media and information literate individual essay brainly

Media and Information Literacy, a critical approach to literacy in the digital world

What does it mean to be literate in the 21 st century? On the celebration of the International Literacy Day (8 September), people’s attention is drawn to the kind of literacy skills we need to navigate the increasingly digitally mediated societies.

Stakeholders around the world are gradually embracing an expanded definition for literacy, going beyond the ability to write, read and understand words. Media and Information Literacy (MIL) emphasizes a critical approach to literacy. MIL recognizes that people are learning in the classroom as well as outside of the classroom through information, media and technological platforms. It enables people to question critically what they have read, heard and learned.

As a composite concept proposed by UNESCO in 2007, MIL covers all competencies related to information literacy and media literacy that also include digital or technological literacy. Ms Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO has reiterated significance of MIL in this media and information landscape: “Media and information literacy has never been so vital, to build trust in information and knowledge at a time when notions of ‘truth’ have been challenged.”

MIL focuses on different and intersecting competencies to transform people’s interaction with information and learning environments online and offline. MIL includes competencies to search, critically evaluate, use and contribute information and media content wisely; knowledge of how to manage one’s rights online; understanding how to combat online hate speech and cyberbullying; understanding of the ethical issues surrounding the access and use of information; and engagement with media and ICTs to promote equality, free expression and tolerance, intercultural/interreligious dialogue, peace, etc. MIL is a nexus of human rights of which literacy is a primary right.

Learning through social media

In today’s 21 st century societies, it is necessary that all peoples acquire MIL competencies (knowledge, skills and attitude). Media and Information Literacy is for all, it is an integral part of education for all. Yet we cannot neglect to recognize that children and youth are at the heart of this need. Data shows that 70% of young people around the world are online. This means that the Internet, and social media in particular, should be seen as an opportunity for learning and can be used as a tool for the new forms of literacy.

The Policy Brief by UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education, “Social Media for Learning by Means of ICT” underlines this potential of social media to “engage students on immediate and contextual concerns, such as current events, social activities and prospective employment.

UNESCO MIL CLICKS - To think critically and click wisely

For this reason, UNESCO initiated a social media innovation on Media and Information Literacy, MIL CLICKS (Media and Information Literacy: Critical-thinking, Creativity, Literacy, Intercultural, Citizenship, Knowledge and Sustainability).

MIL CLICKS is a way for people to acquire MIL competencies in their normal, day-to-day use of the Internet and social media. To think critically and click wisely. This is an unstructured approach, non-formal way of learning, using organic methods in an online environment of play, connecting and socializing.  

MIL as a tool for sustainable development

In the global, sustainable context, MIL competencies are indispensable to the critical understanding and engagement in development of democratic participation, sustainable societies, building trust in media, good governance and peacebuilding. A recent UNESCO publication described the high relevance of MIL for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“Citizen's engagement in open development in connection with the SDGs are mediated by media and information providers including those on the Internet, as well as by their level of media and information literacy. It is on this basis that UNESCO, as part of its comprehensive MIL programme, has set up a MOOC on MIL,” says Alton Grizzle, UNESCO Programme Specialist. 

UNESCO’s comprehensive MIL programme

UNESCO has been continuously developing MIL programme that has many aspects. MIL policies and strategies are needed and should be dovetailed with existing education, media, ICT, information, youth and culture policies.

The first step on this road from policy to action is to increase the number of MIL teachers and educators in formal and non-formal educational setting. This is why UNESCO has prepared a model Media and Information Literacy Curriculum for Teachers , which has been designed in an international context, through an all-inclusive, non-prescriptive approach and with adaptation in mind.

The mass media and information intermediaries can all assist in ensuring the permanence of MIL issues in the public. They can also highly contribute to all citizens in receiving information and media competencies. Guideline for Broadcasters on Promoting User-generated Content and Media and Information Literacy , prepared by UNESCO and the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association offers some insight in this direction.

UNESCO will be highlighting the need to build bridges between learning in the classroom and learning outside of the classroom through MIL at the Global MIL Week 2017 . Global MIL Week will be celebrated globally from 25 October to 5 November 2017 under the theme: “Media and Information Literacy in Critical Times: Re-imagining Ways of Learning and Information Environments”. The Global MIL Feature Conference will be held in Jamaica under the same theme from 24 to 27 October 2017, at the Jamaica Conference Centre in Kingston, hosted by The University of the West Indies (UWI).

