unit 8: opportunities, cha llenges, and power of media and

Unit 8: Opportunities, Challenges, and Power of Media and Information

Table of Contents

Introduction 2

Learning Targets 4

Lesson 1: The Power of Media and Information 4 Jump Start 4 Learn about It! 5 Check Your Understanding 10 Explore and Create! 11

Lesson 2: Advantages and Disadvantages of Media and Information 12 Jump Start 12 Learn about It! 12 Check Your Understanding 16 Explore and Create! 16

Let’s Create! 17

Self-Check 19

Wrap Up 20

Bibliography 20

Glossary 20

GRADE 11/12 | Media and Information Literacy

UNIT 9

Opportunities, Challenges, and Power of Media and Information We now live in an information society brought about by the advancements in information and communications technology. These continuing improvements on how people communicate, create, store, and share information using a wide range of devices and technology provides great opportunities to improve the overall quality of life. We already experience undeniable progressive effects with the utilization of digital media and information in economy, education, and politics, as resources are now more accessible with the aid of the Internet. However, these opportunities are not without threats, challenges, and risks. People who consume digital media and information are also vulnerable to attacks as those with unlawful intentions also use the same technology to undertake their illicit activities. Media and information literate individuals must always know how to properly utilize the available media and information in achieving their goals and objectives while still maintaining vigilance against those who might use the same resources against them.

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Fig. 1. The balance between opportunities and challenges of media and information.


Learning Targets

In this unit, you should be able to:

● realize opportunities and challenges in media and information; and ● research and cite recent examples of the power of media and information to effect

change.

Lesson 1: The Power of Media and Information

The explosion of media and information resources and the advancements in communications technology have provided us with an almost infinite number of sources for various forms of data. With the aid of the Internet, the power of media and information is greatly being realized, and is exponentially enhanced, as more people can now create, store, and share information in a fast and efficient manner.

Jump Start

Traditional versus digital Recall an instance when you were able to do task/s with the aid of an application, a website, or any digital device or tool. Create a brief comparison table which shows the steps you once needed to take to complete the task in the traditional way, versus the steps you would now take with the aid of technology.


Write down your task here:

Traditional Technology-aided

1. What major similarities and differences have you observed? 2. If given the freedom to choose, which one would you recommend that others use?

Discuss your position.

Learn about It!

Our society slowly transitions from a traditional to a digital, or technology-aided, civilization. The completion of personal, educational, business, and government tasks and processes has begun to utilize digital media and information, thus using lesser resources while yielding greater positive results. The following areas are examples where the power and influence of media and information is greatly observed. Economical An economy is defined as the ability of a country or a region to produce and sustain wealth and resources through the production and utilization of goods and services. Typically, an economy should work as long as manufacturers and consumers are on the same page on what must be produced and what must be consumed. However, consumer behaviors typically change, and the economy must be able to adapt. E-commerce, short for electronic commerce, is the use of technology or any connected network (typically the Internet) in order


to complete a business transaction. With e-commerce, consumers may buy products and avail of services within the comforts of their home. The process of selecting an item, choosing the correct specification, opting for the preferred payment method, and initiating the delivery process is managed by e-commerce. Aside from e-commerce, business organizations now start to maximize the capabilities of social media for advertisements. This method allows businesses to reach the same, if not a greater, number of consumers with minimal investment, compared to advertising using traditional media. For fast-moving economies, digital media and information are already considered indispensable.

Fig. 2. E-commerce. The completion of a business transactions with the use of devices that connects to the

Internet.

Educational Learning is no longer enclosed in the four corners of the classroom. Learning management systems (LMS) allow educational institutions to deliver learning materials with the use of an online platform. These platforms can be used to upload files, assign online activities, and facilitate quizzes and examinations, even if students are not within the premise of the school.


LMS is often associated with the term “blended learning”, which is characterized by face-to-face interactions between teachers and students combined or “blended” with Internet-based activities, which can be completed using the system. Aside from LMS, online tutorials are gaining popularity, as these websites provide a rich learning experience which is conveniently available anywhere, is free of charge, and accessible to anyone regardless of age, gender, or race.

Fig. 3. A screenshot of a learning management system.

Social We now live in a digital society. Several aspects of life now revolve around the use of social


media especially for communication and interaction. With the aid of social media, “netizens” can already reach a large number of people to share information and talk about common interests and advocacies. Social media is a great tool for these activities as several people, especially in the Philippines, have a social media account. Awareness and engagement on current issues are promoted across the wide range of interconnected online individuals with the responsible use of social media. Topics start to trend on digital media when a hashtag (used for post categorization) is used frequently beyond a certain threshold.

Fig. 4. The social media tree showing the interconnection between different social media platforms.


