MODULE 9 117

The Information Age

(Gutenberg to Social Media)

HOW TO LEARN FROM THIS MODULE

Here’s a simple guide for you in going about the module:
1. Read and follow the instructions carefully.
2. Read each lesson and do all the activities provided for you.
3. Perform all the activities diligently to help and guide you in understanding the topic.
4. Take the Learning Activities after each lesson to determine how well you understood
the topic.
5. Answer the Assessment Task at the end of the module to measure how much you have
gained from the lessons. You may answer it via the online link provided or write your
answers on a sheet of paper that you can physically submit, or you may take a picture
of your answers and send it via messaging platforms with which you agreed with your
instructor during the class orientation.

INTRODUCTION

Information links every individual to its community and it is an important tool

for continued existence. Nowadays, information can be quickly transferred or shared
due to rapid technological advancement. The increasing development of information
technology influences various areas of the society such as economics, industry,
communication, health, environment and education. However, information
technology advancement also poses some drawbacks in the society.
The Information Age is defined as “the modern age regarded as a time in
which information has become a commodity that is quickly and widely
disseminated and easily available especially through the use of computer
technology” (Merriam-Webster.com, n.d.). The way information was conveyed
among humans has evolved over time, from symbolic information and codes using
the earliest writing and calculating system to effortless access on information through
publication and computer networks.
After completing the module, you should be able to answer the following:
 How did creating and sharing of information evolved through time?
 What are the factors that need to consider in checking information from
internet sources?

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LEARNING OBJECTIVES

At the end of this module, the learner should be able to:

o Link learned concepts to the development of the information age and its
impact on society.
o Determine how the social media and the information age have impacted our
lives.

LEARNING CONTENT

In the proposed Theory of Information Age (1982) by James Messenger, the

Information Age is a true new age based upon the interconnection of computers via
telecommunications primarily driven for convenience, user-friendliness and user
dependence. Hence, the increasing speed of information technology is associated
with the development of computers thus; The Information Age is also called the
Digital Age and the New Media Age.

LESSON 1. The Gutenberg Era and Some Facts about Information Age

Information and the way it was shared and disseminated has evolved in many
ways and different means. From the use of Sumerian writing system using
pictographs imprinted to rock tablets in 3000 BC, the way information was conveyed,
collected and mange has been massively improving. During 1450s, the period of
which the invention of movable metal type printing press by Johannes Gutenberg
leaves an extraordinary impact to government, social and cultural revolution. The
abrupt widespread distribution of printed works, books, tracts, posters and papers,
gives an important role in the direct rise of European Renaissance and contributed a
lot the way information was driven nowadays.

Fig.9.1 Evolution of Man and Information.

Source: https://www.tes.com/lessons/pJrUFfiWcjiVRA/evolution-lesson

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Since the production of books and pamphlets become easier, information

started to spread drastically. In the past, access to books is a luxurious activity and
only few were able to read and write. But as the number of reading materials
increases and became more accessible in the public, the increased literacy among
the people become evident.
Nowadays, many people rely to various modes of media outlets both printed
and online including many social media outputs With many major changes the
community is facing, information started to grow at a rate we were unprepared to
handle (Serafica, et.al. 2018). The evolution of Information Age has many
contrasting ideas among various authors but Serafica, et.al. (2018) cited the article
of Robert Harris on the “Truths of the Information Age” which details some facts on
the Information Age.
1. Information must compete.
2. Newer is equated with truer.
3. Selection is a viewpoint.
4. The media sells what the culture buys.
5. The early word gets the perm.
6. You are what you eat and so is your brain.
7. Anything in great demand will be counterfeited.
8. Ideas are seen as controversial.
9. Undead information walks ever on.
10. Media presence creates the story.
11. The medium selects the message.
12. The whole truth is a pursuit.
Despite the many issues on data and information sharing, it is noted that the
Information Age will continue to advance with time and far greater than our thoughts
could conceive.