Alton Grizzle , Programme Specialist – Media Development and Society Section

More on this subject

Other recent news

Digital Citizenship Education (DCE)

• Media and Information Literacy

How is media and information literacy defined today?

Like digital citizenship, media and information literacy has been explained by a range of definitions and different terminologies. Whether we use digital media literacy, information literacy, internet literacy or any of the other different expressions, the main idea is that literacy encompasses the ability to engage meaningfully with media and information channels.

Media, information channels and the ubiquity of the internet may leave the impression that the digital age has turned everyone into media users and that the digital can be found everywhere, including in schools. This impression is false and, moreover, schools are the notable exception. School is the one place where it is absolutely crucial to train future citizens to understand, to criticise and to create information. It is in schools that the digital citizen must begin and maintain constant critical thinking in order to attain meaningful participation in his or her community.

Media and information literacy is an ambitious goal in the 21st century because of the challenge of teaching users to critically judge, reflect and use the extremely broad range of available media. Not only must users become media literate with respect to traditional media and the representation of image, users now must become media literate with respect to the wealth of new technology available and the development of applications allowing entirely new ways of transmitting information.

Without media and information literacy, across the varied types of media now available, our children cannot act as responsible citizens, digital or otherwise, and the question of who will teach this to our children has not yet been established.

Generally speaking, if schools are the training grounds for critical thinking, analysis and judgment making, is it not logical that media and information literacy become cornerstones of the educational curricula?  

What are some of the dimensions of media and information literacy?

Media and information literacy (MIL) is an umbrella concept that covers three often clearly distinguished dimensions: information literacy, media literacy and ICT/ digital literacy. As UNESCO highlights, MIL brings together stakeholders including individuals, communities and nations to contribute to the information society. Not only does MIL act as an umbrella, it also encompasses a full range of competences that must be used effectively in order to critically evaluate the different facets of MIL.  

What will media and information literacy mean to our children?

Children and young people today are particularly savvy when it comes to finding and using media for entertainment and recreation. But how many of those children can use those same devices to find meaningful answers, conduct evidence-based research, spark a debate or follow the news?

Children and young people are confronted with all types of content and they should, indeed they must, be able to discern what is of value and what is not; what is real and what is not. Discernment goes beyond fake news and relates to their ability to process and interpret information.

Research is under way to investigate the learning potential of existing and emerging communicative technologies for children aged 0-8 years old. The DigiLitEY project specifically rests on the premise that “the early years provide crucial foundations for lifelong literacy learning, therefore it is important to ensure early education policy and practice across (all) countries are developed in order to equip our youngest citizens with the skills and knowledge needed in a digitally-mediated era”. Initiatives such as DigiLitEY and the Joint Research Commission project on 0-8-year-old children and digital technology should provide interesting conclusions and guidelines on media and information literacy in the near future.

Whether children are playing online games or watching endless videos, the ability to understand the stakes within the medium and potential implications beyond would serve our children well. They need to be able to process, analyse and make good decisions on their own, and media and information literacy can help children develop those skills.  

Confusion between media and information literacy and digital citizenship

Rather than simply using cognitive, emotional and social competences as the basis of MIL, it is useful to apply some of the other media-related competences from the Council of Europe’s “butterfly” competence framework to the concept of media and information literacy (Figure 9).

Figure 9: Four steps underpinning the process of inclusion

How does it work?

Media and information literacy provides the backbone to understanding media and the role of media in our society. MIL also provides some of the essential skills necessary for critical thinking, analysis, self-expression and creativity – all necessary skills for citizens in a democratic society.

Citizens are able to access, analyse, create and consume media and information in various formats from print to radio, from video to the internet. Learning how to use a search engine properly is an important skill for the digital citizen and once the information is acquired, it is then necessary to apply transversal skills such as critical thinking by searching for and comparing divergent sources online. The ability to critically analyse, then classify and retain the pertinent information can aid digital citizens in the acquisition of knowledge on a wide array of topics.  

