ACLC COLLEGE OF TACLOBAN

SHS DEPARTMENT

MEDIA AND INFORMATION LITERACY

GRADE 12 THIRD & FOURTH QUARTER

MARK JOSHUA A. ANIBAN

SHS TEACHER

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MEDIA AND INFORMATION
LITERACY
ACLC COLLEGE OF TACLOBAN
SHS DEPARTMENT
3rd Quarter

LESSON 1: Introduction to Media and Information Literacy

Introduction to Topic:

In the present age, it is hard to imagine life without media. We spend almost 30% of our waking hours
exposed to various media types that we are often unaware of its long-lasting influence on us.
Knowing, understanding, and evaluating media and information will enable you to become a media and
information literate individual who could distinguish and filter information and its sources.

Unit Learning Outcomes

By the end of this unit, you should be able to:
Learning outcomes:
1. Describe how communication is affected by media and information.
2. Identify the similarities and differences of media literacy, information literacy and technology
literacy.
3. Explain the value of being a media and information literate individual
4. Identify characteristics and describe responsible uses and competent producers of media and
information.
5. Determine media habits, lifestyles, and preferences.

All About Media

The widespread of mass media in the current age should not be underestimated. Media’s span of
influence knows almost no bounds as it could be of reach almost anywhere in the world. Our exposure to
media has been something like an essential part of the background: we are not aware of its influence and
its many uses for us, but it seems like it has always been there.

According to a study by the scholars of Ball State University, an average person spends around 68.8% of
his waking hours with media. This study has further shown that we are mostly involved in media multi-
tasking or the “simultaneous exposure to messages from different media.” With the continuous
development of media over the years, we have grown more prone to media multi-tasking. The internet
has opened the world to greater possibilities, beyond the traditional media of print and broadcast. Our
reality has become the life of media saturation.

Recently, we have come to depend on media. We communicate with people using it, we watch and learn
from it, we interact with it almost every day that it’s practically impossible to separate media from a
person. A mutual dependence exists in both groups: media rely on an audience to thrive and people rely
on media for information, entertainment, and other things. At this point in time, interdependence of
media and people is inevitable.

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Why we need Media:
According to Vivian (2009), the following are the things we usually need media for:

➢ Personal dependence – there are people who have come to depend on media for their
convenience. We use media for almost everything. For example, people tend to watch, to listen
or to read about weather forecasts to alert us. This swift transmission of information is what
entices people to use media.
➢ Information – Information delivered through mass media comes in various forms. It may be in
print: in the form of brochures (letting you know about the benefits of consuming this herbal tea),
and in the form of newspapers, (letting you know about the current state of the country and the
world). It may also come in the form of broadcasted material (through newscasts) or in digital
form (through articles and pieces of news distributed through the internet).
➢ Entertainment – Before media emerged, people have invented ways to entertain themselves
through actual movement and interaction (storytelling, dancing and singing).
➢ Persuasion – We are able to make our informed opinions and decisions on various topics through
competing with other ideas, or most commonly known as the marketplace of ideas.

Media Literacy
Information, more than being available and easily at reach nowadays, come in large amount. The flow of
information is seemingly endless. However, with this, comes a reasonable consequence: it will be hard to
distinguish its quality

Technology is merely a tool in the distribution of information. It is up to a person to understand, filter

and ponder on the information he consumes. These circumstances bring the need for acquisition of
various literacies that will help us understand and adopt meaningful courses of action. (ALA, 2000;
Martin and Madigan, 2006)

The most common definition of literacy is “the ability to read and write.” But more than that, the
dictionary also defines literacy as the “knowledge that relates to a specified subject.”

Media literacy is the “possession of knowledge to be competent in assessing messages carried by mass
media.

Aufderheide (1992) has identified media literacy as “a movement, which is designed to help to
understand, to produce, and negotiate meanings in a culture of images, words and sounds.”

Five Qualities of media according to Aufderheide:

➢ Media are constructed and construct reality;

➢ Media have commercial implications;
➢ Media have ideological and political implications
➢ Form and content are related in each medium, each of which has a unique aesthetic, codes, and
conventions;
➢ Receivers negotiate meaning in media

No one can become a complete media expert (Vivian, 2009). This daunting task may be hard to overcome,
but it is no excuse to not learn it. Media literacy is an education that is ultimately aimed at “increasing
one’s understanding and enjoyment of how media works, how they produce meaning, how they are
organized and how they construct reality (Ontario Association for Media Literacy).”

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Information Literacy

Information literate people are able to recognize what information, out of a huge pool, is necessary.
Information literacy enables you to identify, locate, evaluate, and use information to solve a particular
problem. (ALA, 1989).

Hobbs (2006) described the nature of information literacy as education that emphasizes “critical thinking,
meta-cognitive, and procedural knowledge used to locate information in specific domains, fields and
contexts.” Information literacy is mostly aimed at the recognition of the quality, authenticity, and
credibility of the information/messages we receive from various sources.

Media literacy’s focal point is the mass media that does not include the sources of information used. This
type of literacy zeroes in on maximizing positive media effects and minimizing the negative (Martens,
2010). Information literacy, on the other hand, is concerned with more plain social issues than media
literacy. According to Lau (2013), information literacy focuses on the “objectivity and rational of
information and to a great extent on the research value of finding the ‘truth’ in documents.” Information
literacy revolves around the content and its ability to meet the set criteria of quality information.

Technology Literacy
An emerging type of literacy, technology literacy has slowly crawled its way into essential knowledge.
Shaphiro and Hughes (1996) defined technology literacy as “the ability to ongoingly adapt to, understand,
evaluate, and make use of the continually emerging innovations in information technology so as not to be
a prisoner of prior tools and resources and to make intelligent decisions about the adoption of new ones.”

Media technology is the product of human invention. Some of the most distinct technologies used
nowadays that have evolved over the years are the following:

➢ Printing Technology – in the 1440s, the emerging of the printing press has spawned the creation
of printed materials such as books, newspapers and magazines.
➢ Chemical Technology – Photography and films relies on chemical technology that continues to
evolve until today.
➢ Electronic Technology – Some of the examples of electronic technology are sound recording,
electricity, radio and television.
➢ Digital Technology – the Internet adapted the traditional media types into digital technology,
coexisting with its original form. While traditional media has adopted digital technology to
increase on capital and audience, the digital medium has also opened opportunities for more
unique types of media such as social media, informational websites, and usable search engines.

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LESSON 2: Evolution of Traditional to New Media

Unit Learning Outcomes

By the end of this unit, you should be able to:
Learning outcomes:
1. Identify traditional media and new media and their relationships.
2. Editorialize the roles and functions of media in a democratic society.
3. Search the latest theory on information and media.

From Traditional to New Media

Long before the media became a huge part of society’s development, people have already found ways
to communicate. Despite the lack of electricity and technology in the ancient times civilizations were
able to share information, which in turn helped in the continuous evolution of the human knowledge
today.

Prehistoric Age

➢ The prehistoric age of media basically consisted of records created by our ancestors, long even
before writing was even invented. They have made use of stone tools to craft – and thus leave a
record of their lives back in the old days.
➢ The Egyptians were among the first to use symbols as a form of written communication.
➢ The cuneiform was used by the Sumerians, which they used not just to jot down important details,
but also to write relevant literature, among them the famous Epic of Gilgamesh.
➢ Later on, ancient civilizations used written communication in order to make the trade more
convenient.
➢ The spread of news was mainly by mouth; not everyone was able to read or write, hence there
were heralds who announce relevant events.
• In the Philippines, the umalokohan or town crier served as the messenger to the people,
making them aware of new laws or policies implemented by the datu.
➢ Rome and China began to develop their own forms of written news.
➢ Rome’s written news came in the form of acta, their daily handwritten new sheets, which were
posted by the Roman Forum to inform people of subjects such as political events, trials, scandals,
military campaigns, and executions.
➢ China, on the other hand, have the tipao, which were government-produced new sheets
circulated among officials during the Han dynasty.

Medieval Age

➢ Books and other reading materials were written by hand, hence there were limited number of
literary materials which were mainly accessible to the clergy and the nobles.
➢ The German metallurgist Johannes Gutenberg was known for creating an important milestone in
the history of printing: the movable metal type, a relevant invention that helped in the
development of mass communication.
➢ While printing has been a known technology in eastern Asia since the ancient times, it was around
mid-1440s in Europe that the mass production of words became possible for the first time.
➢ By 1500s, there were around 40,000 books published all over Europe. This revolutionary invention
made it possible for more people to learn.

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Industrial Age

➢ The Industrial Age was said to have begun around 18th century in Great Britain.
➢ It was a period that was characterized mainly by the revolutionized way of mass production, as
hand tools were gradually replaced by power driven machines like the steam engine.
➢ Media further developed in the 1800s with Thomas Edison’s invention of the phonograph, and
it was also during this period that William Dickinson devised motion picture camera.
➢ In 1836, Samuel F.B. Morse along with Joseph Henry and Alfred Vail further advanced the way
people communicate with the invention of an electrical telegraph system that enabled people to
send messages from distant places.
• The Morse Code was remarkable as it can transmit messages by means of on off tones
which can be understood by a skilled listener.
➢ Around this time books, newspapers and magazines became relevant in the spread of
information.
➢ Education became mass-based, hence there were more literate people than in the past ages.
➢ This era paved the way to further development in technology, media, and information.

Electronic Age
➢ In 1895, Guglielmo Marconi transmitted the first radio waves. By 1901 he was able to perfect a
radio system which transmitted the Morse Code system across the Atlantic Ocean.
➢ Communication was expedited in 1876, when the Scottish-born American scientist named
Alexander Graham Bell was granted the first official patent for the telephone.
➢ The era of television began in 1927, when the use of the first electronic television designed by
Philo Taylor Farnsworth was successfully demonstrated.

Information (New Media) Age

➢ New media started out its development in the year 1969, as internet was first created to aid the
U.S. military in disseminating information.
➢ During this period communication has become cheaper and better, thus making information
faster and more widespread than ever before.
➢ In 1998, the telephone evolved into something more portable, that is, the cellular phone.
➢ Social networking sites (SNS) also occurred during this period. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and
other websites allow people all over the world to communicate and interact with each other
online, creating friends and other forms of connection via internet.

