MEDIA AND INFORMATION LITERACY

Module 1:
Media and Information
Literacy: An Introduction

At the end of this module, you are expected to know how communication is
influenced by media and information, and identify the similarities and
differences among media literacy, information literacy, and technology
literacy.

Instruction: Select the letter of the best answer from among the given choices.

1. This type of literacy identifies what the information is for, where to find it, and how to
evaluate it.
A. Media Literacy B. Information Literacy
C. Technology Literacy D. All of the Above

2. The medium of communication that requires face to face interaction using one’s voice
as the tool to deliver the message.
A. Digital/ Interactive Communication B. Conversation
C. Public Speaking D. Digital Art

3. The following are possible sources of information, EXCEPT:

A. Newspaper B. Television
C. Printer D. Smartphones

4. Which of the following is an example of technology used as a medium of

communication?
A. Newspaper B. Television
C. Laptop computers D. Smartphones

5. An information literate person should first understand the situation or problem to

figure out the what specific type of information he or she needed.
A. True B. False
C. Maybe D. Neither True or False

6. It is defined as the as the imparting and exchanging of information or news.

A. Communication B. Public Speaking
C. Media D. Information Sources
 MEDIA AND INFORMATION LITERACY

7. Physical things such as tarpaulin billboards, posters, in-package information

contained in product packaging are example of what medium of communication?
A. Visual Art B. Physical Medium
C. Digital/ Interactive D. Documents/ Letters

8. This refers to various channels of communication between a person or persons and

their intended audience.
A. Communication B. Public Speaking
C. Media D. Information Sources

9. This is considered the oldest form of Media

A. Print B. Visual Art
C. Physical Medium D. Digital/ Interactive

10. It is the ability of an individual, either working independently or with others, to

responsibly, appropriately, and effectively use technological tools.
A. Media Literacy B. Information Literacy
C. Technology Literacy D. All of the Above

In this fast-paced, technology-driven time, we are bombarded with various information,

in the convenience of a click, right in the comforts of our very own homes. Being Senior
High School students, you are expected to be literate, not just in terms of numbers and
letters, but to be able to fully grasp up to what extent information may be used and
distributed. But first, we need to take a close look at the ways by which we use, and
eventually distribute information. Hence, we will look into communication and its
medium.
In order to communicate, we use different medium of communication to carry out the
message we want to convey. There are various outlets that we can use in order to
deliver our message. Few of the examples are listed below.
Table 1. Examples of Communication Medium

Communication Medium How it Works

Conversation Person to person interaction using one’s voice as the
tool to deliver the message.
Public Speaking One to many interaction using one’s voice as the tool
to deliver the message to a large number of people, at
any given time.

Documents/ Letters/ Mails Written messages in whatever form, usually on paper

and print.
Visual Art Messages rendered in the form of paintings,
drawings, photography, videos, images, and the like,
that conveys specific emotion, idea or thought.
Physical Medium Physical things such as tarpaulin billboards, posters,
in package information contained in product
packaging, and the like.
Digital/ Interactive Digital and electronic means to convey messages
such as website or computer application, primarily by
the use of internet.

How about you, can you add more to the list? With the concept of communication
defined above, how then can media affect communication?
 MEDIA AND INFORMATION LITERACY

Activity 1: Different kinds of media

Table 2. Different kind of media used daily.
With communicating, we make use of different
Media Used
channels so as to convey and/or exchange
1. Cellular Mobile Phones information. Imagine a typical day in your life
2. as a Senior High School Student. Identify and
3. list down ten (10) different kinds of media that
4. you use in order to communicate information.
The first one is done for you.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

