Module 1

  MIL As a Composite Concept  MIL is a concept made up of distinct parts and elements combined; (1) Media Literacy, (2) Information Literacy     Competencies generally associated with Media Literacy  ● Understand the role and functions of media  ● Understand the conditions under which media can fulfill their functions  ● Critically analyze and evaluate media content  ● Use media for democratic participation, intercultural dialogue and learning  ● Produce user generated content    Competencies generally associated with Information Literacy  ● Definition and articulation of information  ● Location and access of information  ● Assessment of information  ● Organization of information  ● Use of information  ● Communication and ethical use of information    \"On the one hand, information literacy emphasizes the importance of access to information and the evaluation and ethical use of such information. On the other hand, media literacy emphasizes the ability to understand media functions, evaluate how those functions are performed and to rationally engage with media for self-expression... Various definitions or conceptualizations of media literacy and information literacy education point to competencies that emphasize the development of enquiry-based skills and the ability to engage meaningfully with media and information channels in whatever form and technologies they are using.\"  (pg. 18 UNESCO Media and Information Literacy Curriculum for Teachers) 

  MIL in our context posits that, if one is to be literate in today's media landscape, the competencies associated with each type of literacy are to be understood as a combined set of competencies, not competencies separate and distinct from one another.  React  How is the information connected to something you know about?   What new ideas or impressions do you have that extended your thinking in new directions?   What is challenging or confusing? What do you wonder about?     Reflect  Should the competencies of media literacy and information literacy be understood as a combined set of competencies?   What might be some advantages of this combination?   What might be some of the drawbacks? Which media literacy competencies am I weaker at? Which am I stronger at? Which information literacy competencies am I weaker at? Which am I stronger at? What will I do considering this reflection of my strengths and weaknesses?   Respond     Answer the reflect questions by uploading a Word, txt, odt, (you get the idea) file in the Assignments tab.    Here they are again;    1. Why should the competencies of media literacy and information literacy be understood as a combined set of competencies?   2. What might be some advantages of this combination?   3. What might be some of the drawbacks? 

4. Which media literacy competencies am I weaker at? Which am I stronger at? 5. Which information literacy competencies am I weaker at? Which am I stronger at? 6. What will I do considering this reflection of my strengths and weaknesses? UNESCO’s 5 Laws of MIL This is a bit of a longer lesson so if you aren’t in groove yet, this might be the lesson to do it.        Read/Research:    

In late 2016 (or early 2017), UNESCO released their 5 Laws of MIL. This was the accompanying text in their release post;        “We are travelling towards the universality of books, the Internet and all forms of “containers of knowledge”. Media and information literacy for all should be seen as a nexus of human rights. Therefore, UNESCO suggests the following Five Laws of Media and Information Literacy.”         The first sentence seems rather straightforward. The more interesting question is how the second sentence in light of the first one leads to need for the five laws of MIL.          Scientia potentia est (knowledge is power) seems to be the underlying assumption in the reasoning of UNESCO. The ability to gain knowledge is empowering. Conversely, depriving the person of their ability to gain knowledge is depriving a person of empowerment. This denial of empowerment is tantamount to denying the very thing that allows people to know and fight for their human rights. So in order to protect the right to access information, UNESCO proposed the so-called \"laws\" of Media and Information Literacy.          In crafting the proposed laws of MIL, UNESCO looked to Five Laws of Library Science proposed by S. R. Ranganathan in 1931 for inspiration.        They are as follows;         1. Books are for use.    2. Every person his or her book.    3. Every book its reader.    4. Save the time of the reader.    5. Library is a growing organism.         Also something worth noting, the use of the word “law” in this context isn’t meant to be taken as laws that can be enforced in a civil court. It seems rather obvious but you never know.       

