced by
our experiences and the acceptance we receive in return. Today, in our digital age,
acceptance is no longer limited to a local society or a social group, but rather a global
society we are connected to by the media. It provides broad access to information as well as,
more importantly, a window into other societies. This puts the validity of our own norms into
question, which can be both a positive or negative consequence. The opportunity to openly
engage, debate, and express oneself through the media has prompted people to take action
and challenge the status system. For example, the rise of gender equality and the female
rights movement led by activists. These changes are leading to the formation of new social
norms and values to conform to in pursuit of acceptance and avoidance of isolation.
Overall, the information provided by the media creates a common understanding of a norm
and values, which improves social coordination since people are more willing to accept
information if they believe others have accepted it as well.