History of Media in the Philippines

The Philippines also had its own history when it comes to media and information. In the pre-colonial times
the Filipinos already have a writing system (baybayin) which they use to communicate, particularly on
basic things such as documents and receipts for transactions.

When the Spanish arrived and colonized the country, they also brought with them the technology for
printing used in Europe – which led to the Doctrina Cristiana, which was reportedly published in the 17th
century (Viduya, 2010). The first newspaper in the Philippines was the Succesos Felices which was
published by Tomas Pinpin in 1637.

But perhaps one of the most influential media in Philippine History was the newspaper, particularly the
La Solidaridad which was written in Spanish and published in Spain. A pre-revolutionary newspaper, it was
supported by Filipino intellectuals, the landed natives, and even some Spaniards who sympathized with
the Filipino cause for independence. Among the writers for La Solidaridad were Jose Rizal, Graciano Lopez
Jaena (also La Solidaridad’s first editor), Marcelo H. Del Pilar, and Mariano Ponce.

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Traditional and New Media
Traditional media refers to the forms of mass communication that people utilized before the advent of
new media. They came in various forms which most of us would not have realized. Traditional media
includes the following:

1. Newspapers
2. Magazines
3. Television
4. Radio
5. Books

New media, on the other hand, has the same purpose as traditional media: it was created to inform the
people, to pass on knowledge into the audience. But the new media is different – it uses technology to
spread information through more interactive means. They also provide two-way communication and
easier to access. The spread of new media relies on the power of the internet and the computer. Websites,
social media, digital videos – these are some of the new media platforms of today.

Theories on Information and Media Literacy

There are three theoretical perspectives on information literacy today:

1. Phenomenographic perspective is basically directed on the variation of people’s experiences of

a certain phenomenon, in this case information literacy. Learning is viewed more than just the
teacher passing information to the student; it is as an activity that aims to construct meaning.
2. The Socio-cultural perspective has a different focus – it dedicates itself on communication in
social practices. A notable figure behind this is the Russian behaviorist named Lev Vygotsky,
whose writings helped people understand the significance of using cultural tools in learning. This
perspective places its focus on the relationship between individuals and various forms of
collective practices.
3. The Discourse Analysis Perspective focuses on how people in practice perform specific
information tasks. Its aim is to understand information literacy through information practices.

Lesson Assessment:
1. Give at least 3 important observations on the evolution of media all throughout human history.
2. Write down certain differences between the traditional and new media.
3. As a new media exposed person can you still see certain advantage from the traditional type of
media? If yes, what are those things?

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LESSON 3: Information Literacy and Types of Media

Unit Learning Outcomes

By the end of this unit, you should be able to:

Learning outcomes:
1. Demonstrate ethical use of information
2. Identify what information is needed, where information is located, where to access information,
how to assess organize and communication information.
3. Classify contents of different media types
4. Define media convergence

Information Literacy

An information literate person possesses the skills and techniques for measuring the value of information
and molding this information to suit their needs. (Zukowski, 1974).

The image below is adapted from Lau’s research, Conceptual Relationship of Information Literacy and
Media Literacy, that illustrates the six quality information principles from the requirements of data quality
by the Three Rivers District Council (2008).

Information and Data Qualities

In researching for information that you need; it is important to filter the information from a large pool of
sources. Referring to the image above, the necessary data, information and knowledge you need to
acquire and use must have the following qualities:

1. Relevance – in searching for information with regards to a particular topic, it is important to

consider what suits your needs. Will this information support your stand in an issue? What is its
target audience? Does it match what you need? Does it respond to the purposes of your research?
2. Validity – Information must not merely be from anyone or anywhere. According to the Three
Rivers District Council (2008), “information needs to be in compliance with relevant requirements,
including the correct application of any rules or definitions.” Information from reliable sources is
significantly more valid than those from questionable sources.
3. Reliability – The reliability of an information is measured by its consistency. It must have been
verified and supported by collated facts to be considered reliable.

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 4. Timeliness – Information must not only be reliable, but timely. In this constantly changing world,
information may also evolve and expand through the years. The information must match the topic
you’re researching in terms of time span. You must properly identify whether you need a current
information or if older sources may do.
5. Accuracy – Lau (2013) has stated that, “information ought to have the condition or quality of
being true.” Just like measuring its reliability, accuracy relies on the information’s verification by
other alike sources and supporting evidence.
6. Completeness – Information must be complete. Partial information may be considered unreliable
because of it being just a small part of a bigger picture. It must suit what is needed by the
researcher.

Where is information located and where to access information?

Carroll Community College has identified the following criteria of selecting the best information sources:

1. An information literate individual knows that not all sources of information are the same. In
selecting the best source for a particular topic, there might be various places where you can get
it.
2. Selecting the best information source is part of the evaluation of information
3. The Internet is not always the best source for information, although it may contain a lot.
4. It is best to know your topic first by its overview or background before you delve into any other
resource material to understand what kind of specific information you are looking for.
5. No type of media source is better than other types. For example, electronic sources are not always
the better source than print. The most important thing is the relevance, the timeliness, validity
and accuracy of its content. Format does not really account for everything.

Basic Information Sources and its Characteristics (according to Carroll

Community College)
1. Books – the most common and often most reliable source. This is the best source to start with in
researching a topic. Books often contain organized information collected from various sources so
it is wise to obtain the necessary background information on the topic from them.
2. Scholarly articles – these are considered professional literature, as experts or scholars of a specific
field composed it. These articles have been peer-reviewed. You may rely on this type of source if
you’re looking for specific statistics or data or opinions on issues.
3. Other periodicals – this type of source mainly includes popular magazines, and news sources like
newspapers. Contributors, writers, editors, and reporters write individual articles on various and
relevant topics regularly. These are typically shorter than the previous types and may give you
background information on topics or issues related to current events.
4. Internet – this contains a wide variety of sources but also a known self-publishing medium. Unlike
other types of sources, internet has paved the way for published but not reviewed information.
Websites are difficult to cite as they contain multiple titles and document types. The hardest part
of obtaining this source is the evaluation which may take time

Ethical Use of Information

Having been informed of the necessary sources of information one must also learn the proper and ethical
way of using information.

Plagiarism is defined as using a source without credit. While it is unavoidable to use other people’s
information, it is no excuse to commit plagiarism.

This could be avoided by learning the following:

1. Citing – Citation is needed for the acknowledgement of the original source of the information you
used. This is to properly credit their contribution to the formation of a new knowledge. Citing also
provides evidence to support your research. Knowing the source of your information may or may

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 not strengthen the validity of your material. Proper citation of your sources may also help your
reader understand which parts of the text are your own and which are from
other’s ideas.

In citing, you should also know when you should do it in a text. The Dakota State University’s Karl
Mundt Library and Learning Commons gave the following situations when you could cite a source
in your text:

- If you are stating the author’s own words, put quotes to secure the statement and then
cite the source.
- When you paraphrase a statement, cite the source after it.
- When the idea is borrowed and not yours, cite your source.
- Include the list of sources in your bibliography

2. Quoting – is putting an exact or word-by-word copy of the original author’s words. This is used to
preserve the intended context of a statement. In using this, you must properly acknowledge the
author, the resource, and the page, if necessary.
3. Paraphrasing – is rewriting the original statement from a source in your own words. After
paraphrasing, make sure that you give credit to the original author and the source.

Types of Media
Print Media
➢ Books
These are stiffly bound volumes of text, making it unique from magazines and newspapers.
According to Vivian (2009), the most useful definition for books is “long-form, word-driven, media
content.”
Books are mainly divided into two main categories: the trade books and the texts and references
books.
Trade books are widely distributed, general-interest titles that are either fiction or non-fiction.
Textbooks, on the other hand, may not be that profitable, but typically, it has a longer life than
trade books, meaning it can stay longer in shelves at bookstores.(Ex. reference and professional
books, college textbooks, elementary and high school textbooks and learning materials.)

➢ Newspapers
Newspapers have become a vital part of people’s lives. The contents of the newspapers give
people a common ground, or common topics to tackle and talk about. But due to the innovations
of new media, newspapers have become increasingly unpopular, especially for the younger
generation, who can access various articles online.
There are two main formats of newspapers: the broadsheets and the tabloids.
Broadsheets- Broadsheets are comparatively larger and plentiful. Most broadsheets before are
wide, with nine two-columns of text filling the full-size page
Tabloids are most commonly known to contain eye-catching and sensationalized headlines to get
people to read it.

➢ Magazines
Magazines are divided into two major types: the consumer magazines and the non-news rack
magazines (Vivian, 2009).

• Consumer magazines include newsmagazines, women’s magazines, men’s magazines,

and intelligentsia.

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 Newsmagazines contain summarized news stories which are grouped into categories
according to its content. One notable example of this type of magazine is Time.

Women’s magazines, on the other hand, caters to a specific audience, particularly women
which intends to uplift womanhood by covering topics ranging from fashion to cooking to
morals

Men’s Magazines also target a specific portion of the population. They focus on stereotypical
men’s interests

The Intelligentsia are magazines that encourage thinking and observation from its
audience with topics including political, economic, social, artistic and cultural issues.

➢ Non-news rack magazines are publications which organizations create their own published
material for their members.

Broadcast Media
➢ Radio and Sound Recording
Radio can cover a lot to provide entertainment and leisure. It has its own format of news delivery,
in the form of breaking news, headline services and even news packages. There are also talk shows
in the radio that paved the way for more listeners to use the media.

➢ Television and Motion Pictures

Television has been a breakthrough that transformed mass media. It will be quite impossible to
find someone in most parts of the world without a television set. Out of all the traditional media
thriving in this age, television might be the farthest from dying.

New Media
With the internet’s emergence in the mid-1990s, it has become a widely used powerful medium in the
world. Currently, the world’s dependence on the internet has become widespread and grew more
significant.

It was Tim Berners-Lee, an English engineer who invented an addressing system that would connect a
computer to the world. This is what he called, the world wide web. His invention was built on the following
components (Vivian, 2009):

- Universal resource locators (URL) – this is a unique identifier that allows computers to connect
to a network and exchange messages. This is the foundation of the world wide web.

- Hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) – this is the coding that would allow computers to read
internet files.

- Hypertext markup language (HTML) – a simple computer language which is used to create
messages through the internet which the user can click and be redirected to a related
image/article

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Media Convergence
Media convergence is defined by Flew as the “phenomenon involving the interconnection of information
and communications technologies, computer networks and media content.” This has been brought by the
continuously evolving internet and the digitization of media content.