Law 1 inspired by \"Books are for Use\"    \"Information, communication, libraries, media, technology, the Internet as well as other forms of information providers are for use in critical civic engagement and sustainable development. They are equal in stature and none is more relevant than the other or should be ever treated as such.\"        The first sentence asserts that media, information, and sources of information ought to be used for two things; (1) Civic engagement and (2) Sustainable development.    Civic engagement – “Individual and collective actions designed to identify and address issues of public concern” - Michael Delli Carpini         Sustainable development – “Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” - Bruntland Commission Report” (1987)         The second sentence asserts that media as sources of information ought to be treated as equal in stature.          When doing research, for example, teachers have the tendency to over-value physical books and libraries as sources while students have the tendency to over-value websites and the internet as sources. This ought not to be the case as each source of information has something worthwhile to offer someone looking for some information.          Another idea that can be read into this law of MIL is stopping censorship. If we assume that all sources of information and media are equal in stature, it follows that the suppression of one idea over the other is a violation.         Question for consideration: What about books like Chariots of the Gods by Erich von Däniken (the source of the idea that our deities were actually ancient aliens) and documents like The Flat Earth Society Manifesto? Are we to take sources of information that are demonstrably false as equal to other, more “reliable” sources?       

Law 2 inspired by \"Every Person His or Her Book\"    \"Every citizen is a creator of information/knowledge and has a message. They must be empowered to access new information/knowledge and to express themselves. MIL is for all – women and men equally – and a nexus of human rights.\"         The first sentence asserts that everyone, simply by virtue of being a human being, is a creator of information or knowledge. Further, humans also naturally desire to communicate their thoughts or feelings.          This ability for creation and communication is something that makes us uniquely human. Animals, as far as we know, do not consciously create knowledge or information nor do they appear to communicate a message.  From the Judeo-Christian tradition, this is the human person partaking in the process of creation and is one of the things that differentiates the rational soul from vegetative and sentient.          The second sentence has two contentions; (1) that people must be empowered to access new knowledge and information and (2) people must be given the opportunity to express themselves.          Why should people be given the opportunity to express themselves? If we accept that communication of a message is natural and proper to human beings, it is improper to deny people the opportunity to do so. Further, some [citation needed] have argued that the freedom of expression is the most important right in a democracy because it is through this freedom of expression that people can voice concerns over a government that violates or will potentially violate an individual’s other rights.          Why should people be empowered to access new knowledge and information? If we accept the Westley and MacLean model of communication in that messages communicated come from sources outside the speaker, it stands to reason that the quality of the message communicated is dependent on the quality of the information the sender consumes. To deny access to new information and knowledge would be to stifle the improvement of messages communicated.   

     Questions for consideration: Are there instances whereby access to information can be and ought to be limited? Are there instances where free speech can be and ought to be limited?         Law 3 inspired by \"Every Book Its Reader\"    \"Information, knowledge, and messages are not always value neutral, or always independent of biases. Any conceptualization, use and application of MIL should make this truth transparent and understandable to all citizens.\"         The first sentence tells us two things, (1) Information, knowledge, and messages are not always value neutral and (2) they are not always independent of bias.         If you remember from UCSP, values are “society’s shared ideas or standards of what is right or wrong, ethical or unethical, acceptable or unacceptable, worthy or unworthy, desirable or undesirable.” (Amper, et al.). Values, in the context of our discussion may also be taken to mean someone’s adherence to or belief in these shared standards.          To say that something is value neutral means that these shared ideas or standards are not embedded or expressed in the message. Usually these are mere statements of fact. Statements that aren’t value neutral, on the other hand, do have these points of view embedded in them. If confronted with a message that appears to make some sort of judgment, the statement isn’t value neutral.         “Those models aren’t wearing any clothing” vs. “That’s pornography”         Bias can be thought of as a more extreme form of non-value neutrality. That is to say, bias represents a disproportionate favor for one point-of-view over another.          It must be pointed out that this law of MIL doesn’t discount the possibility of the value neutrality or freedom from bias of messages but rather acknowledges that this isn’t always the case. Straight news reports, for example, may be value neutral and free of bias. However, there may be cases where an inexperienced

