PBF2074 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY FOR COMMUNICATION INDIVIDUAL LITERATURE REVIEW: MEDIA & INFORMATION LITERACY. LECTURER: DR JAMILAH MALIKI MDM DAYANG AIZZA MAISHA ABANG AHMAD NAME 1. JAMES WONG YUN LIANG MATRIX NUMBER 69936 Introduction & purpose of review Media literacy and information literacy were traditionally developed and viewed as two separate fields but was later proposed to be applied simultaneously to offer citizens a more holistic approach to comprehend media and information. It was initially conceptualised with the intention to highlight and bring attention to the importance of citizens’ ability to discern and critically assess the credibility of information and sources. UNESCO helped to popularise and widen its application into the field of education, recognising it as an important prerequisite to freedom of expression and information (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, 2017). This literature review has taken the works of Gretter & Yadav (2016), Bulger & Davison (2018), Leaning (2019), Haider & Sundin (2020) and Jones-Jang et al. (2021) to present a pattern developed in these works that while media and information literacy offers much to educate, raise awareness and provide guidance, it is insufficient and flawed on its own, and different integrations and approaches are needed for more comprehensive literacies that can better equip citizens with necessary skills. This review aims to unveil the inadequacies in media and information literacy and discuss potential alternatives to combat information related issues within the context of current digital media ecology and information technologies. Current issues in Media and Information Literacy The concept of media, information, news and digital literary has consistently been proven to be evolutionary and subject to technological innovations and societal progression. Past attempts to define terms such as “media” and “information”, as well as ways to quantise, access and evaluate the aforementioned literacies has also been challenged due to its longitudinal nature (Bulger & Davison, 2018). Furthermore, scholars have identified the lack of empirical evidence in audience-centered approach for the applications and efficacy of media related literacies in the real world (Jones-Jang et al., 2021). The trend is apparent in these studies of media and information literacy (MIL) in which scholars and researchers are proposing that media and information literacy alone is insufficient to combat issues in the digital information era, such as the dissemination of disinformation, lack of critical assessing skills and an impressionable audience especially in the context of social media. The realisation of these insufficiencies led to scholars and researchers proposing new and different approach to tackle MIL related issues within media audience. For instance, Gretter & Yadav (2016) proposed to integrate computational thinking skills with MIL to better foster skills require in the 21 st century such as creativity, critical thinking and problem-solving skills in students, by implementing programming courses into their curricula. Similarly, Leaning (2019) advocated for the integration of digital literacy alongside MIL to offer an approach that can increase digital awareness within the context of media and information literacy. Haider & Sundin (2020) presented a different view, arguing that critical assessment is required alongside MIL to judge and assess information beyond its content, but to be aware of how information infrastructure works in relation to today’s digital media ecology. Theories used in issue discussed Critical Information Literacy (CIL) is a theory that examines “the socio-political dimensions of information and production of knowledge, and critiques the ways in which systems of power shape the creation, distribution, and reception of information” (Drabinski & Tewell, 2019, p. 1). CIL has its roots in the discourse of academic library, and was used prominently alongside information literacy to advocate for meaningful social change especially in the discussion of freedom and democracy (Drabinski & Tewell, 2019). CIL has since been employed in conversations of other discipline, as its core value is to encourage the identification of oppression in the information systems and counter against the dominant modes of information dissemination (Drabinski & Tewell, 2019). In short, CIL is concerned with the authenticity, accuracy and socio-political impacts of information which makes it the ideal tool to analyse the current state of media and information literacy. Findings and discussion The works chosen to be reviewed all have a similar notion that literacies, regardless of which, are evolving at a slower rate compared to the advancement and growth of media, information, digital communications and the digitisation of media and information. The existing model of media literacy does not take into account of the evolving nature of digital technologies especially new communicative practices (Leaning, 2019). On the other hand, information literacy as a framework for finding, evaluating and using information lacks consideration of the various conditions that could affect credibility and biases upon assessing information, such as information sources, search algorithm, targeted content or the medium used (Haider & Sundin, 2020). These conditions are controlled by humans, therefore how information is delivered and the content itself reflects biases of its creators, it cannot be perceived as neutral. Hence, a critical approach to information and deeper understanding of how different types of information and sources are mediated, framed and delivered into the information infrastructure is crucial, most prominently in new media. Such approach views information from a larger perspective and a wider context rather than focusing solely on the content, which is pivotal for critical assessment of information especially when information and news are being displayed algorithmically and differently across individuals(Jones-Jang et al., 2021). Digital literacy can be generally defined as the ability to comprehend and integrate information in a variety of formats that a computer can deliver (Leaning, 2019). While this definition is still widely used, it no longer encapsulates other aspects of digital culture and the skills necessary to operate within that context. In an era where the majority of citizens are obtaining news and other information online especially from social media, digital literacy is being studied more to bridge the gap between MIL and the digitisation of media (Hirschmann, 2021). A key feature of digital literacy is that digitised information and media are interactive and networked, and that the participatory nature of digital communication is diversifying the process of knowledge diffusion (Jones-Jang et al., 2021). While the feature has revolutionised the medium for obtaining information and increased accessibility of information, it also resulted in a pressing issue of the accuracy of information, most notably widespread “fake news”. To fill the insufficiencies in MIL mentioned in previous section, Leaning (2019) proposed to integrate digital literacy with MIL, recognising that both media and information literacies does not emphasise skills needed to fully engage with digital technologies such as cyber security, online safety, interconnectivity and privacy management. It is also important to note that digital literacy does not replace MIL, but rather introduce new concepts that add dimensions to the existing concept of MIL. In sum, to operate within the current state of digital information era, it is crucial that citizens are equipped with relevant skills, literacies and competencies to sustain and update their access to the ever-changing information systems. While media and information literacy provide much foundation for citizens to be critically engaged consumers of media and information, critical assessment and digital literacy help citizens become responsible and ethical participants of digital media. Reference Bulger, M., & Davison, P. (2018). The Promises, Challenges, and Futures of Media Literacy. Journal of Media Literacy Education, 10(1), 1–21. https://doi.org/10.23860/jmle-201810-1-1 Drabinski, E., & Tewell, E. (2019). Critical Information Literacy. The International Encyclopedia of Media Literacy, 1–4. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118978238.ieml0042 Haider, J., & Sundin, O. (2020). Information literacy challenges in digital culture: conflicting engagements of trust and doubt. Information Communication and Society, 0(0), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1080/1369118X.2020.1851389 Hirschmann, R. (2021). Share of respondents in Malaysia who receive news form the following sources in 2020. Retrieved from Statista: https://www.statista.com/statistics/982719/malaysia-top-news-sources/ Jones-Jang, S. M., Mortensen, T., & Liu, J. (2021). Does Media Literacy Help Identification of Fake News? Information Literacy Helps, but Other Literacies Don’t. American Behavioral Scientist, 65(2), 371–388. https://doi.org/10.1177/0002764219869406 Leaning, M. (2019). An approach to digital literacy through the integration of media and information literacy. Media and Communication, 7(2 Critical Perspectives), 4–13. https://doi.org/10.17645/mac.v7i2.1931 United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. (2017). Media and Information Literacy as a Composite Concept. Retrieved from United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization: http://www.unesco.org/new/en/communication-and-information/mediadevelopment/media-literacy/mil-as-composite-concept/