Technological convergence is the most basic element of media convergence as it depicts the easy access
of billions of people to media content, once only available in traditional media types (print and broadcast),
through the use of technology.

Connected to technological convergence is industrial convergence wherein big media companies use a
diverse number of media platforms to widen their reach.

Social convergence is brought about by social media, which enables users from different parts of the
world to engage in discussions globally, whether one on one, one to many or many to many

Lesson Assessment:
1. Give Examples for each Information and Data Qualities that will illustrate its importance.
2. Explain why we need to apply Ethical Use of Information.
3. How important is Media Convergence?

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LESSON 4: Media, Information Sources, and Information Languages

Unit Learning Outcomes

By the end of this unit, you should be able to:
Learning outcomes:
1. Identify the various sources of information
2. Define codes and conventions
3. Decipher what messages mean through codes and conventions
4. Differentiate audience from producers and stakeholders

Media need information to create messages. This is what they distribute to their chosen channels to
receive feedback from their desired audience. Knowing where to get accurate information is vital in
preserving the media’s reputation.

Sources of Information

There are four main types of sources of information:

1. Primary Source – these are sources from original manuscripts, documents or records that are
used in preparing for a published or unpublished work. This type of source includes
autobiographies, case studies, correspondence, diaries/personal papers, dissertation/thesis,
films, first-person accounts, historical documents, laboratory data, minutes of meetings, original
manuscripts/documents, original research, photographs, religious documents, speeches,
technical reports and works of literature. The authors of this type of source are either authors
writing about personal experiences/work or an expert or graduate student in the same field.

2. Secondary Source – these are published and unpublished works that heavily rely on a primary
source. Some examples of this type of source are analysis, biography, criticism,
dissertations/thesis (the literature review part), editorials, film documentaries, and reviews of
literature. The author of this type of source must have a genuine interest in the topic he/she has
written or an expert in the field.

3. Tertiary Source – these are works that were used secondary sources as reference. Some examples
of this type of source are film documentaries. The author of this type of source must have a
genuine interest in the topic he/she chose to write, or freelance writers and staff writers who can
research on the field they choose to write for.

4. Gray Literature – these are sources that are not usually made available for distribution. Some
examples of this type of source are conference proceedings, data exchange, dissertations/thesis,
government documents/publications, market research reports, online documents, oral
presentations, technical reports, and working papers. Authors of this type of source must belong
in the same field that they are writing about with a high degree of education. Gray literature is
hard to locate most of the time but some can be found through print or electronic means.

Codes and Conventions

With media ranging from written to visual, interpretations of these often vary from person to person.
How does media make meaning? What does the media output show the audience? What message is it
trying to convey?

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Interpreting media is natural for us as human beings. When we watch television, we see news programs,
television shows and commercials. When we turn on the radio, there are advertisements, radio programs
and music. When we browse the internet, there are thousands of texts from different sources, articles,
websites, online ads, videos and others. With the way we fully immerse ourselves in media everyday, it’s
hard not to consider how these mean.

Different people have different interpretations of media outputs. The first step in comprehending the
meaning in media is rhetorical analysis. Rhetorical analysis is defined as the “construction and
manipulation of language by the creator of a text for affective purposes.” This asks the question, “how
are media texts put together as media texts?

Codes has a set of rules which determine how each element may be used and combined with other
elements. This is a system of signs wherein when put together, create meaning. We can recognize a code
because we associate it with a related meaning. One of the most prominent examples of codes are
languages.

There are different types of codes used in media. These are:

➢ Technical codes – these are codes which show the techniques used using the equipment to
present the media output. For example, in a movie, these are the camera techniques, framing,
depth of field, lighting and exposure.
➢ Symbolic codes – these are codes that are shown visually. Its meaning lies beneath the surface of
what we see. These codes are used in objects, setting, body language, clothing and color.
➢ Written codes – these are codes in text. Some examples include headlines, captions, speech
bubbles and language style.

While codes rely on symbols, conventions are known as “habits or long accepted ways of doing things,
mostly learned and practiced through repeated experiences.” Through its repetitive and habitual nature,
the audiences become used to and familiar with the meaning.

Conventions are said to be genre specific. Genre came from the French word which means “type” or
“class.” The genre of a particular work is determined through its common distinguishing features. Through
genres, audiences can expect a particular code to appear in similar ones. Most texts produced by media
are made to suit a genre for the audience to easily choose what it is they’re particularly interested in.

Audience, Producers and Stakeholders

Steininger (2014) has differentiated audience and stakeholders in her article entitled, Audiences and
Stakeholders: Knowing the Difference is Critical to Reputation Management.

She said that audiences are the receiver of messages. Audiences were typically meant to just receive the
message without returning feedback. For example, when the media releases news, its goal is for the
information to be disseminated. It does not expect or intend to have the audience respond to his/her
message or participate in the discussion but rather let the audience observe media only.

On the other hand, stakeholders are defined by Steininger (2014) as “groups or individuals who are
directly impacted by the decisions and actions of an organization and company.” These are groups or
individuals that willingly and actively participate in the discussion that revolve around the messages they
receive.

Media producers are the main sources of messages. While the former two mentioned in this section are
the consumers of media, producers are wholly involved in the creation of meaning of texts. Media
producers make use of the available media languages within their reach for expression and to spread
information.

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LESSON 5: Legal, Ethical and Social Issues in Media and Information

Unit Learning Outcomes

By the end of this unit, you should be able to:
Learning outcomes:
1. Puts into practice their understanding of the intellectual property, copy right, and fair use
guidelines
2. Explain copyright, fair use, etc. vis-à-vis human rights.
3. Demonstrates proper conduct and behavior online (netiquette, virtual self)

Media Law and the Freedom of Expression

As indicated in the earlier lessons, media played an important role in a democratic society as the
Philippines. The 1987 Constitution had taken note of the importance of freedom of expression, hence the
Article III, Section 4 has been created:

“No law shall be passed abridging the freedom of speech, of expression or of the press, or the right of
people peaceably to assemble and petition the government for redress of grievances.”

This, just like most of our laws, is substantially similar to the First Amendment of the US Constitution
(Viduya, 2010):

“The Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free
exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press.”

Nevertheless, while we are given the right to freely express our opinion, we must keep in mind to exercise
this right responsibly. It is for this reason that certain limitations has been established, ensuring that
people shall not abuse freedom of expression.

What is Media Law?

Media Law is a legal field that relates to legal regulation of the telecommunications industry, information
technology, broadcasting, advertising, the entertainment industry, censorship, and the internet and
online services among others (Media Law – HG.org, 2017).

Media law covers a lot of aspects of media, regardless of its form. Its concerns range from Intellectual
Property, Free Speech and Censorship to Defamation and Right to Privacy.

Intellectual Property
According to the Republic Act 8293, also known as the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines, the
term intellectual property rights consist of the following:

➢ Copyright and Related Rights

➢ Trademarks and Service Marks
➢ Geographic Indications
➢ Industrial Designs
➢ Patents
➢ Layout-Designs (Topographies) or Integrated Circuits
➢ Protection of Undisclosed Information (n. TRIPS)

Copyright
One of the biggest problems faced by those in the field of Media law are copyright concerns. Copyright
can be defined as “a form of intellectual property which protects the rights of authors and creators of
artistic works. It refers to the main act in which, in respect of literary and artistic creation, may be made

15
only by the author or with his authorization” (Copyright, National Library of the Philippines website,
2011).

Copyright protects ownership rights to intellectual property and covers a lot of areas. This can be in the
form of original works and trademarks for different brands. It is also applicable to patents for media-
related technologies or processes (Media Law – HR.org, 2017). In the Philippines, works covered by
copyright include but are not limited to the following:

➢ Literary works such as novels, poems and plays

➢ Newspaper articles
➢ Films and television programs
➢ Letters
➢ Artistic works (paintings, sculptures, drawing and photographs)
➢ Architecture
➢ Computer programs
➢ Advertisements, maps, and technical drawings

The Copyright also provides two types of rights. The Economic rights give the author or copyright owner
the right to derive financial reward from his works by others. The Moral Rights, on the other hand, refer
to the author’s right to claim authorship of the work (known as Right of Paternity) and restrain the use of
his name with respect to any work not of his own creation or a distorted version of his work.

Plagiarism
Another issue that related to intellectual property is plagiarism. Plagiarism is generally defined as passing
off someone else’s creative work as your own, without permission (Vivian, 2010). But this issue is more
serious than one would often assume. According to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary, the act of
plagiarism can mean any of the following (What is Plagiarism? From: plagiarism.org) :

➢ To steal and pass off (ideas or words of another) as one’s own

➢ To use (another’s production) without crediting the source;
➢ To commit literary theft; and,
➢ To present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source.

One can easily assume the plagiarism is an act of fraud, or a form of thievery, hence it is unethical.
Nevertheless, this has become one of the most complicated issues in relation to intellectual property. For
one, there is the fact that people, particularly those in the field of media, rely heavily on other people’s
ideas and works.

Fair Use
Generally speaking, fair use refers to any copying of copyrighted material done for a limited and
“transformative” purpose, such as to comment upon, criticize, or parody a copyrighted work (Standford
University Libraries, 2017). This can be done without the copyright owner’s permission; hence it is often
used as a defense against a claim of copyright infringement.

Fair use is often classified into two categories:

➢ Commentary and Criticism- Fair use principles allows you to reproduce come parts of the
copyrighted work in order to comment upon or critique it. A good example of this would be writing
a book review. You may summarize or quote parts of the copyrighted work to use in commentary
and criticism.
➢ Parody – a parody is generally defined as a work that that aims to ridicule another, usually well-
known work (Standford University Libraries, 2017).

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Netiquette
In her book Netiquette, Virginia Shea indicated The Core Rules which serve as general guidelines for
cyberspace behavior.

Rule 1: Remember the Human

Do unto other as you’d have others do unto you, has always been the Golden Rule which has been
taught to us since we were children. This rule also applies in online communication. Always keep
in mind that the person you are talking to online is a human with feelings.

Rule 2: Adhere to the same standards of behavior online that you follow in real life

One of the issues regarding ethics in cyberspace is that the chances of getting caught is sometimes
slim. This is very much unlike real-life, wherein most people are law-abiding either because they
naturally are or they are simply afraid of getting caught for misconduct.