As you may have written from the list above, Media is commonly synonymous with
technology. So, what is Media anyway?
Media refers to various channels of communication between a person or persons and
their intended audience. Television, radio, newspapers and the internet are different
types of Media. One of the oldest forms of media is print. Thanks to the ever changing
technology, our exposure to media is almost nonstop. Media shapes our perceptions of
what is real. It surrounds us in the forms of billboards, signage, and even the clothes
you wear. We have radio, television, computers, and smartphones. We have the
internet, online video channels, and all sorts of social media. So stop and look around,
media is everywhere, and it’s not going away anytime soon. Learn about it, understand
it, so that you may be media-smart.
Simply put, media are the things or gadgets that we use in order to convey the details
of the information that we want to impart or communicate to people, and the society in
general. Example, if you want to notify your classmate of a meeting organized by a club
you joined, how will you go about communicating the information? Will you send text
messages through your cellular phone? Or maybe send a private message through
social media? Or write it down on a paper, and hang it on visible places around the
campus? Whichever way, you must use a medium to communicate the information.
Hence, communication and media are directly interrelated, such that media serves as a
platform by which one can meaningfully express and communicate oneself.
Furthermore, a specific media (thing/ gadget) can either be a Source of Information, a
Medium of Communication, or both. A media is considered a source of information if the
use of the media provides knowledge and information about something, while a media
used as a channel to convey information is considered a medium of communication. A
media can also be simultaneously used both as a source and a medium of information.
 MEDIA AND INFORMATION LITERACY

For example, a Cellular Mobile Phone with simple call and text features is an example
of a medium of communication, because it allows you to communicate and reach out to
others. However, Smart Phones which are types of mobile phones having the multi-
purpose features of communication, multimedia functionality, wireless communication
like Bluetooth and wi-fi, is an example of both a source of information and a medium of
communication. Needless to say, a smart phone can be used as a medium to
communicate to other people from across the globe, and if loaded with cellular data, can
surf the internet hence, a potential source of information.
Now that we have discussed the interrelationship of media and communication, we will
examine the different concepts that will be used in this subject. We will build your
definition on the following key concepts, as referenced from the Teaching Guide of
Media and Information Literacy formulated by the CHED in collaboration with the
Philippine Normal University:
A. Literacy- The ability to identify, understand, interpret, create, communicate and
compute, using printed and written materials associated with varying contexts. Literacy
involves a continuum of learning, wherein individuals are able to achieve their goals,
develop their knowledge and potential, and participate fully in their community and wider
society.

B. Media- The physical objects used to communicate with or the mass communication
through physical objects such as radio, television, computers, film, etc. It also refers to
any physical object used to communicate messages.

C. 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.

D. Information- A broad term that covers processed data, knowledge derived from
study, experience, instruction, signals or symbols.

E. Information Literacy- The ability to recognize when information is needed, and to

locate, evaluate, and effectively communicate information in its various formats.

F. Technology (Digital) 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.

G. 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.

Now that you have read the differences of the literacies enumerated above, we will now
integrate the value of being literate in media and information to your life as a Senior
High School student. Part of integrating values to your learning towards becoming a
literate in media and information is an inventory of your media habit, lifestyle and
preferences.
 MEDIA AND INFORMATION LITERACY

This means that you will assess your personal schedule and list down your common
online activities and quantify it as to the number of hours you have spent engaged for
the specific activity. The table below shows an example of a common response.

Table 5. Example of a Weekly Inventory of Media Habit, Lifestyle and Preferences

Media or Information Provider Number of hours in a week
(168 hours/ week)
Youtube 3 hours
Facebook 12 hours
Television, Radio 20 hours
Books 10 hours
Others: pep.ph, google.com 10 hours
TOTAL NUMBER OF HOURS/WEEK 55 hours

Generated by Marilou L. Lora from https://bigcrunch.io/v/nAEdNnc7nssE4Xi77EhSJg

• Why do we need information?

• Where do we search for information?
• How do we acquire and store information?
• How do we use the information that we have?
• How will we communicate the information that we have acquired?

The questions outlined above are some of the few questions that comes into mind when
we talk about Information Literacy, which was introduced in the earlier part of this
module.

Now, given the above questions which you have personally chosen, it is important to
understand the need to acquire this information that you have asked from the mayor of
the city. These questions are actually a result of you trying to go through the process
towards becoming an information literate individual. As a review, we already discussed
what Information Literacy is. It is defined as the ability to recognize when information is
needed, and to locate, evaluate, and effectively communicate information in its various
formats. Therefore, it is a set of individual competencies needed to identify, evaluate
and use information in the most ethical, efficient and effective way across all domains,
occupations and professions.

Table 7. Stages/ Elements of Information Literacy

Stage What this stage is about?
1 Identifying/ recognizing information needs
The realization that there arise a need or a problem exists that requires
information, for its satisfactory resolution.
2 Determining sources of information
Know how to determine if the needed information exists, and to source
out from varied avenues.
 MEDIA AND INFORMATION LITERACY

3 Citing or searching for information

Know how to find needed information, to give credits to the source of
the information.