Please click/ visit the link below:

https://u-s-
To know more about the
Information Age, check the history.com/pages/h3974.htm
given link.
READ

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LEARNING ACTIVITY 1. Timeline Tracing!

(Lesson Check – Up)

History Tracing. Make a timeline tracing the history and emergence of the
Information Age indicating the year and event/s in a table format. Give also your
insights on what other technological advancements can possibly be developed in the
future. Submit your output through word or pdf format at
_________________________.

Rubric for the History Tracing

Criteria Exemplary (5) Proficient (4) Emerging (3) Developing
(2)
Quality of Included events Most of the Some events Many major
content are important included events included are events are
and interesting. are important or trivial, and major excluded, and
No major details interesting. One events are too many trivial
are excluded. or two major missing. events are
events may be included.
missing.
Accuracy of Facts are Facts are Facts are Facts are often
content accurate for all accurate for accurate for inaccurate for
events reported almost all most (~75%) of events reported
on the timeline. events reported the events on the timeline.
on the timeline. reported on the
timeline.
Sequence of Events are Almost all Most (~75%) of Most events are
content placed in proper events are the events are incorrectly
order. placed in proper placed in proper placed on the
order. order. timeline.
Insights The given The given The given
insight is very insight is insight is not
realistic and can somewhat realistic and not
be widely useful realistic and useful.
in the useful in the
community community

LESSON 2. The Internet and World Wide Web

The internet is a worldwide system of interconnected networks in facilitating

the transmission of variety of data and information using standardized
communication protocols. In the early 1960s, the idea of an “Intergalactic
Network ” of computers was popularized by Joseph Carl Robnett Licklider. Not long
after, one of the major building blocks of the internet was developed called “packet
switching”, a method for effectively transmitting electronic data. With this, the first
workable prototype of the internet known as ARPANET (Advanced Research
Projects Agency Network) was originally funded by the U.S. Department of Defense
to allow multiple computers to communicate on a single network through packet

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switching. Internet was mainly used during 1970s for military transactions and some
research activities.

However, phone lines in the early days can only transmit information at a
limited rate and slow connectivity among internet users are one of the issues
encountered. Fiber-optic cables and faster microprocessors were developed for
computers to process incoming billions of data as per instructions to produce data
outputs and to provide high-speed data connection.

Fig. 9.2 How does the internet works.

Source: https://itusts.wordpress.com/2017/04/07/how-does-the-internet-work/

A communications model called Transmission Control Protocol and Internet

Protocol, or TCP/IP was developed by Robert Khan and Vinton Cerf. This model was
used to set standards for how data could be transmitted between multiple networks.
In 1983, TCP/IP was adopted by ARPANET and this has become a platform for
researchers to assemble the so called “network of networks” and the foundation of
the modern internet.

In 1990, the development of World Wide Web by Tim Berners-Lee gained

popularity in the online world. The internet and World Wide Web differ to one another
because the web is a service of the internet. The web is the most common means of
accessing lots of interconnected documents and resources online with their specific
locations in the form of websites and hyperlinks.

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The use of web served as a crucial step in developing the immense build-up
of information that most of the public can now access online anytime and anywhere.
Nowadays, billions of people are engaged in online any time of the day. The internet
creates a large impact to the many sectors of the community such as social, political,
and financial views and happenings. It has been noted that in the past decade, e-
commerce business has been trending and will still increase with the next years.

Issues and Challenges on “Surfing the Net”

