Media & Information Literacy For Teachers

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  • Home
  • Introduction
  • Modules
    • Module 1 : Citizenship, Freedom of Expression and Information, Access to Information, Democratic Discourse and Life-long Learning
      • Unit 1: Understanding Media and Information Literacy – An Orientation
      • Unit 2: MIL and Civic Participation
      • Unit 3: Interactive with Media and Other Information Providers such as Libraries, Archives and the Internet
      • Unit 4: MIL, Teaching and Learning
    • Module 2: Understanding the News, Media, and Information Ethics
      • Unit 1: Journalism and Society
      • Unit 2: Freedom, Ethics and Accountability
      • Unit 3: What Makes News – Exploring the Criteria
      • Unit 4: The News Development Process – Going Beyond the 5Ws and 1H
    • Module 3: Representation in Media and Information
      • Unit 1: News Reporting and the Power of the Image
      • Unit 2: Industry Codes on Diversity and Representation
      • Unit 3: Television, Films, Book Publishing
      • Unit 4: Representation and Music Videos
      • Unit 5: Digital Editing and Computer Retouching
    • Module 4: Languages in Media and Information
      • Unit 1: Reading Media and Information Texts
      • Unit 2: The Medium and the Message – Print and Broadcast News
      • Unit 3: Film Genres and Storytelling
      • Unit 4: Camera Shots and Angles – Conveying Meaning
    • Module 5: Advertising
      • Unit 1: Advertising, Revenue and Regulations
      • Unit 2: Public Service Announcements
      • Unit 3: Advertising – the Creative Process
      • Unit 4: Advertising and the Political Arena
      • Unit 5: Transnational Advertising and ‘Superbrands’
    • Module 6: New and Traditional Media
      • Unit 1: From Traditional Media to New Media Technologies
      • Unit 2: Uses of New Media Technologies in Society – Mass and Digital Communications
      • Unit 3: Use of Interactive Multimedia Tools, Including Digital Games in Classrooms
    • Module 7: Internet Opportunities and Challenges
      • Unit 1: Young People in the Virtual World
      • Unit 2: Challenges and Risks in the Virtual World
    • Module 8: Information Literacy and Library Skills
      • Unit 1: Concepts and Applications of Information Literacy
      • Unit 2: Learning Environments and Information Literacy
      • Unit 3: Digital Information Literacy
    • Module 9: Communication, MIL and Learning – a Capstone Module
      • Unit 1: Communication, Teaching and Learning
      • Unit 2: Learning Theories and MIL
      • Unit 3: Managing Change to Foster an Enabling Environment for MIL in Schools
    • Module 10: Audience
    • Module 11: Media, Technology and the Global Village
      • Unit 1: Media Ownership in Today’s Global Village
      • Unit 2: Socio-Cultural and Political Dimensions of Globalized Media
      • Unit 3: Commoditization of Information
      • Unit 4: The Rise of Alternative Media
    • Module 12: Freedom of Expression Toolkit
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Home / Modules / Module 11: Media, Technology and the Global Village / Unit 2: Socio-Cultural and Political Dimensions of Globalized Media

Module 11: Media, Technology and the Global Village

Unit 2: Socio-Cultural and Political Dimensions of Globalized Media

DURATION: 3 hours

KEY TOPICS

  • Socio-cultural dimensions of global media
    • Media and popular culture
    • Cultural stereotyping, prejudices and biases
    • Perceived threat of cultural homogenization
    • Promise of cultural diversity and pluralism
    • Media and cultural tolerance, understanding and global citizenship
  • Political impact of media
    • Providing mechanisms for the two-way flow of information (e.g. North-South, SouthSouth)
    • Media as a platform for broadening the public sphere (democratic speech)
    • Media as a mechanism for political and social mobilization
    • The power of media in shaping public opinion and the public agenda
    • Promoting good governance through transparency and accountability
  • Media and migrant communities
  • How global media and technological convergence address the needs of migrant communities
  • Case studies of media channels of diaspora/migrant communities