4 Analyzing and evaluating the quality of information

Know how to fully understand found information, or know where to go
for help if needed to understand, and to assess the accuracy and
reliability of the information acquired.
5 Organizing, storing or archiving information
Know how to preserve, store, reuse, record and archive information for
future use, or to dispose of information no longer needed, and safeguard
information that should be protected.
6 Using information in an ethical, efficient and effective way
Know how to utilize information to solve problem, make decision, or
meet need.
7 Creating and communicating new knowledge
Know how to communicate and present information to others in
appropriate, usable formats/ mediums.

Take note that the concept is appropriately divided into stages as to one cannot
proceed with the next step, unless the initial step is not satisfied. It can be considered
as elements, since each one must be exhibited in an individual if we consider an one as
information literate.
In the table from the previous page, let us just consider a situation relevant to your
experience as SHS student, particularly your task on your subject in Practical Research.
First thing that you need to do is to look for a specific need, a problem that needs
resolution (Stage 1) which will serve as the moving reason for your research. Let’s just
say you want to look into students’ reading comprehension. Stage 2 requires that you
must determine if there are available materials for your references, whether they be in
hard or soft copies, digital or otherwise. Definitely, once you have determined your
information sources, like the internet, books, journals, and the like, you must cite these
sources appropriately in order to not be charged with plagiarism. Stage 4 is all about
analyzing and evaluating which from the varied information available are relevant to
your research topic, and which are not valuable enough for use. This stage requires a
full understanding of the topic or need that you need to resolve. Stage 5 requires
knowledge as to the preservation and storage of the information that you have acquired.
You may store these on a flash drive, or maybe print or photocopy the information for
your reference. Stage 6 is all about the proper way of using the information that you
have acquired that will be beneficial to a large number of people. The ethical and legal
side of using referenced materials then comes into question. Finally, you will have to
decide then as to the manner of communicating the information to the vast majority of
the people.

Identification of the
Uses of Media Identification of Media and its Use
Media Used Use of Media
1. Cellular Mobile Phones (B) Medium of Communication
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
 MEDIA AND INFORMATION LITERACY

7.
From the list that you have 8.
identified from Activity 1,
identify the use of the specific 9.
media listed if it is (A) Source 10.
of Information, (B) Medium of
Communication, or (C) Both. The first one is done for you.

Case Analysis
With the concept given above, let us now test your comprehension. Answer the
activity that follows.
Given below are situations that depict a specific literacy that an individual exhibits.
Identify if it is Media Literacy, Information Literacy, Technology (Digital) Literacy, or
Media and Information Literacy. The first one is done for you.

Case Analysis on different Literacies.

Situation Literacy
Ashley, a Grade 11 student of Gintong Tubig Senior High Technology
School is proficient in using her i7 processor laptop with so (Digital) Literacy
much ease and comfort. In fact, she is accustomed to use it to
create powerful PowerPoint presentations during graded class
reporting.
In order to add related literature to his Practical Research
project, Donnie accesses Google Scholar, and reads through
various journals and studies that may help him in his research.
One of the Performance Task for the Midterms of the Grade 11
Jenner class of Mabuhay Senior High School is to create a short
film highlighting their advocacy on Human Trafficking. The class
used the Quik ™ app to edit their video.
The Grade 12- Patience class of Ms. Apolonio have registered
themselves to an online portal called Edmodo, in order to
connect themselves periodically, share assignments, and even
collaboratively work on a project, without meeting face to face.
Sybil constantly purchases load credits for her mobile phone in
order to send emails and messages to her teacher in Media and
Information Literacy.
As part of the various social media activities of David, a Grade
12 HUMSS student, he periodically shares news bits from
credible online sources, then tag his friends who may be
interested with the information.
Mr. Dingal requires his Grade 11 students to prepare
PowerPoint Presentation or other presentation tools when doing
graded class reporting.
In order to convey his stand on various social issues involving
his peers, Marla uses her Twitter and Facebook accounts to air
her sentiments and opinions.
 MEDIA AND INFORMATION LITERACY