Rule 3: Know where you are in cyberspace

It is important to keep in mind that Netiquette varies from domain to domain. The same way that
etiquette varies from one place to another, what is permissible in one website might be a taboo
in another site.

Rule 4: Respect other people’s time and bandwidth

When it comes to communicating online, it is important to be considerate of other people’s time

and bandwidth. Not everyone has all the time in the world to read your emails, messages and
posts in discussion groups. Thus, one of the things to keep in mind is to ensure that the time they
spend reading your messages is not wasted.

Rule 5: Make yourself look good online

Always remember that when you are online, you’d encounter lots of people whom you have never
met before. As such, it is best to make a good impression. And while you may not often show your
face online, always remember that there will always be people who will judge you – particularly,
through your writing.

Rule 6: Share expert knowledge

One of the advantages of online communication is that it allows you to gather information from
various experts on specific topics. Of course, this also allows you to share your knowledge as well.
If you’re an expert yourself, do not hesitate to share what you know.

Rule 7: Help keep flame wars under control

Flaming is a term used to refer to the behavior in which people express a strongly held opinion
without holding back their emotion. The internet does not forbid this; however, it does not allow
the perpetuation of flame wars – series of angry messages, mostly from two or more people
directed toward each other. It is the flame wars that often cause the destruction of a discussion
group. Remember that there are other people who are part of the discussion group but do not
want to get involved in the flame war.

Rule 8: Respect other people’s privacy

Everyone has a right to privacy. That includes the privacy in the cyberspace.

Rule 9: Do not abuse your power

There are people in cyberspace who have more power than others – they can be high-level players
in MMORPGs (Massive Multiplayer Online Roleplaying Games) or simply system administrators.

Rule 10: Be forgiving of other people’s mistakes

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 Always remember that nobody’s perfect. It is best to be considerate of other people’s mistakes –
whether it’s an error in spelling and grammar, or if it’s a senseless question or response. Be kind
and think twice before you react to these mistakes.

Cyberbullying
Cyberbullying is bullying that takes place using electronic technology such as cell phones, computers, and
tablets as well as communication tools including social media sites, text messages, chat, and websites
(StopBullying.gov, 2017).

While a lot of organizations are campaigning against cyberbullying it remains a great problem today.
According to StopBullying.org (2017), a website advocating to stop cyberbullying, the reason why it
remains a huge issue nowadays is likely due to the following:

➢ Cyberbullying can happen 24/7. It can happen anytime, and reach a kid even when he or she is
alone.
➢ Cyberbullying messages and images can be posted anonymously and distributed quickly to a very
wide audience. This makes it difficult to trace the source.
➢ It is difficult to delete inappropriate or harassing messages, texts and pictures, especially once
they have been distributed online.

Lesson Assessment:
1. Your classmate is notoriously known as someone who loves to bully people on Facebook, earlier
someone told you that this person took your profile picture and edited it to be laughed at on
social media, how would you deal with this situation?
2. Give at least three reasons why social netiquette should be carefully observed.
3. Having defined cyberbullying, what are some ways to protect one’s self from it?

18
LESSON 6: Opportunities, Challenges and Power of Media and Information

Unit Learning Outcomes

By the end of this unit, you should be able to:
Learning outcomes:
1. Determine the opportunities and challenges in media and information in the economic,
education, social and political dimensions.
2. Identify situations that showed how media and information incited change
3. Identify the threats, risks, abuse, and misuse of media and information
4. Explain the impact of media and information on the public

We realize the power that media holds in the impact it brings to the masses. With media surrounding us
in every direction at the present age, it is hard to imagine life without it. This unit will introduce you to
the various opportunities in media and information, its power to influence and to affect change, the
challenges and threats, its misuse and eventual abuse to make you realize how powerful media can be.

Opportunities and Challenges in Media and Information

The potential of media is currently being explored by its users every single day of the year. Every day,
people come up with unique ways to utilize media and information to ease their daily hustle at work or at
school. Way before media, communication was done through oral or spoken language. The dissemination
of messages was only through word of mouth before eventually making it into print or written proof. It
was in the early 1990s when communication took an innovative turn with the birth of computers and the
Internet. Since then, we have been reliant on media and its products.

Social impact of media and information

Media technology has evolved to provide more ways for people to communicate. The current
predominating form of media among Filipinos is social media, the widely used networks and modes for
communicating with people from various places in the world. One of the greatest opportunities for media
and information is through the continuing advancements in the use of these social media networks. They
are not only limited to communication between people but it it also streams information through online
articles and other websites designed to inform.

The amount of people we can interact with through social media is nearly endless. Social media networks
allow us to achieve an even wider reach of audience, our online content and information accessible to
almost everyone in the globe. Official correspondence, such as job applications and distribution of memo,
has also made their transition to online for matters of ease and convenience. Written content has to be
summarized or else no one will choose to read it. Online articles are known to be brief and straight to the
point to deliver the information hot and ready for the audience to consume.

Digital platforms have opened more opportunities for jobs and access methods for the public. Even with
minimal budget, content, message and information can be made and distributed to their target audiences.

Economic impact of media and information

The media needs an audience to thrive and economics is the primary driver of the way media behaves.
DellaVigna and La Ferrara (2015) gave the following recurring themes related to the impact on people of
exposure to media and information:

1. Demand for entertainment

People typically consume media for entertainment. They seek enjoyment from watching shows
despite studies showing the possible effects on family values and personality. According to
DellaVigna and La Ferrara, this shows how a particular media cannot be directly correlated to
predicted economic outcomes such as in education, violent crime or fertility. It is still up to the

19
 consumers to know when and where to use media in a certain way. According to DellaVigna and
La Ferrara, these choices would likely make an impact on economy.

2. Direct versus substitution effects

The demand for a particular media also differs according to the season or situation. This is shown
in the sudden rise of popularity for dramas related to revenge in the country in the recent year.
To estimate and understand the impact of these media products, DellaVigna and La Ferrara
suggests the consideration of the activity and content that it is substituted for. Content is also a
highly impactful part of media in terms of economy because of imitation. “The estimated media
effect captures the direct impact of the media, since the consumption of substitute activities is
held constant,” DellaVigna and La Ferrara said in their article (2015).

3. Identification and time horizon

The analysis of whether a short or long run incite changes and affect a person’s interest as well as
the identification of the unique content in various types of media can also incite significant
changes in the people’s consumption of media and its products.

Impact on Education of media and information

It has been predicted that an “internet-enabled revolution in education will spread more opportunities,
with less money spent on real estate and teachers.” (Anderson and Rainie, 2014). Online education has
started even in the Philippines and this medium is continuing to grow as the demand for it also spikes in
numbers. This universal access to knowledge has been said to possibly happen in the near future by Chief
Economist for Google, Hal Varian. With information easily accessible to everyone, inspiring literacy and
creating a more educated and informed population of the world will not be impossible.

Political impact of media and information

According to Stromberg (2015) cited in DellaVigna and La Ferrara’s article (2015), one of the prominent
examples of the political impact of media and information is the daily newspaper circulation which provide
detailed information on national politics. Anderson and Rainie’s article (2015) entitled Digital Life in 2025
said that one of the possible occurrences in the near future would be “political awareness and action will
be facilitated and more peaceful change and public uprisings like the Arab Spring will emerge.” People
around the world are informed of discrimination and other such injustices through the internet. By
spreading the word and initiating action, the internet has become a viable way for people to be informed
and act against these injustices.

Threats, Risks, Misuse and Abuse of Media

While media has been predicted to be mostly positive with all the present and future innovations, it is still
prone to misuse and abuse with the way it gives freedom to the public to utilize it according to their
preference. Cybercrime is the most prevalent misuse of media in the present age. With your information
and content accessible to all types of people in all parts of the world, it will be hard to guard the important
information from people. These attacks harm not just the smallest individuals but mostly high-earning
companies with their digital counterpart.

The following list are the most common types of cybercrime including hacking, online scams, fraud,
identity theft, and illegal or prohibited online content. The violation of privacy is the first and foremost
effect of these threats, leading them to feel powerless in the midst of an attack.

1. Attacks on computer systems – this involves attacks on your device through hacking, viruses, and
malware.
2. Cyberbullying – with the use of social media networks on the rise, some people are prone to
bullying or harassment through online communication that may cause the victim to be offended,
afraid, uncomfortable and feel unsafe. Cyberbullying may come in the form of derogatory words
shared mostly through social media networks.
3. Online sexual abuse – sexual predators have found ways to utilize websites for an individual to
harm another. Children are mostly targeted by these predators with online sexual solicitation.

20
 4. Identity theft – your personal information may be used by a stranger, including your name and
photos to commit criminal acts online. This is why experts advise that minimal personal and
important information is shared online, for your protection.
5. Fraud – these frauds are often committed through online shopping by tricking people into buying
products that do not exist and taking the buyer’s money.
6. False information and fake news – a permeating threat to the internet’s credibility is the reported
rise of fake news reports and other false information disguised as legitimate news sources. This
could create confusion, divide among opinions and eventual misunderstandings between people
from the same nation, consuming news.

Activity

1. Having known the power and effect of social media to various aspects of our life and society,
take the time to personally reflect and write Media Information’s impact in your life. Write
down your answers on the table below.

Personal Impact of Social Media

Areas Positive Negative
Social life
Sense of Entertainment
Education
Political Awareness

2. Have you ever had an experience connected to the dangers and threats in social media? How
did you deal with it?
3. What would be your personal advice to your fellow Media Information users in order to protect
them from the threats and dangers they might encounter in the different Media Information
platforms (Ex. Facebook, Twitter, Gmail)?

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LESSON 7: Current and Future Trends of Media and Information

Unit Learning Outcomes

By the end of this unit, you should be able to:
Learning outcomes:
1. Define ubiquitous learning
2. Describe massive open online course
3. Identify different types of wearable technology and determine their uses

Media and Information Trends

Technology has become a relevant tool in the development of media and information. It has been an
essential part in changing the way literacy spread all over the world. From the invention of writing and
later on the invention of printing press, learning gradually became widespread as humans developed
better technology that helped spread information.