The internet had provided new forms of communication. Messages can now
be sent and received conveniently. From written letters that may take several days to
receive can now be read nowadays in just a few minutes upon sending. Internet
service providers had set up open areas of cyberspace such as chat rooms where
interested parties could join in a conversation either publicly or privately. “Surfing the
Net” became a pastime by many (Cited by Serafica, et.al 2018 in the USHistory.org,
2017). Distance and timelines across the globe has no longer a hurdle in
communication. Not only does the internet was used for recreation and
communication but also the delivery of services and business venture.
In the current Information Age, business companies who worked on digitized
information have been given high value in just a short period of time. Bill Gates’s of
Microsoft, Steve Jobs of Apple’s, Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook’s and Jack Ma of
Alibaba and many other people has taken a big toll on the online business world.
On the other hand, the Internet has unregulated nature that may allow threats
to endanger many people. According to David Cunliffe on safety, security and
privacy challenges in the new digital world, the following are recent examples of
cyber threats:
 The theft of money from the accounts of a bank customer by someone who
had installed key logging software on their home computer – the bank
refunded the losses but the customer stated she would not use Internet
banking again;
 “Phishing” attacks whereby spam emails are sent out, purporting to be from a
bank, asking the recipient to confirm their bank security information by
responding to a specified electronic address;
 The use of “covert filming” using digital cameras and the uploading of images
taken on the Internet;
 Identity theft where a person’s details are stolen so that a criminal can engage
in fraudulent activity using the stolen identity.

The Springer Nature, a global publisher of articles and research studies

presented a new report (2018) regarding the common problems identified among
researchers on data sharing. It was noted that researchers also have dilemma on
lack of clarity about copyright and licensing, costs of data sharing and not knowing
which repository to use. Therefore, it is recommended that increased support the
learning of good data management among researchers should be provided by
research institutions particularly for those starting their research career as they build
their strong foundation to data creation and sharing.

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Cyberbullying is also an alarming issue worldwide especially among the

children. In the UNICEF U-Report (2019), cyberviolence affects almost half of
Filipino children aged 13-17. One-third of cyberviolence experienced by Filipino
children are in the form of verbal abuse over the internet or cellphone, while a fourth
are through sexual messages. More females received messages of sexual nature or
content than males. However, twice as many males than females reported having
their nude body or sexual activities, whether real or falsified, shown on the internet or
cellphone. It is also reported that almost three-quarters of young people from 30
countries said that social networks including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and
Twitter are the most common platforms for online bullying. Cyberbullying can create
lasting emotional and psychological scars, even physical harm. Children are very
vulnerable and can easily access the internet, making them an easy target on online
violence.

Checking the Reliability of Web Sources

Websites create an interesting challenge in evaluating credibility and
usefulness because no two websites are created the same way and some web
sources can be biased and misleading. To avoid misinformation, the following
guidelines are considered. (Lee College Library, n.d.)

1. Who authored (wrote) the site? How to find out: Look for an “About” or “More
about the Author” link at the top, bottom or sidebar of the webpage. Some
pages will have a corporate author rather than a single person as an author. If
no information about the author(s) of the page is provided, be suspicious. „
 Does the author provide his/her credentials?
 What type of expertise does s/he have on the subject s/he is writing
about?
 Does s/he indicate what his/her education is?
 What type of experience s/he has? Should you trust his/her knowledge
of the subject? „

Try searching more information about the author.

 What kinds of websites are associated with your author’s name? Is

s/he affiliated with any education institutions?
 Do commercial sites come up? Do the websites associated with the
author give you any clues to particular biases the author might
have? “Google” with caution – remember that sometimes more than
one person can share the same name.
2. Who published the site? How to find out:
 Look at the domain name of the website – that will tell you who is
hosting the site. For instance, the Lee College Library website is:

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http://www.lee.edu/library. The domain name is "lee.edu." That tells

you that the library website is hosted by Lee College. „
 Do a search on the domain name at http://www.whois.sc/. This site
provides information about the owners of registered domain names.
What is the organization’s main purpose? Check the organization’s
main website, if it has one. Is it educational? Commercial? Is it a
reputable organization? „
 Don’t ignore the suffix on the domain name (the three-letter part
that comes after the “.”). The suffix is usually (but not always)
descriptive of what type of entity hosts the website. Keep in mind
that it is possible for sites to obtain suffixes that are misleading.
Here are some examples: „
.edu = educational „
.com = commercial „
.mil = military
.gov = government „
.org = nonprofit
3. What is the main purpose of the site? Why did the author write it and the
publisher post it? „
 To sell a product? „
 As a personal hobby? „
 As a public service? „
 To further scholarship on a topic? „
 To provide general information on a topic? „
 To persuade you of a particular point of view?