news reporter writes a story where the bias of a person that they interviewed comes out in the story. Also, sometimes bias may be seen in the choice of what is presented. Information unfavorable to one side of a political debate may be withheld in order to shape public opinion around value neutral and unbiased information from one side.          The second sentence argues that everyone should be made aware that messages are potentially non-value neutral and may contain some bias. A media literate person is one who is not only aware of messages being sent to them but is likewise aware of the messages behind the message. Concrete manifestations of this law are pieces of legislation throughout the world that will require content that has some sort of sponsorship to disclose this fact.         a. Question for consideration: Are online content creators held to the same standards by regulators with regard to sponsorships and disclosures? Should they be?      Law 4 inspired by \"Save Time for the Reader\"    \"Every citizen wants to know and understand new information, knowledge and messages as well as to communicate, even if she/he is not aware, admits or expresses that he/she does. Her/his rights must however never be compromised.\"         This law seems to be a re-statement of some of the ideas in the second law and should probably be included as part of the second law or at the very least put before the second law.         Why should people be given access to new knowledge and information (2nd law)? Because Every citizen wants to know and understand new information, knowledge and messages as well as to communicate, even if she/he is not aware, admits or expresses that he/she does.         Question for consideration: Has there ever been a time when you learned something you didn’t expect to learn? What did you learn and are you better for having learned it?   

Law 5 inspired by \"Library is a Growing Organism\"    \"Media and information literacy is not acquired at once. It is a lived and dynamic experience and process. It is complete when it includes knowledge, skills and attitudes, when it covers access, evaluation/assessment, use, production and communication of information, media and technology content.\"        The first two sentences would seem to argue that media and information literacy is a lifelong learning process. The third sentence, however, would seem to contradict this idea by giving a condition by which one can say that MIL is complete (when it includes knowledge, skills, attitudes, etc…)          How would one reconcile the apparent contradiction?          One way would be to acknowledge that information and communication technology is in a constant state of flux and the requisite knowledge and skills to effectively utilize these likewise change constantly. I would argue that our literacy insofar as a landline is concerned is complete. The use of a physical library or the full extent of Google, maybe not so much.          On top of that, the amount of literature available on the subject of media and information literacy keeps growing.          In other words, we’re aiming at a constantly growing, constantly moving target.          Another way to reconcile the apparent contradiction would be to acknowledge the need to develop in people the skillset of learning how to learn. Skills such as the critical reading of texts of all kinds, the habit of digging into the “deeper whys” of things, and the desire to arrive at a more comprehensive understanding of reality through sound judgement.         React:      As per usual, take note of the following guide questions;   

    a. How is the information connected to something you know about?     b. What new ideas or impressions do you have that extended your thinking in new directions?     c. What is challenging or confusing? What do you wonder about?         Reflect:   Here are a few questions to reflect on;        Imagine a state where UNESCO’s “Laws” are completely ignored or actively suppressed. What would life be like if each of UNESCO’s law isn’t respected? Would you like to live in such a state? If so, why? If not, what can you do to enhance and ensure that our society continues to maintain these ideals?       Respond:        In the Assignments tab (you know the drill), answer the questions for consideration sprinkled through the text. Here they are again;        a. What about books like Chariots of the Gods by Erich von Däniken (the source of the idea that our deities were actually ancient aliens) and documents like The Flat Earth Society Manifesto? Are we to take sources of information that are demonstrably false as equal to other, more “reliable” sources?    b. Are there instances whereby access to information can be and ought to be limited? Are there instances where free speech can be and ought to be limited?    c. Are online content creators held to the same standards by regulators with regard to sponsorships and disclosures? Should they be?  d. Has there ever been a time when you learned something you didn’t expect to learn? What did you learn and are you better for having learned it?