Ubiquitous Learning

Ubiquitous learning is simply defined as learning anytime and anywhere, particularly using mobile
technologies. Nowadays, computers have become portable – laptops, tablets and smartphones are used
everywhere, and with internet access they can easily be used for gathering or spreading information.

Ubiquitous learning is situated and immersive. It can take place in a virtual environment. The idea of
ubiquity originated from the ease of utilizing technological devices of today.

Characteristics of Ubiquitous Learning

➢ Permanency - One of the advantages of ubiquitous learning is that you may be able to access
learning materials anytime you want, as they will always be available unless purposely deleted.
➢ Accessibility - Ubiquitous learning is designed to help students access learning materials
anywhere. This gives them the opportunity to study outside the traditional classroom.
➢ Immediacy - Ubiquitous learning allows students access to learning materials at any time.
➢ Interactivity- Despite using portable computing devices, ubiquitous learning allows online
collaborations with teachers and peers through chats, forums, and blog, thus making online
learning more interactive.
➢ Situated instructional activities - Students may learn in context or on-site.
➢ Adaptability- This means getting the right information at right place for the right student.

Wearable Technology

Wearable technology is a new industry that is slowly gaining popularity these days. There has been a
noticeable increase in wearable gadgets. It’s amazing how watches nowadays are no longer just for
checking time – they can now be used to make a phone call, even track one’s daily health habits – with
just one touch. By definition, wearable technology (also known as wearable gadgets) is a term used to
refer to a category of technology devices which can be worn and often include small motion sensors that
allows tracking of information related to health and fitness.

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Types of Wearable Technology

There are currently a lot of different kinds of wearables in existence. Below are some of the most
popular types of wearable technology.

➢ Smartwatches- These wearables are similar to a regular wristwatch. Nowadays, more than
just display the time, smartwatches are designed to do things such as alert the wearer to text
messages or posts on social media. They can even display weather alerts and keep track of
heart rate.
➢ Smart-Eyewear- More commonly known as smart glasses, you may put on these wearables
as sunglasses. The lens(es) act like a screen, which may display a view of a map with directions
to your destination, the weather, and other information.
➢ Health-wear- This is basically any device that can be worn anywhere and designed to monitor
the wearer’s health. Health-wear devices have existed longer than other wearable
technology, hence they are cheaper.
➢ They come in various designs: some can be worn around the wrist or the ankles while some
can be worn around the chest or neck. Nevertheless, all of these are built to record the body’s
conditions, such as the heart rate, breathing, or amount of calories burned.

Activity

1. As someone living under the new media age and having the opportunity to experience
ubiquitous learning, what are some of its advantage and disadvantage? Write your answers on
the table (five answers per column)

Advantages Disadvantages

23
MEDIA AND INFORMATION
LITERACY
ACLC COLLEGE OF TACLOBAN
SHS DEPARTMENT
4th Quarter

LESSON 8: Text Information and Media

Unit Learning Outcomes

By the end of this unit, you should be able to:
Learning outcomes:
1. Describe the different dimensions of text and media
2. Comprehend how text information and media is/are formally and informally produced, organized, and
disseminated

Text Information
Text is defined as a simple and flexible format of presenting information or conveying ideas –
whether hand-written, printed or displayed on-screen. According to Rouse (2015), it is any
“human-readable sequence of characters” that can form intelligible words. Simply put, text
information refers to information presented in the form of text, regardless of the format it was
presented in – written, printed, or displayed digitally.

The use of Text Information

While it is true that “pictures paint a thousand words,” there are times when it would be
best to explain something using text. Regardless of how popular the television and radio
nowadays, there still a significant number of public audiences that prefers reading books
and other forms of text information, and for a variety of reasons:

• Learning/Gaining Knowledge: the spread of information throughout the years

had a lot to do with the use of text. Reading, regardless if it’s in print or digital
form, served a pathway to discover new information and gain knowledge.
• Entertainment: some readers liked the entertainment value provided by
reading. They enjoy the drama of good stories, or the suspense of unfolding a
good plot page by page. Some get immersed in a new world, finding themselves
escaping the reality by reading stories and novels.
• Relaxation: some people prefer reading as their past time. They enjoy a quiet
and peaceful break by reading books, newspapers or magazines, or simply by
browsing various articles or blogs they find online.
• Coverage: Textual information comes in a wide range of topics, which means
that anyone can easily find a text media that can capture one’s interest.
Moreover, textual information on different persons of interest, like famous
Hollywood actors and great athletes, can become topics of conversation among
people.

Types of Text and Common File Format

Nowadays, text information comes in various forms and formats.
Hypertext - This text serves as a link which allows access to various electronic documents.
Plaintext/Unformatted - Text These are fixed-sized characters having essentially the
same type of appearance.
Formatted Text - Simply put, these are characters with format which can be changed
(bold, underline, italic, font size, color, etc.)

24
Types of Text Information

Books
One of the most well-known sources of text information are books. First introduced in the
1400s, they changed human history by means of promoting the exchange of ideas and
information, which in turn led to the improvement of literacy throughout the world.
According to Vivian (2010), books became the primary vehicle that helped new
generations become educated in their society’s values, as well as the lessons of the past.

Newspapers
Newspapers fall into numerous types, the most well-known being tabloids and
broadsheets. Broadsheets refer to newspapers that has large pages and that usually
contain serious topics.
According to Vivian (2010), people in the newspaper industry defines tabloids, in the
professional sense of the word, as a half-size newspaper that is convenient to hold. While
it is not necessarily sensationalistic, tabloids are often associated with sensationalism in
news writing.
A lot of newspaper publishers offer both broadsheets and tabloids. In London, for
instance, the newspaper Times comes in both broadsheet and tabloid version. The
broadsheet Chicago Tribune has the tabloid version that the Chicago RedEye. In the
Philippines, the Philippine Star comes with a tabloid version known as the Pilipino Star
Ngayon.

Magazines
Back in the 1800s in the United States, the magazines were used by advertisers to build
national markets for their products. This contributed greatly in the transformation of the
nation from an agricultural and cottage industry economy into a modern one. In a way,
the magazine served as US’s national advertising medium.
Nowadays, magazines still remain as one of the most effective media for advertising. They
contribute greatly to building the brand. Magazines have a wide readership which they
engage on a regular basis. Moreover, they significantly raise brand awareness, which in
turn increase sales.
The most important thing to take note about magazines are the quality of content that
they provide. This makes them even more appealing. Top fashion and style magazines,
for instance, would make ideal medium for luxury brands.

The Digital Text

With the advent of the digital age comes the growing market for digital text. Nowadays,
readers turn to text information which they may view using their computers and
smartphones. The Internet is a milestone in the achievement of literacy, and it can be
considered as a tool in the transmission of textual information today.

e-Books
More and more readers turn to e-Books for sources of information and
entertainment. The main advantage of these would be convenience – anyone can
have easy access to thousands of pages’ worth of novels, textbooks, and
references at the palm of their hand. As e-books are more compact compared to
the physical copy of books, you can put an entire bookshelf of various publications
in your phone or laptop and take them wherever you are.

Websites
Harper Collins Dictionary defines website as a set of data and information about
a particular subject which is available on the internet. It can also refer to a group
of connected pages on the World Wide Web containing information on a
particular subject. Websites offer a variety of textual, as well as audio-visual and
interactive information which the users can access through the Internet.

25
LESSON 9: Visual Information and Media

Unit Learning Outcomes

By the end of this unit, you should be able to:
Learning outcomes:
1. Define visual information and media
2. Identify the different types of visual information
3. Determine how visual information and media are produced, organized and disseminated
4. Evaluate the quality of visual presentations

Visual Information
Magpile (2016) defined visual information as “the artistic and creative representation or
interpretation of an idea, concept or emotion using different media.” The appreciation and
evaluation of visual information relies on the sense of sight the most. Through visual
representations, the message is conveyed in a way that can be easily remembered. An article by
Babber (2014), that tackles the whys and hows of creating “snackable” content, has quoted Dr.
Lynell Burmark, Ph.D. in a study which showed that humans are inherently ‘visually wired.’ In the
same study by Burmark, they have concluded that almost 50% of the brain is involved in visual
processing, 70% of a person’s sensory receptors are in the eyes and at 0.01 seconds, we can get
the sense of a visual scene. Hence, it would be easier for us to grasp the content of visual
information than any other type of information.

Types of visual information

Visual information comes in many forms and sizes. The following types of visual
information are presented in various ways:

1. Painting – the term painting may refer to the act of applying paint or other
medium to a surface with the use of a brush or the product of this activity.
The subjects of paintings have also expanded over the years and these works
have depicted various aspects of life through different genres. The messages
in paintings usually lie in its subjects, the medium used, the style of the artist
and the symbols in the painted image itself. Nowadays, paintings are
displayed in exhibits with rows of different paintings of a single or multiple
artists.

2. Photos/Images - image is defined by Merriam Webster as “a reproduction or

imitation of the form of a person or thing in solid form,” while photo is a
“picture or likeness obtained by photography.” Photos and images come in
various colors. These are easily obtained, especially nowadays, with the
emerging of smartphones with cameras, making it easier for people with
smartphones to view and take photos. Images may either be printed out or
viewed through digital means.
3. Sculpture - this term is defined by Merriam-Webster as “the action or art of
processing plastic or hard materials into works of art.” These works are
commonly three-dimensional. Some of the most famous sculptures in the
Philippines is the Oblation in University of the Philippines, made by the
Filipino artist, Guillermo E. Tolentino, which is of a man with his arms
outstretched at his sides, and his face turned upwards. This is said to mean a
selfless offering of oneself to his country.
4. Cartoon/Comic Strip - these are two-dimensional illustrations that are either
animated or printed. Comic strips are illustrations that are done on paper
wherein a story develops by connecting panels of illustrations. Cartoons, on
the other hand, are animated digitally to create a story with moving
characters.

26
 5. Graphs/Charts – these are visual representations of statistics and other
information. These are mostly used for quantitative researches as they
contain large amount of information in an understandable format. The most
important points are highlighted in graphs and charts as visual representation
of data.
• Bar graph – categories or groups of data are represented by bars with
the height portraying the quantity in the category. It is one of the best
ways to show the comparison between multiple categories.
• Line graph – this type of graph shows the relationship between
multiple types of information. This graph is especially useful for time-
stamped data.
• Pie chart – this type of chart is circular in shape, resembling a pie
divided into slices of categories. This shows the comparison of each
part and how much they contribute to form a whole.
• Histogram – just like bar graphs, a histogram is illustrated by
connected bars to show frequency of cases falling within defined
columns. This can be used to measure continuous data.
6. Billboard and Poster – these are illustrations or images, or text on images
printed in large sizes that aim to promote, announce, inform, or persuade the
public. These are mostly used for advertisements and announcements
targeting a huge amount of audience.