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

After completing this unit, teachers will be able to:

  • Explain and illustrate how the media influence or define popular culture
  • Explain the dynamics of what are seen as counter-processes of cultural homogeneity and localization
  • Analyze how the media can broaden or narrow the public sphere, democratize access and promote political participation
  • Discuss how global media (e.g. satellite and cable television, Internet) can address the information needs of migrant communities

PEDAGOGICAL APPROACHES and ACTIVITIES

TEXTUAL ANALYSIS OF VARIOUS MEDIA TYPES

TEXTUAL ANALYSIS OF VARIOUS MEDIA TYPES

Discuss how the media influence or define popular culture. Examine whether the media are encouraging greater homogenization or diversity in the new entertainment culture.

Conduct a textual analysis of a popular song by popular western and local pop icons. Identify cultural values embedded in the lyrics of the songs and critique the appropriateness and desirability of those values for the local setting.

Watch a documentary or film that focuses on a particular religious, cultural or ethnic group. Identify images or words used in dialogues that create or reinforce stereotypical images of the group. Identify elements that reflect biases and prejudices.

CONTEXTUAL ANALYSIS

CONTEXTUAL ANALYSIS

Conduct a random survey among primary school students on their contemporary heroes and idols, and the reasons for their choice. After collating the results of the survey, analyze the results in terms of:

  1. How many are foreign and how many are local
  2. Possible reasons for their choice (e.g. exposure of pupils to these heroes and idols through media)
  3. Values exemplified by the heroes or idols selected in various media

Read several issues of a publication or view media programs intended for migrant workers in the community. Identify the common topics or themes discussed in the publication. Determine whether issues related to the adopted or host country and their country of origin are adequately represented.

CASE STUDIES

CASE STUDIES

Visit a website, or other online site such as a blog, social network or an online video uploaded by an international advocacy organization (e.g. WWF, Plan International, etc.) dedicated to a transborder issue, such as the environment and sustainable development, human rights, etc. Examine how dialogue and consensus-building among global citizens visiting the site are promoted through interactive features.

ISSUE-ENQUIRY APPROACH/RESEARCH

ISSUE-ENQUIRY APPROACH/RESEARCH

Teachers interview members of a migrant community on the following issues:

  • Mass media they use to keep abreast of news and current events in their home country
  • Perceptions of how international media report on their home country’s socio-political issues and events in terms of accuracy, coherence, completeness, etc.
  • Psychosocial impact of maintaining access to news and information from the home country
ASSESSMENT RECOMMENDATIONS

ASSESSMENT RECOMMENDATIONS

  • Research report
  • Written papers on results of textual/contextual analysis exercises and case studies
  • Participation in class discussions and other group learning activities
TOPICS FOR FURTHER CONSIDERATION

TOPICS FOR FURTHER CONSIDERATION

  • Gender and racial or ethnic issues in the coverage of mainstream, alternative and new media
  • Sex and violence in media and society
  • Privacy and a ‘tell-all society’
  • The weakening of nation-states and the emergence of ‘supranationals’ (new global sovereigns, such as the World Bank and the WTO)
  • Unit 1: Media Ownership in Today’s Global Village
  • Unit 2: Socio-Cultural and Political Dimensions of Globalized Media
  • Unit 3: Commoditization of Information
  • Unit 4: The Rise of Alternative Media

Modules

  • Module 1 : Citizenship, Freedom of Expression and Information, Access to Information, Democratic Discourse and Life-long Learning
  • Module 2: Understanding the News, Media, and Information Ethics
  • Module 3: Representation in Media and Information
  • Module 4: Languages in Media and Information
  • Module 5: Advertising
  • Module 6: New and Traditional Media
  • Module 7: Internet Opportunities and Challenges
  • Module 8: Information Literacy and Library Skills
  • Module 10: Audience
  • Module 11: Media, Technology and the Global Village
  • Module 12: Freedom of Expression Toolkit

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