Educational and citizenship value

Critical thinking is invaluable for citizens and especially for young learners, who also need to be able to solve problems, find information, form opinions, evaluate sources and more. Given the amount of data and truthful and erroneous information that is available online, MIL is a crucial skill.

A message can go viral in less than one hour and what is false can be repeated until people believe that it is true. With the speed of dissemination, those with adequate MIL skills will be better able to discern what is true and will be able to ask questions and search for answers amid the flotsam online.

Search engines have revolutionised the way people search for content online, and digital skills should also include the ability to understand that algorithms may not always be neutral. Search engines can and have been manipulated for political and other reasons and, as such, users should have a healthy appreciation for lower-ranked results as well as the highest-ranked result. With regard to information and especially world news, the key is diversity. Algorithms should be configured in such a manner as to always display different points of view about similar events.

Finally, children and, more broadly, all citizens may be misled into believing that if there is “fake” news there must be “real” news. Even news which is factually correct results from an editorial filter which selects one event among the otherwise infinite events happening all around the world. As media outlets struggle to attract viewers, the news has to be “catchy”, sensationalist and simple, gradually transforming into “infotainment”. Instead of covering a heart-warming story of solidarity and fraternity, news outlets will prefer devastating accidents, death and violence. The questions that must be asked, beyond the “factual accuracy”, is rather: why does the media focus on stories of catastrophes? Is there something to gain from keeping people in a state of perpetual fear for their life? How does this influence political opinions? What ideological message underpins the otherwise factually correct news article or story?

Robert Darnton

• Access and Inclusion
• Learning and Creativity
• Ethics and Empathy
• Health and Wellbeing
• ePresence and Communications
• Active Participation
• Rights and Responsibilities
• Privacy and Security
• Consumer Awareness

Home — Essay Samples — Information Science and Technology — Digital Literacy — The Importance of Media and Information Literacy to Students

The Importance of Media and Information Literacy to Students

• Categories: Digital Literacy

About this sample

Words: 714 |

Published: Sep 1, 2023

Words: 714 | Pages: 2 | 4 min read

Cite this Essay

Let us write you an essay from scratch

• 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
• Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Get high-quality help

Prof. Kifaru

Verified writer

• Expert in: Information Science and Technology

+ 120 experts online

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Related Essays

2 pages / 798 words

4 pages / 1850 words

6 pages / 2847 words

3 pages / 1474 words

Remember! This is just a sample.

You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers.

121 writers online

Still can’t find what you need?

Browse our vast selection of original essay samples, each expertly formatted and styled

Related Essays on Digital Literacy

In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, the importance of media and information literacy cannot be overstated. As we are inundated with an overwhelming amount of information from various sources, the ability to critically [...]

In our increasingly interconnected world, where technology is deeply woven into the fabric of our daily lives, the specter of computer threats looms large. From malware attacks to hacking and data breaches, the digital landscape [...]

The value of being a media and information literate individual has never been more pronounced than in today's digital age. With the proliferation of information through various media channels, the ability to critically analyze, [...]

In the digital age where information is abundant yet often overwhelming, the value of being a media and information literate individual cannot be overstated. As we engage with a diverse range of media sources, from traditional [...]

In the year of 2019, we have seen a homegrown education company BYJU’s becoming the official sponsor of Indian Cricket Team with a record fee of 1079 INR crores, which its predecessor Oppo- a Chinese mobile maker thought was [...]

Morphological Image Processing is an important tool in the Digital Image processing, since that science can rigorously quantify many aspects of the geometrical structure of the way that agrees with the human intuition and [...]

Related Topics

By clicking “Send”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement . We will occasionally send you account related emails.

Where do you want us to send this sample?

By clicking “Continue”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy.

Be careful. This essay is not unique

This essay was donated by a student and is likely to have been used and submitted before

Download this Sample

Free samples may contain mistakes and not unique parts

Sorry, we could not paraphrase this essay. Our professional writers can rewrite it and get you a unique paper.

Please check your inbox.

We can write you a custom essay that will follow your exact instructions and meet the deadlines. Let's fix your grades together!

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

• Instructions Followed To The Letter
• Deadlines Met At Every Stage
• Unique And Plagiarism Free