Visual Information Processing

If we remember 80% of what we see and do, it is only natural that we learn more through visual
information than any other type of information. Evaluation of the variety of visual information is
needed to gauge its credibility and reliability as a source of information. The following criteria for
evaluation of visual information is enumerated by Magpile (2016):

Evaluation of visual information

1. Use of color – visual information come in different colors and the kind used to create
a visual representation must be analyzed to know what the theme and subject is and
what it is trying to convey. One example of this is the color/s used in creating logos
that show what emotion the company or the product is trying to convey by using it.
2. Use of medium – aside from colors, the medium used in creating the visual
information is vital in analyzing its message. It is shown in the incorporation of other
materials and how the material was presented. The kind of medium adds value to the
message of the media and creates more impact to the public.
3. Level of creativity – visual information, as it relies on the sense of sight, is gauged by
its level of creativity and artistic sense and how it can capture the audience’s
attention. Creativity in presenting visual information is important in getting people to
view it.
4. Choice of subject – the choice of subject in the visual information presented
determines how the audience interprets or reacts to the work as they are at the
receiving end of the visual information. This may either portray the artist or creator’s
intentions for creating it and the feelings behind its creation.
5. Choice of theme or message – behind each element in a visual information is a
message that the creator is letting the people indirectly receive. According to Magpile
(2016), timely messages are considered significant because it can influence people to
act and move towards something that will prove to be beneficial to the society.

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LESSON 10: Audio Information and Media

Unit Learning Outcomes

By the end of this unit, you should be able to:
Learning outcomes:
1 Define audio information and media
2. Identify the different types of audio information
3. Determine how audio information are produced, organized and disseminated
4. Identify the advantages and limitations of audio information

Audio Information
While humans are natural visual learners, listening is also an abundant way to obtain information.
This type of information’s difference from the aforementioned types is evident for its nature.
Audio information, as defined by Magpile (2016) is “any sound or auditory impression perceived
by the ears and processed by the brain.” We hear different kind of sounds every day. A person
speaking to you is perceived by your ears and provides you with information for your brain to
process. The following are the different audio information:

1. Dialog or conversation – the most common way of obtaining auditory information is

through dialogues and conversations. As this is practiced in everyday life, it is hard to
go through a day without verbal exchanges. People engaged in dialogues or
conversations are expected to respond to each other as this is a casual, two-way
relaying of information.
2. Lecture or talk – Lectures or talks, while similar to dialogues and conversations in the
way of transmission of information through a verbal exchange, is mostly done in a
formal setting. This is usually done by a speaker facing an audience. He or she may
encourage his or her audience to participate, but for the most part, the lectures or
talks are one-way.
3. News – news come in many forms, especially with the constantly evolving technology.
This can come in text, visual, motion and in audio. News information may be coursed
through radios to reach the public whatever frequency is available.
4. Podcast – a relatively new form of audio information that is described as a series of
audio digital files downloaded to a device. Podcasts usually have a theme or a focus
that the episodes would follow.
5. Audio book – Audiobooks, as defined by Cambridge dictionary, is a “recording, on a
CD or made available on the internet, of a book being read aloud.” This is a new way
for readers to enjoy their favorite books without the aid of text. While this form is
relatively new, audiobooks actually started around the 1930s. Audiobooks are
formerly used for educational purposes and is usually found in schools and libraries.
These used to be distributed in physical copies of cassette tapes and vinyl records.
When the internet emerged, digital audiobooks has been made and recently,
audiobooks may come from different sources.

Some good sources for audiobooks are the following:

• Audible.com
• iTunes Store
• AllYouCanBooks.com
• Project Gutenberg website
• Nook Audiobook Store

6. Music – Music is one of the earliest and the most widely distributed audio
information. It is hard to picture the world today without the influence of music.
Music is done by combining a range of various instruments and vocal techniques,
creating a harmony that is easy on the ears. From music comes different genres that
would suit a person’s taste. There are some with rapping, singing, and purely
instrumental pieces.

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 People who make audio information
Obtaining audio information would not be possible without the aid of the people who
make them. The following list are the people involved in the creation of audio
information:

1. Commentator – a commentator is in charge of providing live comments on events

and performances. Commentators are often heard in sports matches to relay what is
happening in the game and if the players’ or athletes’ techniques are contributing
well to the excitement of competition.
2. Emcee – the emcees host events, facilitating the program to flow without any
problems. The emcees are often tasked to lead the event and may even instruct or
encourage the audience to participate. Formal lectures and talks rarely proceed
without an emcee.
3. Disc jockey (DJ) or radio announcer – the DJ or the radio announcer may either
deliver the news via a radio or it may be their responsibility to play music and create
segments for the listeners to enjoy. Announcers and disc jockeys are known to
possess beautiful voices, urging and entertaining people to listen to them more.
4. Narrator – the narrator reads a text aloud, along with the correct emotions to
accompany the text’s contents. Narrators give life to the text given to them and it
takes skills to perfect the art of narrating. Narrators are often heard in audio books,
documentaries or television shows needing the narration of the story.
5. Voice-over – Unlike narrators who are known to appear on screen, voice-over
provides the narration for a movie or any broadcasted material without his/her face
on screen.
6. Music artist – these are personalities who perform music through singing. They
release their music in CDs or digital releases in music stores. Since people tend to
listen to music artists, they’re also fairly popular to the public.
7. Musician – this is a term that refers to a person who plays any musical instrument, as
a profession or a hobby. While their pieces are not accompanied by voices, the
product of their performances is a message by itself.

Audio Media
You have identified what type of information you could receive on a daily basis and the people
behind the audio materials. This section of the lesson will introduce you to the different media
used in transmitting auditory information.

1. Radio – like television, radio is omnipresent since its establishment in the 1800s. The
signals used by radio are carried on the electromagnetic spectrum to almost
anywhere in the world. In the Philippines, radio has become a big part in the typical
Filipino household, as a portable medium for news and music. With the appearance
of different digital technologies, the radio has been struggling to keep up with the
reach.
2. Walkman – Walkman is the brand name for a portable cassette player from Sony in
Japan. The name of the device was assumed to have let people know its use: which is
to listen to sounds while walking. It was released to the public in the year 1979 and
shot up to success soon after. In the same year, the United States got a hold of this
device, causing a phenomenon in New York and in no time, it became the talk of town.
The device came with a leather case and a pair of headphones to plug into its ear jack.
3. Discman – Almost similar in purpose with the Walkman, the Discman is made for the
purpose of playing CDs. This was released by Sony to the market in 1984. The most
famous model released was the D-50, which was sold to the public two years after
CDs were produced. It played music or any audio from CDs by determining the
reflection of light cast off by the disc.
When digital audio became widespread and other more portable listening devices
emerged, Discman ceased in production.

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 4. MP3 player – a portable music player that plays digital music files. Originating from
its predecessors such as the Discman and Walkman, this is comparably lighter in
weight and smaller in size, making it easier to carry around. MP3 stands for Moving
Pictures Experts Group, Standard One, Audio Layer 3 which is developed “to compress
audio for storage and playback on digital devices,” according to Amazon’s MP3 Player
Basics. The reduction in file size is also glaringly different from compact discs for
Discmans, making it easier for MP3 player users to store their music in their devices.
5. iPod – a portable music player wherein users of iTunes can transfer songs they
purchased or downloaded through the use of computer and the iPod software. This
was released in 2001 under the Apple brand and since then, variations of the product
have been successively released to the public such as the iPod Touch, iPod Shuffle,
iPod Mini, and iPod Nano.
6. iTunes – a software under Apple that is designed to let people play, download and
store music. This application can serve as a media player, media library, online radio
broadcaster, and mobile device management. This contains a wide variety of audio
and video content for the user’s consumption. Through the iTunes store, you can
download or buy audio files such as music, podcasts and audiobooks. The only
setback for this nifty application is that it applies best for Apple devices.

Producing Audio Information

Besides the various audio media used to disseminate audio information, it is also important to
note the following ways of producing audio information.

1. Cassette tape
Phillips released the “Compact Cassette” in the early 1960s appearing as a toy-
like device. This medium became a hit with teenagers in the United States in 1964
because of its mere accessibility and as a way for them to record sounds and
voices or collect music at a low cost.
Through the years, the cassette tape has evolved and many improvements were
made on the original product. The Dolby noise reduction and improved forms of
tape helped boost its credibility by increasing the sound quality of the tapes. The
fall of the cassette came with the popularity of compact discs.

2. Vinyl records
An American named Emile Berliner produced a patent for a recording system on
a flat disc instead of a cylinder formed for phonographs. These discs, compared
to the cylinders, are easier to mass produce and distribute. The vinyl record, on
average, has a diameter of 10 inches while its rotational speed is varied,
depending on the manufacturer. Most of the vinyl records, however, turned at
between 75 to 80 revolutions per minute. Given time, 78 rpm became a standard
for Gramophones, which are used to play this.
3. Phonograph
Thomas Edison developed a device for communication that would be capable of
recording a message from the telegraph before sending to the recipient in the
late 1870s. He made use of an electrical diaphragm that would convert the voice
into electrical signal with a stylus attached to a telegraph that would then convert
this into dots and dashes on paper. Later on, as Edison slowly made his way
through creating the device, he replaced the medium of recording from paper to
tin foil as a way to record the sound waves. This piece of tin foil was formed into
a cylinder shape that would rotate in a circle with a stylus. With this device, the
stylus touching the tin cylinder would make indentations on the foil, imitating the
sound it receives.
4. Compact disc
The Compact Disc was born from the meeting between Philips and Sony in 1979.
These big companies convened to find a way for audio encoding to happen, or
the process of recording audio signals in digital format. Compact Discs, or CDs,
are considered to be very precise and accurate as any dust particle touching the
bottom could cause unreadability of the device.

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 5. Live performance
Another way of obtaining audio information is through live performances. These
are conducted inside halls or arenas or generally areas where the public could
watch and hear the performers. Some examples of this type of media are
concerts, lectures, among others.

