Introduction to

Media and Information Literacy (MIL)

According to WHO:
"The prolonged use of medical masks can be
uncomfortable. However, it does not lead to
CO2 intoxication nor oxygen deficiency.“
UNESCO defines Media and
Information Literacy as a set of
competencies…
… that empowers citizens to access,
retrieve, understand, evaluate and
use media and information content,
…
… to create as well as share
information and media content in all
formats, …
… using various tools, in a critical,
ethical and effective way, in order to
participate…
… and engage in personal,
professional and societal activities.
 Think of the past week and record your
usage and interaction with media and
Your Media information providers (such as internet,
Interaction social media, TV, radio, newspaper, etc.).
Indicate how many hours were spent
engaged in each one.
Sample
The Low-tech Future
 Imagine waking up
one day to find no
Internet, libraries,
cell phones,
newspapers, and
magazines. Radio
stations and TV
channels have also
disappeared.
The Low-tech Future
 How would you be informed of anything new?

What ways would you have to communicate with

one another?

How would you share information and communicate

Questions news and events?

What would happen with the decisions you usually

make?

How would it affect the way you live?

What would you personally miss most in such a

situation?
Learning Objectives
At the end of this lesson, you shall be able
to:
1. Describe how media and information
affect communication.
2. Identify the similarities and
differences of media literacy,
information literacy, and technology
literacy.
3. Describe the value of being a media
and information literate individual
No man is an island.
• Humans are social beings.
• People value the simplest
opportunities to communicate
with other people.
What is
Communication?

Communication is the act or process of using

words, sounds, signs, or behaviors to express
or exchange information or to express your
ideas, thoughts, feelings, etc., to someone
else.
(http://www.merriam-webster.com)
Two Basic Types of Communication
Non-Verbal Verbal
• Signs • Oral
• Symbols • Written
• Colors
• Gestures
• body language
• facial expressions
Communication
Models
Transmission Models
Laswell's Communication Model
Laswell's Communication Model
Example

CNN NEWS – A water leak from Japan’s tsunami-

crippled nuclear power station resulted in about
100 times the permitted level of radioactive
material flowing into the sea, operator Tokyo
Electric Power Co. said on Saturday.
Laswell's Communication Model
Example

Who Tokyo Electric Power Co. operator

What Radioactive material flowing into sea
Channel CNN NEWS (Television medium), Internet
Whom Public
Effect Alert the people of japan from the radiation.
Shannon and Weaver's Communication Model
Shannon and Weaver's Communication Model
Example

John Smith made a call to his assistant “Come

here, I want to see you.”. During his call,
noise appeared (transmission error) and his
assistant was only able to hear “I want”. The
assistant asked John Smith (feedback) to repeat
his message.
 Shannon and Weaver's Communication Model
Example

Sender John

Encoder Telephone (John’s)

Channel Cable

Noise Distraction in voice (transmission error)

Decoder Telephone (assistant’s)

Receiver Assistant
 Expressive model
Communication happens due to the need to share understanding and emotions.
 Publicity model
This approach defines communication as the process of influencing the mind of others
through messages.
 Reception model
In this model, the communication is an open process. This means that messages sent and
received are open to various interpretations based on context and the culture of the
receiver.
David Berlo’s Communication Model
Media and Information
Media
• The physical objects used to communicate with, or the mass
communication through physical objects such as radio, television,
computers, or film.
Media
• source of credible information
• there is an editorial process
• editorial accountability can be
attributed to an organization
 Categories of Media

Category Examples
Modality Text, audio, video, graphics, animation
Format Digital or analog
Ways of transmitting Electromagnetic or radio waves, light waves

Mass media form TV, radio, print, Internet, telephone, or mobile

Important Terms
 • In general terms, literacy is equivalent to a skill.
• The ability to identify, understand, interpret, create,
Literacy communicate, and compute, using printed and written
materials associated with varying contexts. (UNESCO)
Media Literacy
• The ability to access, analyze, evaluate, and create
media in a variety of forms.
• It aims to empower citizens by providing them
with the competencies (knowledge and skills)
necessary to engage with traditional media and
new technologies.
Information Literacy
• The ability to recognize when information is
needed, and to locate, evaluate, and
effectively communicate information in its
various formats.
Technology Literacy
• The ability of an individual, either working
independently or with others, to responsibly,
appropriately, and effectively use technological tools.
Using these tools an individual can access, manage,
integrate, evaluate, create and communicate
information.
Media and
Information Literacy
• The essential skills and competencies that allow
individuals to engage with media and other
information providers effectively, as well as
develop critical thinking and life-long learning skills
to socialize and become active citizens.

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY

As UNESCO puts it,
“A literate community is a dynamic community, one that
exchanges ideas and engages in debate; illiteracy, however, is
an obstacle to a better quality of life and can even breed
exclusion and violence.”
What It Takes to Be Media and Information Literate

To become a media and information literate individual:

One must acquire skills in discerning, appreciating, and filtering
information. This involves being more media savvy and better
acquainted with information sources.
Typology of
Media Literacy
Acquiring Fundamentals

• Learning that there are human beings and other physical things apart from one’s self;
these things look different and serve different functions
• Learning the meaning of facial expressions and natural sounds
• Recognizing shapes, form, size, color, and movement
Acquiring Fundamentals
• Learning that there are human beings and other physical things apart from one’s self;
these things look different and serve different functions
• Learning the meaning of facial expressions and natural sounds
• Recognizing shapes, form, size, color, and movement
Language Acquisition

• Recognizing speech sounds and attach meaning to them

• Being able to reproduce speech sounds
• Orienting to visual and audio media
• Making emotional and behavioral responses to music and sounds
• Recognizing certain characters in visual media and follow their movement
Language Acquisition

Recognizing speech sounds and attach meaning to them

Being able to reproduce speech sounds
Orienting to visual and audio media
Making emotional and behavioral responses to music and sounds
Recognizing certain characters in visual media and follow their movement
Narrative Acquisition

• Developing understanding of differences between:

• Fiction vs. nonfiction
• Ads vs. entertainment
• Real vs. make-believe
• Understanding how to connect plot elements
Developing Skepticism

• Discounting claims made in ads

• Sharpening differences between likes and dislikes for shows, characters, and actions
• Making fun of certain characters even though those characters are not presented as
foils in their shows
Intensive Development

• Strongly motivated to seek out information on certain topics

• Developing a detailed set of information on particular topics (sports, politics, etc.)
• Has high awareness of utility of information and quick facility in processing
information judged to be useful
Experiential Exploring

• Seeking out different forms of content and narratives

• Focusing on searching for surprises and new emotional, moral, and aesthetic
reactions
Critical Appreciation

• Developing very broad and detailed understanding of the historical, economic,

political, and artistic contexts of message systems
• Ability to construct a summary judgment about the overall strengths and weaknesses
of a message
Social Responsibility

• Taking a moral stand that certain messages are more constructive for society than
others
• Recognizing that one’s own individual decisions affect society – no matter how
minutely
• Recognizing that there are some actions an individual can take to make a constructive
impact on society
 Critical Thinking: An Important
Component of MIL

As producers and
consumers of information,
you must display the ability This ability is known as
to evaluate the kind of critical thinking.
information you access and
share.