Scan also the homepage of the website.

 Is it cluttered with advertising?

 Does the page appear to be professionally designed?
 Is the writing trying to persuade you to buy something?
4. Who is the intended audience?
 Scholars or the general public?
 Which age group is it written for?
 Is it aimed at people from a particular geographic area?
 Is it aimed at members of a particular profession or with specific
training?
5. What is the quality of information provided on the website?
 Timeliness: when was the website first published? Is it regularly
updated? Check for dates at the bottom of each page on the site. „

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Different publication dates will be acceptable depending on which type

of information you’re looking for. If you’re looking for statistics,
information on current events, or information in fields like science,
technology or healthcare, you probably need the most up-to-date
information available. If you’re looking for information that doesn’t
change, such as Mark Twain’s date of birth or who led the Union Army
in the Civil War, it may not matter as much if the website is a little older
as long as it is published/authored by a reputable source.
 Does the author cite sources? Just as in print sources, web sources
that cite their sources are considered more reliable. It shows that the
author has done his/her homework and is familiar with scholarship in
the field.
 What type of other sites does the website link to? Are they reputable
sites? If the author references online material, does s/he provides links
to the material referenced?
 What type of sites link to the website you’re evaluating? Is the website
being cited by others? Does it include reputable or well- known sites?
6. How does it all add up? Compare the information you’ve gathered about your
website to your information needs -- does this website provide an
appropriateness of fit? Not all websites will work for all purposes – a website
that is fine for finding general information on a disease may not work for a
nursing student’s paper. If you are in doubt, ask your instructor or a librarian
for help.

Reliable websites usually have a more professional look and feel than
personal web sites. There are also additional things you want to consider when
looking at a website (Harold B. Lee Library):

 Informational Resources are those which present factual information.

These are usually sponsored by educational institutions or
governmental agencies. (These resources often include .edu or .gov.)
 Advocacy Resources are those sponsored by an organization that is
trying to sell ideas or influence public opinion. (These resources may
include .org within the URL.)
 Business or Marketing Resources are those sponsored by a
commercial entity that is trying to sell products. These pages are often
very biased, but can provide useful information. (You will usually
find .com within the URL of these resources.)
 News Resources are those which provide extremely current
information on hot topics. Most of the time news sources are not as

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credible as academic journals, and newspapers range in credibility

from paper to paper. (The URL will usually include .com.)
 Personal Web Pages/Resources are sites such as social media sites:
blogs, Twitter pages, Facebook, etc. These sources can be helpful to
determine what people are saying on a topic and what discussions are
taking place. Exercise great caution if trying to incorporate these
sources directly into an academic paper. Very rarely, if ever, will they
hold any weight in the scholarly community.

Moreover, more advertisements in the web page can indicate that the
information may be less reliable. Broken or incorrect links can mean that no one is
taking care of the site and other information on it may be out-of-date or unreliable.

Please click/ visit the link below:

To know more about House Bill
5718, or the proposed http://congress.gov.ph/legisdocs/
“ Anti Cyber-Bullying Act of basic_17/HB00827.pdf
2015”, check the given link.

READ

LEARNING ACTIVITY 2. Exploring Reliable Web Sources!

(Lesson Check – Up)

Provide atleast five (5) examples of web sources to each of the following:
a. Informational Resources
b. Advocacy Resources
c. Business or Marketing Resources
d. Personal Web Pages/Resources

Submit your output in word or pdf format at ____________.

LESSON 3. Netiquette

Netiquette is a term used for Network Etiquette, or Internet Etiquette. Online

interactions are becoming as important as face-to-face ones. As the online social
presence continues to grow, so does the need for rules of conduct to reinforce
respect, kindness, and understanding in this growing platform of communication.