Audio File Formats

There are different types of audio files. NCH Software has identified the following along with their
uses and definitions:

1. Open File Formats

a. wav – this is the standard audio file format used mainly for Windows. This type
of audio format is commonly used for CD sounds and is comparably larger in
size.
b. mp3 – also known as the MPEG Layer-3 format, the mp3 is the most popular
format for downloading and storing music. It is compressed to a smaller size
while maintaining its good quality.
c. ogg – a free, open source container format with almost the same quality as mp3s
but not as widely used.
d. gsm – a practical format for telephone quality voice. It is the recommended
format for voice audio files.
e. dct – a variable codec format designed for dictation.
f. flac – a lossless compression codec.
g. au – the standard audio file format used by Sun, Unix and Java.
h. aiff – the standard audio file format used by Apple.
i. vox – this format uses the Dialogic ADPCM codec which compresses to 4-bits.
j. raw – this file can contain audio in any codec. This audio format is rarely used
except in technical tests.

2. Proprietary Formats
a. wma – the Windows Media Audio format owned by Microsoft has the capability
for copy protection.
b. aac – the Advanced Audio Coding format is owned by Dolby.
Media and Information Literacy
Audio Information and Media 11
Course Module
c. atrac – this is the older style Sony ATRAC format.
d. ra – the Real Audio format for the streamed audio on the internet.
e. ram – a text file connecting to a link to the real audio file in the internet.
f. dss – Digital Speech Standard file is a fairly old and poor codec.
g. msv – a Sony proprietary format for Memory Stick compressed voice files.
h. dvf – a Sony proprietary format for compressed voice files.

Evaluating audio information

Like any form of information, audio information is open for evaluation. The following criteria to
consider in evaluation audio information is identified by Magpile (2016):

1. Sound quality – one factor to consider in evaluating audio information is the quality
of the sound produced by the device. Sometimes, this depends on the medium or the
type of audio format you’re listening to. The audio may either be too soft or too loud,
or it may have distinct cracking and other unnecessary noises that may be caused by
technical errors that could distract you from obtaining the audio information.

2. Sound quality – one factor to consider in evaluating audio information is the quality
of the sound produced by the device. Sometimes, this depends on the medium or the
type of audio format you’re listening to. The audio may either be too soft or too loud,

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 or it may have distinct cracking and other unnecessary noises that may be caused by
technical errors that could distract you from obtaining the audio information.

3. Type of content – Aside from the quality of the audio, it is also important to take a
keen look at the type of content the audio contains. Through the evaluation of the
type of content, you’d know its target audience, who would benefit from it, is it
suitable for listening.

Advantages of Audio Information

1. Easily obtained through the sense of hearing.
2. Enables people to multitask: receiving audio information while doing other tasks

Limitations of audio information and media

1. Susceptible to noise or distraction

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LESSON 11: Motion Information and Media

Unit Learning Outcomes

By the end of this unit, you should be able to:
Learning outcomes:
1. Describe the different dimensions of motion information and media
2. Comprehend how motion information and media formally and informally produced, organized,
disseminated
3. Evaluate a creative motion-based presentation using design principle and elements

What is Motion Information?

Motion information is basically information that comes in the form of moving text or graphics.
Media that makes use of such methods are basically called motion media. Unlike the forms of
media mentioned earlier, motion media incorporates sight, sound, and movement altogether

Relevance
Motion information is relevant to the masses, particularly in the digital age today. This is
the type of media that the youth are currently exposed nowadays, with all the television
and films that are out today, not to mention the growing number of videos that can be
viewed online through streaming sites. An advantage of motion information is that it taps
text, audio and visual information which allows it to provide more for the audience.
People can see, read and hear the message.

Attractive
One can never deny the power of motion information to gather a wide audience, thanks
to its aesthetics. The use of motion media nowadays is highly effective on attracting large
number of audiences. It is for this reason that many companies look upon television and
online videos as prospective media for their advertisements, as they are aware of the
number of viewers.

Types of Motion Media

Motion Picture

One of the most notable forms of motion media is the film. Motion pictures could be
traced back in the 1890s, just a few decades after photography had increased in
popularity. Back then motion pictures were merely all about movement – there was no
sound, and sometimes there was no plot, just movement. Well-known pioneers of such
shows were the Lumiere Brothers, who delighted their audience in Paris with their
collection of short scenes.
And then around 1900s, filmmakers began to offer more and focus on telling stories
through motion picture.
And then around 1927-28, films have been developed to include sound. Paramount, 20th
Century Fox, Warner Brothers, Columbia and Universal became among the top studios
that produce such motion pictures, and they remain among the major filmmakers today
Film production gradually became a more complex work that requires a team consisted
of people with various skills. Nowadays, this involves more than the film director and the
actors – there are individuals involved in financing the film, people working for the post-
production, and so on.

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Television
The television immediately became popular since its invention in 1927. It immediately
became one of the favored forms of media today, thanks to its wide coverage and
content. Everything from the latest news to the most entertaining shows, can be viewed
using the television. It can provide information and entertainment, depending on what
the public desires to see. As such, the television remains as one of the highly profitable
forms of media, even with the rise of the internet today.

Animation
Animation is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as the “production of moving
images”; the technique by which movement is given on film, to a series of drawings. It is
generally viewed as a moving image that is created frame-by-frame, producing motion.
Animation is utilized for a variety of purposes nowadays. Film, television, or advertising,
you will encounter an animated work or two.

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LESSON 12: Manipulative Information and Media

Unit Learning Outcomes

By the end of this unit, you should be able to:
Learning outcomes:
1. Distinguish manipulative information techniques done by media
2. Define the strategies done by ad agencies and public relations firms
3. Determine the types of media manipulation
4. Identify the ways to evaluate manipulative information

Manipulative Information
It is best to know and understand the different techniques done to manipulate media as it shapes
the information we receive from different media.
Manipulate is defined by Oxford Dictionary as the act of controlling or influencing. Magpile (2016)
further describes that a person who manipulates does it skilfully in order to achieve what he or
she wants in the way he or she wants it. Media manipulation is highly subjective and most of the
time, the control or hold on something is only beneficial or favorable for one. This is done “by
exploiting the viewer’s interests and deceiving their perception of reality.” (Magpile, 2016)
Advertising and marketing firms are known to use this strategy for a particular objective that
would benefit and satisfy their clients. This may include the use of propaganda techniques and
withholding of information to manipulate the public into thinking a certain way through the use
of various media platforms. While there may be debates on whether manipulative information is
largely harmful to be practiced or not

Advertising Agencies
Advertising has become a huge part of the economy today. This provides all the essential
information the people need to consume a product or a service. With time, people began to look
at media, not only as an entertainment and information source, but as a basis for their decisions.
Magpile (2016) describes advertising agencies and firms with “clients whose products need
marketing to boost sales.” These agencies are in charge of creating and planning the advertising
and other forms of marketing promotions for its clients.

Placing Advertisements
In order for the message of advertisements to reach its target audience, it is vital to know which
media outlets are used in displaying these advertisements.

Traditional Choices

1. Newspapers
The most accessible way for an advertisement to reach people is through
newspapers. Prices for the advertisement space on newspapers vary depending on
the size of the advertisement and the publication the agency chose. Aside from its
cheap price, it’s easier for people to go through pages of newspaper to go back to a
particular advertisement. However, in this age, as the number of newspaper readers
dwindle due to the online alternatives for consuming news, it would be hard to sell
this to people who are mostly connected to the internet. One disadvantage of printed
ads on newspaper is the image quality. Some come in colored pages while some are
printed in black and white. This may cause the advertisement to be ignored if not
deemed catchy enough to capture the attention of the readers. The strategic
positioning of the advertisement on the newspaper would also need to be in
consideration as there are pages that would naturally be scanned by most of the
readers.
2. Magazines
Unlike newspapers, magazines tend to have longer shelf life due to the fact that they
can remain relevant and readable after weeks and months. This would be beneficial
for advertisements as it offers greater chance at exposure. Due to longer shelf life,
they may also be passed among peers who enjoy reading the same type of magazine.

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 Magazine readers are significantly narrowed down compared to newspapers as
magazines are specialized to focus on a theme or aim.
3. Radio
Radio is easily accessible for the most part and compared to the previous media types,
placing advertisements on radio is relatively cheaper. Another advantage is that they
may also allow last-minute changes to the ad until before its air-time. Since there is
no visual presentation of the advertised product unlike in television, radio ads bank
on catchy jingles and catchphrases that would attract the listener’s attention and
encourage them to conjure images from what they hear for them to eventually aim
for its retention on the public to be remembered or recalled. However, radio ads have
the risk of inattentive listeners or the free will of the listeners to tune in or out from
the radio.
4. Television
Television advertisements, for its motion audio-visual nature, yield more impact than
other types of media ads. However, companies and advertising agencies would have
to risk higher production costs to get their ads on TV, according to duration. Due to
its restrictions on airtime, some ads are shortened to suit a timeslot resulting to
advertising or marketing clutter experienced by consumers. Advertising or marketing
clutter is the large amount of advertisements that the consumers are exposed to on
a daily basis.
5. Online
Online advertising has been gaining popularity because they have made their way
into social networking websites, as well as other websites with much consumer traffic
such as video streaming sites like Youtube. Online ads enable interested consumers
to directly contact the companies or the producers to inquire about their services
and/or their product through email, telephone numbers and other advertised contact
information.
Types of Digital Advertising
• Banner ads
• Adsense
• Email advertising
• Native advertising
• Facebook Ads
• Youtube Ads
• Sponsored tweets
• Rich Media Ads
• Pop Up Ads
• Pre-video ads
• Blogging

Types of media manipulation

With the two types of manipulative media identified, we need to spot the manipulation
techniques done through these to distinguish them from other media strategies. While
sometimes made with good intentions, the following techniques to manipulate media is being
used to take advantage of the people’s ability to make their own buying or consuming decisions.

The various strategies of media manipulation are the following:

1. Consumer confusion
The IGI global group has defined consumer confusion as “a consumer’s state of mind during
a buying decision-making process characterized by inability to finalize the choice of product
or brand.” Most cases of consumer confusion are caused by the consumer’s failure to
distinguish and recognize the brand or product being advertised. In order to avoid this or
prevent this from happening, it is important for various products of the similar kind to have
unique features that would make it different from others.

