Lesson 1: How Media and Information Affect Communication

Communication is derived from the Latin word “communis” which means common. This
involves the process of transmitting and delivering information to an intended audience for
whatever purpose it may be such as forming relationships, exchanging meanings, making
transactions, influencing choices, stimulating aesthetic appeal, and more importantly, for creating
and producing ideas.
A source is like the point of reference from where or from whom the message is crafted. Sources
in media may take in various forms like a direct person delivering the message (e.g., the disc
jockeys you hear in radio) or indirect forms such as still images like photographs or texts on
newspapers. The differences in the manner, style and strategies on how the source or the sender
shares information have an impact on communication.
Another element is the message or the heart of the communication process that connects the
source to the audience. Without the message or the content, there is nothing to discuss or to
learn. Nowadays, a vast collection of media content is being produced and consumed by literate
individuals. The message we see, we hear or we read in media have at some point an influence in
our daily lives.
A channel or medium is the tool used to deliver the message from the source to the receiver. In
parlance, this is called mass media which is designed to reach large audience with the aid of
technology. Each channel is developed and managed depending on the technical aspects and
features of these information communication technologies. For example, same news event may
be understood by the people but the manner of producing the content in radio broadcast and
online platform will vary.
A receiver refers to the people who will decode the message. Ideally, the way the source
understood the message should be the same way the receiver will interpret the content. Receivers
can be controlled depending on the kind of medium that the source will use. For example, if the
source decided to use social media, most likely the content is open to public opinion.
Noise refers to the unwanted yet unavoidable element in communication flow. This can be
classified as either external or internal that impedes comprehension. Specifically, this could be a
physical noise like technical glitches in the equipment, or a physiological noise that concerns the
functional systems of the sender or the receiver. For example, if the speaker has a stuttering
problem, there might be a form of vagueness in the message. Another type of noise could be
psychological or mental barriers like when there is a presence of bias and stereotype in the
message.
If one element is missing or disrupted, communication breakdown will take place.
Communication Models
One of the popular models of communication is Shannon and Weaver Model dated 1949. It’s a
two-way process that reinforces that message needs to be deconstructed if there is a greater noise
or disturbance to lessen ambiguity.
Another model of communication that is interactive in nature would be Charles Osgood’s model.
This explains the circular process in which the roles of being a source and a receiver can be
interchanged and done simultaneously with the help of feedback mechanism.
In Schramm’s model, he emphasized on the shared experiences and understanding between the
sender and receiver. If there is less commonality, there is a possibility that both will experience
difficulty in communication.
Lesson 2: What Is Media and Information Literacy?
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 2005
defined literacy as one’s cognitive ability to process information using written materials in
various context. As human civilization progresses, reading and numeracy have become
foundational skills resulting in other types of literacies such as environmental, financial,
technology, news, cinema, advertising, library and the like. In the context that humans learn in
different ways, it is evident that each person acquires certain types and level of literacies through
formal education and experience. More than decoding texts and numbers, becoming literate gives
leverage for the people to participate in today’s society.
Information literacy refers to one’s ability to search, access, consolidate, utilize, and create
relevant information for varying purpose.
In the above context, it requires you to apply your information literacy by identifying databases,
using various search strategies, and posing worthwhile questions about the topic.
Media Literacy focuses on how a person identifies the roles and functions of media institutions,
how he scrutinizes the content and even various information providers, and how he makes use of
media in a responsible, ethical manner.
Technology literacy refers to skills on the effective usage of technology including hardware and
software to communicate, manipulate, store and access information.
Media and Information Literacy is a set of integrated skills, attitudes, competencies that
empower citizens to communicate and understand information for democratic discourse, and to
evaluate, produce and use all of these resources in an effective, competent and ethical way.
Based on UNESCO’s framework, Media and Information Literacy is essential to:
a. m ak e inform ed dec isions
a. learn about the w orld around them

b. build a sense of c om m unity

c . m aintain public disc ourse

d. engage in lifelong learning

Lesson 3: Responsible Uses and Production of Media and Information

1. Plagiarism is a product of poor attitude towards learning. Not only students but also
professional ones even tend to plagiarize for a number of reasons like pressure, lack of skills, or
even misconception on how to avoid this issue. Whether consciously or unconsciously done,
media and information literate individuals show respect to other people’s ideas and creations. To
stop plagiarism, one should learn how to summarize, paraphrase and cite source properly.
2. Aside from not committing plagiarism, one must show intellectual respect and honesty by
abiding laws concerning media and information uses such as intellectual property law, e-
commerce law, anti-piracy and law.
3. He/she can spot any form of stereotypes like gender or racial, bias, and oversimplified
generalization. A member of a group may be portrayed in one aspect but if this representation is
attributed to all or most of the members, then this limits the view to other people. Understanding
this seemingly subtle messages conveyed in media will help you establish positive relationship
and engage in a meaningful intercultural dialogue and interaction.
4. Every person is entitled to his or her own right to express his or her opinion. But in every
right, there is a corresponding obligation and that is to be careful and conscious of what you put
into writing or what you say so as not to create false claims, hate messages, spam, rumors, and
chain letter. Respect is a fundamental yet apparently an elusive value that needs to be practiced
all the times. Learn to respect people’s privacy, feelings and property.
5. Verifying sources is one indicator of being critical media user. It does not necessarily
mean that if a website has an org or edu in its URL, it is already a trustworthy site. Some would
even attempt to place expert claims, facts and figures, and even aesthetically professional display
just to implant deceit, hate or confusion to readers.
6. Words can make or break a person. When people become mean and offensive online, this
is considered a form of harassment in the digital world which is called cyberbullying.
7. Be cautious of the propaganda or statements that may seem believable and worthy of
your attention when in fact it is meant to deceive or hide the truth to the audience. Propaganda is
usually found in politics, advertisement, speech, and the like. Some common examples would be
glittering generalities or using sugar-coated positive statement that has no bearing in the
message, bandwagon which promotes the idea that if you want to feel sense of belongingness,
you must join the wagon or the group or else you will be left out, half-truth or card-stacking in
which only a partial information is revealed to the consumers, appeal to authority or people may
seem likeable or influential like celebrities or professional ones but apparently they do not have
enough knowledge and background to make conclusive judgment. These are only some forms of
propaganda techniques that are covertly injected in media, so one should learn how to uncover
such subtle messages.