Political E-governance, the use of technology to deliver services by the government to its citizens, is gaining popularity. Although developed nations have already invested and thrived in their form of e-government, developing countries such as the Philippines recently started to realize its full potential. Aside from providing services to citizens, e-governance may be used to keep the citizens informed and updated of the current state of the government and its projects. Local government units also have their own websites, where their constituents are able to see the current projects and activities that the LGU’s are working on.

Fig. 5. A screenshot of a government website.


The power of media and information is limitless. Once a media and information literate individual understands the full potential of media and information, he/she will be able to accomplish tasks more efficiently, and share resources to more people effectively.

Check Your Understanding

A. Determine the category to which each of the following applications or websites belongs, based on the influences and power of media and information discussed in this lesson. 1. Facebook 2. Lazada 3. Moodle 4. Website of the Philippine Senate 5. Canvas

B. Application.

1. Enumerate at least two advantages of owning a social media account. Do these advantages apply to your everyday life and in the fulfillment of your tasks?

2. Aside from convenience, can you think of other benefits e-commerce can bring to the economy of the Philippines? Discuss your answer.

C. Synthesis and Analysis.

1. The Philippine government slowly begins to implement e-governance platforms so that Filipinos can avail of government services in a faster and more convenient way. Using the Internet, find at least two government services that are already offered online and discuss their main benefits.

2. Do you believe that e-learning will soon overtake the traditional way of teaching and learning? Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the traditional educational system, e-learning, and blended learning.


Explore and Create!

1. Create a simple table or graph showing how media and information affect you as a student. Rank the influences based on economic, educational, social, and political impact. Don’t forget to explain why and how you are greatly influenced by each.

2. Do you still regularly consume information from traditional media (television, radio, newsprints)? Choose one traditional media and compare it to its digital counterpart. What aspects made you choose the digital version over the traditional one? Is the influence of the traditional media lesser or greater compared to the digital one considering that the same information is being conveyed?


Lesson 2: Advantages and Disadvantages of Media and Information

Mass and digital media presents a wide variety of tools and resources that we need to complete our everyday tasks. These sources serve as advantage to users, as information can be accessed on-demand. However, all individuals who consume information from media sources are not spared from the disadvantages these may also bring.

Jump Start

Philippine laws on media content.

1. Research the current laws or policies enforced in the Philippines which cover the governance of media contents distributed by the traditional mass media or accessed through digital media.

2. Write down the policies or laws you found and include a brief description of what they are and how they function.

Learn about It!

Media, whether traditional or digital, has been proven to be a powerful tool in the creation and storage of data and information, as well as the sharing of this data and information among people. However, these benefits can only be obtained if media and information are used correctly and ethically. With this mindset, it is important to know and understand the different advantages and disadvantages of media and information, so that they can be fully utilized without compromising the rights, privacy, and well-being of others. Some of the advantages of media and information are the following:


One of the greatest advantages of media and information is its accessibility. The ability to reach a great number of people in real time is a characteristic that is true for both traditional and new media. This feature brings with it a majority of benefits. The proper use of media and information educates people; aside from the availability of online learning resources, vital information about current events and societal issues is easily disseminated through different media platforms. The pervasiveness of new and digital media greatly improved how the traditional mass media like television, radio, and newsprint disseminate information by allowing users to react, respond, and share their own opinions based on the topic at hand.

The different forms of media are also sources of entertainment. Television and radio shows have a long-running history of entertaining the masses, and still continue to do so. Several genres of shows are currently emerging to fulfill the ever-demanding audience’s growing taste for new material. Digital media patterns their product after that of traditional mass media, but it is enhanced by one great feature: the ability to produce an entertainment material on demand. Common examples are video- and audio-streaming websites and applications. This on-demand feature allows consumers to watch or listen to any media content anywhere at any given time.


Fig. 6. An example of a video streaming application.

Some of the disadvantages of media and information are enumerated below. The exposure to the vast information available today is overwhelming. People are exposed to data and information that may be too much to handle at times. Although having multiple sources of information is a good thing, there are instances when an individual may be confused about which are correct and which are misleading. Many sources on the Internet are notorious for producing inaccurate or outright fabricated content, popularly known as “fake news”. Social media is considered as the top source of fake news among all the mass media platforms since checks and balances being implemented before publication is very limited. In contrast with traditional media, editors and the like are in charge of data and information verification before publication.


The Internet is also a rich source of content, but that included the inappropriate kind. These materials are considered as unsuitable for a majority of audience like children, ethnic groups, and race. Since the Internet is not owned and controlled by a single governing body, there are no universally-enforced regulations as to what content may be published or not. The anonymity brought by the Internet also allows people to act unethically towards other users, as they know that the chances of being caught and held to account are very slim. Cyberbullying is one common example of unethical behavior with the intent to undermine the reputation of a person or a group. Cybercrimes such as plagiarism, copyright theft, spamming, phishing, hacking, identity theft, and other illegal online activities thrive with the use of the Internet. Media and information literate individuals must always utilize the advantages while moving away from the negative impacts of traditional and new media on their lives. Being continuously vigilant and aware of the current trends and situations that may be encountered online is always a great practice as this will yield positive results while minimizing the chance of being a victim of unethical practices of individuals in the Internet.