According to Virginia Shea, dubbed the "network manners guru" by the San
Jose Mercury News, has defined “ Netiquette” as a set of rules for behaving properly
online. When you enter any new culture, you’re liable to commit a few social

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blunders. Needless to say, you might offend people without meaning to or you might
misunderstand what others say and take offense when it's not intended. To make
matters worse, something about cyberspace makes it easy to forget that you're
interacting with other real people not just codes and number characters on a screen,
but live human characters.

In her book Netiquette, Writer Virginia Shea wrote these important guidelines:
 Remember the human – this is the Golden Rule of internet communications.
Always be aware that you are talking to a person, not a device. Therefore, the
same rules of courtesy apply.
 Adhere to the same standards of behavior online that you follow in real life
 Know where you are in cyberspace – netiquette varies from domain to domain.
What is acceptable in a chat room may not be appropriate in a professional
forum so “think before you click”.
 Respect other people’s time and bandwidth- not everyone has stable internet
connection and time zones.
 Make yourself look good online – spelling and grammar count! Always write
thoughtful posts and keep your language clean.
 Share expert knowledge. Check the
 Help keep flame wars under control
 Respect other people’s privacy
 Don’t abuse your power
 Be forgiving of other people’s mistakes

Please click/ visit the link below:

https://www.ted.com/talks/juli
TEDTalk: Julian Assange
an_assange_why_the_world
on “Why the World Needs
_needs_wikileaks
Wikileaks”
READ

LEARNING ACTIVITY 3. Let’s watch TEDTalk!

(Lesson Check – Up)

After watching TEDTalk: Julian Assange on “Why the World Needs Wikileaks”, give
your insights not limited to the following:
1. How WikiLeaks operates and what drives their mission?
2. Why WikiLeaks is in trouble and what are the controversies it faces?

Submit your output through word or pdf format at _____________.

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Rubric for Short Answer Question

5 points 4 points 3 points

The response indicates that the The response indicates that the student The response indicates that
student has a complete has a partial understanding of the concept. the student does not
understanding of the concept. The student has provided a response that demonstrate an
The student has provided a includes information that is essentially understanding of concept.
response that answers the correct, but the information is too general The student has provided a
question accurately and or too simplistic. Some of the support response that is inaccurate
completely. Necessary support and/or examples may be incomplete or and incomplete.
and/or examples are included. omitted.

On a clean sheet of paper, write your insight what other technological

advancements can possibly be developed in the future?

 ASSESSMENT TASK

Interview with Elders (Technology and Past)

Make an interview with one or two elders (preferably 50 years old and
above) in your household/neighborhood on the various technologies they
used in the past and how they cope up with the technology nowadays. Don’t
forget to take a photo while conducting your interview. Submit your output
through word or pdf format at __________________.

Rubrics to Rate Your Interview Output

Criteria Exemplary (5) Proficient (4) Emerging (3) Developing (2)

Introduction The student The student The student The student
describes the describes interview describes the describes little
interview event in event and interview event but about the
detail and skillfully introduce the say little about the interview event
introduces the person interviewed. person or person
person interviewed. interviewed.
interviewed.
Questions Prepares and Prepares and asks Prepares and asks Questions and
asks relevant largely relevant question that their delivery
questions that are questions that demonstrate a indicate little
aptly informed by demonstrate an minimal preparation and
the context and understanding, if understanding of attention to
the subject’s initial not mastery, of the the context, and context, and the
query. context and the the subjects’ initial subjects’ initial
subject’s initial query query.
query.
Listening Skills / Demonstrate s Demonstrates Gives little Gives little or no
Follow-up careful listening attentiveness by evidence of careful evidence of
Questions by interjecting interjecting follow- listening by largely listening;