Activity 5: Online Browsing of Satirical Sites

Photo Credits: Screenshot from https://adobochronicles.com/2015/06/08/china-lays-claim-over-

manilaschinatown/
 MEDIA AND INFORMATION LITERACY

The picture above shows a sample of fake news headlines lifted from https://
adobochronicles.com/2015/06/08/china-lays-claim-over-manilas-chinatown/, one of the
satirical websites circulating online. As a media and information literate individual, how
will you respond to this kind of information? Formulate the actions you will take by
outlining it on the table below. Photo Credits: Screenshot from
https://adobochronicles.com/2015/06/08/china-lays-claim-over-manilaschinatown/

Steps I will take How I will go about the steps

Instruction: Select the letter of the best answer from among the given choices.

1. This type of literacy identifies what the information is for, where to find it, and how to
evaluate it.
A. Media Literacy B. Information Literacy
C. Technology Literacy D. All of the Above

2. The medium of communication that requires face to face interaction using one’s voice
as the tool to deliver the message.
A. Digital/ Interactive Communication B. Conversation
C. Public Speaking D. Digital Art

3. The following are possible sources of information, EXCEPT:

A. Newspaper B. Television
C. Printer D. Smartphones
 MEDIA AND INFORMATION LITERACY

4. Which of the following is an example of technology used as a medium of

communication?
A. Newspaper B. Television
C. Laptop computers D. Smartphones

5. An information literate person should first understand the situation or problem to

figure out the what specific type of information he or she needed.
A. True B. False
C. Maybe D. Neither True or False

6. It is defined as the as the imparting and exchanging of information or news.

A. Communication B. Public Speaking
C. Media D. Information Sources

7. Physical things such as tarpaulin billboards, posters, in-package information

contained in product packaging are example of what medium of communication?
A. Visual Art B. Physical Medium
C. Digital/ Interactive D. Documents/ Letters

8. This refers to various channels of communication between a person or persons and

their intended audience.
A. Communication B. Public Speaking
C. Media D. Information Sources

9. This is considered the oldest form of Media

A. Print B. Visual Art
C. Physical Medium D. Digital/ Interactive

10. It is the ability of an individual, either working independently or with others, to

responsibly, appropriately, and effectively use technological tools.
A. Media Literacy B. Information Literacy
C. Technology Literacy D. All of the Above

Almost done! Hopefully, by now, you have explored how communication is influenced
by media and information.
Situational Simulation
You are given an opportunity to interview personally the mayor of the city where you live
in. In this case, write down at least five (5) questions that you would want to ask the
mayor.
1. __________________________________________________________
2. __________________________________________________________
3. __________________________________________________________
4. __________________________________________________________
5. __________________________________________________________

------------------------------------------------- END OF MODULE -----------------------------------------------

 MEDIA AND INFORMATION LITERACY

FEEDBACK: (WILL BE FILLED-OUT BY THE TEACHER)

____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

PREPARED BY:
MS. JUNICA LC F. SAMSON
Media and Information Literacy Teacher

References

Janis Karklins, foreword to Media and Information Literacy Curriculum for

Teachers Paris: UNESCO, 2011,
https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000192971

“Effective Communication”, accessed last January 2, 2019, https://huddle.

eurostarsoftwaretesting.com/lessons-learnt-effective-communication/

“What is Media Anyway?” YouTube Channel MediaSmarts, accessed last January 3,

2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBP_kswrtrw

“Word Cloud Generator”, accessed January 14, 2020, https://bigcrunch.io/v/

nAEdNnc7nssE4Xi77EhSJg

Wilson, C. et.al., “UNESCO Media and Information Literacy Curriculum for

Teachers”, ISBN 978-92-3-104198-3, 2011

Teaching Guide for SHS: Media and Information Literacy, CHED in collaboration
with the PNU Quezon City: 2016, electronic version.
https://www.academia.edu/39154647/
Teaching_Guide_for_Senior_High_School_MEDIA_AND_INFORMATION_
LITERACY_CORE_SUBJECT

“About Us”, accessed last August 9, 2019, https://adobochronicles.com/about/

Images References:
1. Generated by Marilou L. Lora from https://bigcrunch.io/v/nAEdNnc7nssE4Xi77EhSJg
2. Screenshot from https://adobochronicles.com/2015/06/08/china-lays-claim-over-
manilaschinatown/