Check Your Understanding

A. Determine whether the following activities is an advantage or disadvantage of media and information.

1. Online learning 2. Downloading of e-books 3. Spamming 4. Forum discussion 5. Media streaming

B. Application.

1. Does your family still own a physical set of encyclopedias? What is the main advantage of having an online encyclopedia against the traditional printed ones? Discuss your answer.

2. How could you protect your privacy on social media? Enumerate at least three safeguards to secure your private information.

C. Synthesis and Analysis.

1. Enumerate at least three steps that a media and information literate individual must take before sharing an information that he/she has found on social media. What could happen if these steps are ignored?

2. What do you think is the main reason why most people are unaware that they are spreading false information on the Internet?

Explore and Create! 1. What other advantages and disadvantages can you list, aside from the ones

mentioned in this lesson? You may include some based on research or personal experiences. Arrange them in a table and present the output using presentation software.

2. Do you think media causes more harm than good? What steps or procedures can be done to lessen the drawbacks based on an instance or situation that you encountered in the past?


Let’s Create!

THE ANATOMY OF A FAKE NEWS WEBSITE

One of the greatest advantages of media is its ability to reach a wide range of audience in a very short period of time. Digital media expanded this advantage as contents can now be disseminated across the globe. However, people with harmful intentions can use this feature to spread false information. Your goal is to provide a visual representation, in the form of a poster, of the anatomy of a fake news website. You are an investigative journalist that wishes to find out, scrutinize, and discuss if there are telling clues to describe a fake news website based on how it is constructed. Browse the Internet and search for any reliable data that enumerates some of the well-known fake news websites and choose one of them. Make sure to cite your sources such as credible news, articles, or websites which have proven the credibility of the fake news website. Screen grab one of the webpages of the chosen fake news website and label the parts that you think are the clues to tell that the website is indeed spreading fake information. Exhibit your findings as an informative poster. Netizens must be educated and informed of your findings so that they would be aware in case they see the clues labeled in your poster. LEARNING TASK RUBRIC

Criteria Beginning (0-5 points)

Developing (6-14 points)

Accomplished (15-20 points)

Score

Content (The content of the poster is substantial and very informative to the audience.)


Organization (The screen grab of the webpage is clear and the labels are on point.)

The explanation on the clues are well-written and does not require further explanation.

The presented anatomy is clear, concise, and well organized.

The sources were enumerated properly for proper documentation.

Total Score:


Self-Check

Skills

I think I need more time and assistance.

I have a minimal understanding of it.

I am confident that I can do this with ease.

I am able to understand and appreciate the power of media and information in the different aspect of the society.

I am able to determine and realize the various advantages and disadvantages of media and information.

I am now aware on how to fully utilize the capabilities of media and information while keeping myself safe from people who are doing unethical online activities.


Wrap Up

● Media, both traditional and digital, are great tools in creating, storing, and sharing useful information across a vast number of audience.

● Media and information are economically, educationally, socially, and politically important in this generation.

● The use of media has a variety of advantages but the impact of its disadvantages cannot be totally avoided.

● A media and information literate individual must be aware and vigilant on how he/she can fully utilize the power of media and information without compromising his/her privacy and security against people who conducts unethical activities online.

Bibliography

Books Campos, Patrick. From Cave to Cloud: Media and Information Literacy for Today. Phoenix Publishing House, 2016. Leaning, Marcus. Media and Information Literacy. Vol. First Edition. Chandos Publishing, 2017. Zarate, Maria Jovita E. Media and Information Literacy. Rex Publishing, 2016.

Glossary

Cybercrime – any unethical or unlawful activity that is usually done with the use of computing devices or the Internet. E-commerce – transactions, especially the exchange of goods or services for a cost, which is conducted electronically on the Internet.


E-governance – the application of information and communications technology in the delivery of services by a government to its citizens. Fake News – stories that have no reliable basis and with the intention to mislead the readers. Hashtag – a word preceded by the ‘#’ symbol are keywords which can be used to organize messages on a social network. Learning Management Systems – a software application used to aid in the administration of educational courses or programs. Netizen – a habitual or avid user of the Internet, especially on social media. On-demand – the ability to access a media content anywhere at any given time. Trending – a popular topic. On social media, a trending topic may be about a person, a group, or a current phenomenon.


unit 8: opportunities, cha llenges, and power of media and

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