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2. Crowd manipulation
Crowd manipulation is defined by Hydrogen2Oxygen as “the intentional use of techniques
based on the principles of crowd psychology to engage, control or influence the desires of a
crowd in order to direct its behavior toward a specific action.” Using this technique to sway
the crowd to be in the direction you intended may be questionable on terms of ethics as it
could cross the line towards harmful. A crowd manipulator would make use of media to reach
out to as much of the masses as possible, thus maximizing their potential to influence the
people into action. This tactic was evident during the Martial Law era as discussed in one of
the previous modules.
3. Propaganda
Tightly linked with crowd manipulation, propaganda refers to “information, ideas, opinions,
or images, often only giving one part of an argument, that are broadcast, published, or in
some other way spread with the intention of influencing people’s opinions.” Before the
manipulator could gather a crowd, he or she has probably swayed them through distributed
propaganda. Some examples of propaganda are the following:

• Glittering generalities – these are positive responses or statements pertaining to a

particular product or individual. This kind of statement outpours with good intentions
and nice words.
• Namecalling – contrary to the first example, this entails badmouthing or the attacks
of ad hominem towards a product or person.
• Testimonial – these are statements of endorsement usually delivered by prominent
people who hold a good reputation to promote an individual or a company, regardless
of intention.
• Plain folks – this is done by using regular people’s values such as family and patriotism
to appeal to the masses.
• Bandwagon – this technique encourages the public to jump into a group or become
one of them to influence them into believing a cause.
• Card-stacking – this is a manipulation technique that involves unfair comparison or
omitting facts to make a product seem better than others.
• Transfer – this is a technique that aims to make the consumer, who has his/her own
personal accepted beliefs, approve and respect another thing that the propagandist
is making him/her approve of.
4. Gatekeeping
The term gatekeeping refers to a tactic of media to filter what information they release to
the public. They withhold information while maintaining the guise of telling all the relevant
facts to a story. This tactic enables them to lead people to believe something by omitting facts
that may negate their objective, keeping them from entertaining other possibilities.
5. Celebrity endorsements
There are several reasons why celebrity endorsements of products and companies work,
especially in the Philippines. Ads Aren’t Annoying gave the following reasons why these
endorsements are effective:
• People like to see a familiar face on the product. Seeing a famous face attached to a
product would entice you to try the product yourself to see why the celebrity was
endorsing it. Associating this person to the product he or she promotes would be
retained in the consumer’s mind.
• People want to be like the celebrities. Celebrities inspire the regular people. Knowing
that they are using a common product would be as close to a celebrity as they could
get.
• They open up a new demographic. If the celebrity’s reputation is known even to those
of different nationalities and age, they could possibly support the product that the
celebrity endorses, thus opening a new demographic for the product.
• The belief of getting high quality product. We picture the celebrities’ life as something
extravagant and they would not use products that are not up to their standards. Using
the product that they endorse; people assume that what they’re offering people to
buy and support is of high quality that they can approve of.

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 • People remember the ads after seeing it. The impact of having celebrities promote
the product in various media platforms is different than ordinary advertisements.
Their association with a particular product would work for customer retention.
6. Hoax
Hoax is defined by Merriam Webster as the act of “tricking into believing or accepting
as genuine something false and often preposterous.” This type of media manipulation
technique is currently prevalent in the Philippines and is being dubbed as fake news.

7. Fear mongering
If there was another thing more effective than celebrity endorsements to sell or promote
something, it is fear. Peretti (2014) cited a line from the first episode of the show, Mad Men
that goes, “Advertising is based on one thing: happiness. And do you know what happiness
is? It’s freedom from fear.”
To take advantage of the worries and anxieties of an average consumer, products advertised
through media offer a temporary refuge from fear.

Evaluating manipulative information

Manipulative information requires evaluation in identifying why and how it was made. Since
people tend to question its validity and credibility, it is important to analyze the following criteria
in evaluating manipulative information.

1. Motive or purpose
Manipulative information, whether good or bad, was made from an intent or purpose. It may seek
to inform, persuade, encourage, destroy, among other things. Seeking the motive and purpose of
the manipulative information will make us understand why it had to be made.

2. Degree of influence or impact

After you have identified the purpose or intent of manipulative information, you need to gauge
its degree of influence or impact on the public or consumers who are the receivers of this
information. This may have short-term or long-term effects on the behavior, attitude and lifestyle
of the consumers.

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LESSON 13: Multimedia Information and Media

Unit Learning Outcomes

By the end of this unit, you should be able to:
Learning outcomes:
1. Identify the different dimension of multimedia information and media
2. Comprehend how multimedia information and media is/are formally and informally produced,
organized, and disseminated

Definition of Multimedia
Multimedia has a variety of definitions. According to Merriam Webster Dictionary, multimedia
refers to “using, involving, or encompassing several media”. Oxford Dictionary defines the term
as “using more than one medium of communication, artistic expression, etc.”
Regardless of which dictionary you prefer, the main idea about the definition of multimedia is
that it covers several other forms of media – text, audio, video, graphic, and any other media in
which information can be represented – these are all incorporated together to provide and
transmit and process information digitally.

Elements of Multimedia
As multimedia is a combination of a variety of other media forms, it is important to take note the
following elements it consists of.

Text
The most basic element of multimedia. These characters are used to create words, sentences and
paragraphs which will carry the message for the receivers. Nowadays it is often combined with
other elements of multimedia in order to efficiently distribute information. Examples of these are
web pages, which are usually a combination of graphics and textual content.

In a way, we can divide text into the following:

• Alphabet characters: letters A-Z
• Numbers: 0-9
• Special characters: These would be the . , ; : ‘ “

Graphic
Graphics are essential in multimedia as its main purpose is to make the multimedia attractive. It
can be divided into two types: the raster graphics (also known as bitmap graphics) are images
taken from real life subjects – examples of these are photographs or images captured using
scanners and digital cameras. Vector graphics, on the other hand, are drawn on the computer.
Examples of this would be logos and interface graphics.

Animation
Animation basically refers to a series of drawn frames which were put together to create an
illusion of movement. It is an essential element of multimedia as it can make the message look
attractive to the viewer.

Video
The video is an element that can have a unique and powerful impact. The incorporation of images
to form motion picture with sound, can certainly get people’s attention, making it more efficient
in spreading the message.

Audio
Audio is essential to any multimedia that requires the incorporation of speech, music, or sound
effects. It enhances the multimedia and adds a certain effect that will not be found if you merely
use text or graphics.

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Interactive and Non-Interactive Multimedia
Multimedia is a combination of different elements of media, forming into one powerful tool used
in spreading information. And thanks to the technology today, multimedia has also become more
interactive.

Interactive multimedia is a term used to refer to a physical or digital system that makes use of
text, graphics, video, audio, and animation to give users the capability to manipulate media by
means of interactive behavior. The integration of the computer and multimedia information allow
users not just to “receive” information, but to “participate” in that information as well.

Interactive multimedia offers two-way communication. An example of this would be videogames,

wherein the user participates in the communication by pressing the commands which determines
the action of its character. It is also used in arts or education.

Non-interactive multimedia, on the other hand, is passive in form. It is a one-way communication,

as the viewer only receives the information provided and is unable to provide feedback. Examples
of non-interactive multimedia are advertisements, films, and multimedia presentations.

Uses of Multimedia
In the modern times, multimedia is being utilized for a wide range of purposes. Every field from
business to education makes use of multimedia

Multimedia presentations
Nowadays, various corporations make use of multimedia for creative or
commercial purposes. Multimedia is utilized in presentations, thanks to a wide
range of editing and multimedia presentation tools. Example of such tools would
be the Microsoft Office applications.

An efficient multimedia presentation will be essential in spreading the message

especially among people.

Education
Multimedia nowadays is used as a learning tool for students. It enables more
engaging learning for learners of all ages.
With the help of multimedia, students are offered various learning modes which
provides them to choose the way they learn a topic. Multimedia takes advantage
of both the sense of sight and hearing, utilizing auditory and visual channels to
boost the amount of information that the brain can process.

Virtual Reality
Virtual reality is one of the current technology trends. The journey to an entirely
different world and the experience of new adventures are made possible thank
to the power of multimedia. The incorporation of graphics, audio and other
components allow people to see, hear, and feel like they are immersed in a
different dimension.

Entertainment
Multimedia can also be used to provide engaging content that can entertain
people.
Videogames, for instance, allow people to immerse in a new world, entertaining
users by means of gaming. Players are exposed to the graphics, and sound
incorporated together to create an engaging form of media.

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 4th Quarter Evaluation

Create and Edit a Video lasting 3 – 5 minutes, reporting a specific Issue/Topic about Media and
Information Literacy that includes the Topics Listed below:

Visual Information – Your video should have any form or Visual Media that will represent or
elaborate the Issue or Topic that you chose.

Audio Information – Your video should include a lecture, conversation or news that involves
the topic that you chose.

Text Information – Create a narrative report starting from how you chose your topic to the
step-by-step process of creating your video.

Any video editing app is acknowledged.

The main reference that you can get will be the same as reporting a news in TV.

Send the Complete and Edited Video and the Narrative Report in this

gmail: markjaniban@gmail.com

or through Messenger at this Profile:

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100071811213601

Rubrics (Basis of Grading)

Criteria 1 2 3 4

Completely Thinks only with Thinks with the

Original Thinking/Generating
dependent to the some ideas given idea and Versatile thinker
Ideas
content provided provided some help

Thinks outside the

Use some Use resources that
Use basic box that provide
resources that are relatively
resources to great advantage
Creativity/Resourcefulness benefit creating the unique and has a
accomplish the and creative intent
task and are not great impact in
task in the assembly of
provided. fulfilling the task.
the task.

The core of the

The project project circles
Have a vague Have a fairly clear provides a around the theme
Clarity and Relevancy representation of representation of significant provided and give
the task given. the task provided. representation of a significant
the task. representation of
the task.

The project has a

The project has a concrete structure
The project is fairly
The project has a stable structure and contents that
structured with
weak structure and that covers the entirely focus on
contents that
Analytical Processing vague topics, ideas and the task provided
provide ample
understanding on information needed giving the project a
relevance to the
the task provided. to make an clear
task.
efficient output. understanding on
the task provided.

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