What is media literacy?

Media literacy is the ability to critically evaluate and analyze information that is conveyed through media (Vinney, 2023). It has also been described by Trilling and Fadel (2009) as the medium of delivering messages. We are currently living in an environment where there is constant spread of various types of media, whether it comes from TV, Instagram, the radio, or the newspaper. By having media literacy, an individual has the ability to decode messages that are shown in the media.

Why is it important?

Having media literacy is important because it promotes critical thinking, and taking what we see in the media with a grain of salt. Since anyone can really say anything online, it’s essential that we have our critical thinking lens of media literacy to ensure that we don’t go into believing misinformation or fake news. We are in a world that is saturated with so much new information, and especially news, which is why it is crucial that we continue to develop and strengthen our media literacy skills.

Why is it dismissed?

Media literacy might be dismissed because it can negatively affect the views towards individuals or people of power that put out biased or skewed information. These people of power will lose their credibility and reliability if their followers/supporters incorporate media literacy into their thinking, because it will allow them to comprehend and pinpoint that powerful person’s biased views. A lack of media literacy allows people in power to push the limit of what they say, whether it is true or not.

Why should you aim for varied views but the factual consensus in your PLN?

It’s very important to incorporate varied perspectives in my PLN as it allows me to understand concepts, ideas, and thoughts in diverse ways that I would not have known about had I not had a diverse PLN. Having varied views in my PLN promotes new ideas, and new ways of thinking, and develops skills that help me remain open-minded. However, it is also essential that there is factual consensus in my PLN since it can help confirm that the information I am consuming is factual and accurate. Having both varied views and factual consensus is very important in one’s PLN, as it ensures that they are exposed to diverse viewpoints and they are able to get to an endpoint of what is factual or not.

What is the benefit of having a PLN that values media literacy?

There are so many benefits of having a PLN that values media literacy. Firstly, having this kind of PLN can help people connect with like-minded others that share similar values that relate to media literacy. It also allows individuals to improve communication and to form trusted and reliable relationships because the connections that someone has within their PLN will also tend to value similar viewpoints.

Open dialogues about media literacy and how factual information can create conflict. Why does this happen?

As mentioned in the group discussion, there was a lot of conflict about media literacy during the rise of the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, there was a great divide between those that believed in the usefulness of the vaccine and those that were strongly against it. People grow up and develop preconceived notions, and there are many factors that affect whether they change those notions or not. It tends to be those that don’t think critically (and thus do not have media literacy) that are strongly and openly against the open dialogue of media literacy as they have strong preconceived notions that they stick by, and they tend to believe untrustworthy and biased information.

References

Trilling, Bernie., & Fadel, Charles. (2009). 21st century skills learning for life in our times / Bernie Trilling and Charles Fadel. (1st ed.). Jossey-Bass.

Vinney, C., PhD. (2023, October 26). Media literacy in the modern age. Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-media-literacy-5214468