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effective follow up up questions to ignoring potentially marches

questions to responses that may relevant responses through
significant have greater and moving on to prepared
responses. significance, if the next prepared questions
Effectively elicits pursued. May elicit question. Elicits without regard
relevant some relevant little elaboration. to responses.
elaboration of elaboration of Does not elicit
answers. answers. elaborated
responses.
Summary The student The student The student The student
provides a provides a provides a cursory provides a
detailed summary summary of the summary of the perfunctory
of the interview interview with interview with little summary of the
with a clear indication of the indication of the interview.
indication of the questions asked questions asked
questions asked and answers and answers
and answers received. received.
received.
Conclusion The student The student The student The student
identifies at least identifies at least conveys little conveys little, if
three main points two main points sense of what is any, sense of
learned from the learned from the learned from the what is learned
interview and interview and interview or how it from the
conveys a clear conveys a sense of might apply in the interview.
sense of what is what is learned and future.
learned and how it how it might apply
might apply in the in the future.
future.
Writing The students’ The students’ The students’ The students’
mechanics and writing writing is writing lacks clarity writing is
organization demonstrates a accomplished in or conciseness unfocused,
sophisticated terms of clarity and and contains rambling, or
clarity, conciseness and numerous errors; contains serious
conciseness, and contains only a few report lacks errors; report is
correctness; errors; report is organization. poorly
report is well-organized. organized.
extremely well-
organized.

Information evolved with human race and information is easily

transferred and shared nowadays. The major changes in sharing
information affects various aspects of our society such as communication,
health, economics, industry, education, social interaction and the
environment. However, there are noted positive and negative impacts of this
technological advancement. People should be aware on the vast
information and data presented that might help or harm them along the way.
Through careful verifying of information, this will avoid miscommunication
and believing to fake data before sharing and using them. Moreover, people
must be more responsible in giving their personal information and the use of
various social media. Information should be shared to help and improve the
lives of the people.

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 REFERENCES:
 Andrews, E. (2019). “Who Invented the Internet?”. Retrieved June 16, 2020
from
 Fuller, A. (2013). “Netiquette”. Retrieved June 18, 2020 from
https://www.education.vic.gov.au/Documents/about/programs/bullystoppers/af
netiquette.pdf
 Harold B. Lee Library. (n.d.). “Step-by-Step Guide & Research Rescue:
Evaluating Credibility (Websites)”. Retrieved June 18, 2020 from
https://guides.lib.byu.edu/c.php?g=216340&p=1428399
https://www.cybersecurityintelligence.com/blog/social-media-is-the-new-
gutenberg-4280.html
https://www.history.com/news/who-invented-the-internet
 Lee College Library. (n.d). “How Can I Tell if a Website is Reliable?”.
Retrieved June 18, 2020 from http://nperesource.casn.ca/wp-
content/uploads/2017/01/website-reliable.pdf
 Levine, A. (2014). “An explosion of bioinformatics career”. Retrieved June 15,
2020 from https://www.sciencemag.org/features/2014/06/explosion-
bioinformatics-careers
 Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Information Age. In Merriam-Webster.com
dictionary. Retrieved June 15, 2020, from https://www.merriam-
webster.com/dictionary/Information%20Age
 National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (2016).
Principles and Obstacles for Sharing Data from Environmental Health
Research: Workshop Summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies
Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/21703.
 Serafica, J., Pawilen, G., Caslib, B. & Alata, E. (2018). Science, Technology,
and Society. Rex Book Store Inc., Publishing.
 Skelton, V. (2018). “The challenges of data sharing”. Retrieved June 16, 2020
from https://www.infotoday.eu/Articles/News/ILI365-Blog/The-challenges-of-
data-sharing-124039.aspx
 The Core Rules of Netiquette. Retrieved June 18, 2020 from
http://www.albion.com/netiquette/corerules.html
 UNICEF PH (2019). “Online bullying remains prevalent in the Philippines,
other countries. Cyberviolence affects almost half of Filipino children aged 13-
17”. Retrieved June 18, 2020 from https://www.unicef.org/philippines/press-
releases/online-bullying-remains-prevalent-philippines-other-countries

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