LESSON 1: The Influence of Media and Information to Communication

Communication is simply the act of transferring information from one place, person or group to
another (SkillsYouNeed, 2020). It is the process of sending and receiving messages through verbal or
nonverbal means, including speech, or oral communication; writing and graphical representations
(such as infographics, maps, and charts); and signs, signals, and behavior (Nordquist, 2020). At its
core, communication is the use of messages to generate meaning, both within and across a myriad of
cultures, contexts, channels, and media. Through the effective practice of communication, we are
able to improve cultural, social, personal, and professional experiences, whether between individual,
enterprises or even nations (What is Communications Studies? 2020).

The Communication Process

In order to better understand the communication process, we can break it down into a series of
eight essential components. These are the eight parts as presented by What is communication
(2012):
1. Source. S/he imagines, creates, and sends the message. This process of turning thoughts into
communication is called encoding.
2. Message. It is the stimulus or meaning produced by the source for the receiver or audience.
3. Channel. It is the way in which a message or messages travel between source and receiver (What
Is Communication, 2012).
4. Receiver. It receives the message from the source; analyzing and interpreting the message in
ways both intended and unintended by the source. The process of turning communication into
thoughts is called decoding. The receiver decodes the message.
5. Feedback. When the receiver responds to the source, intentionally or unintentionally, she/he is
giving feedback.
6. Environment. Environment refers to the atmosphere – physical and psychological, where an
individual sends and receives messages.
7. Context. The context of the communication interaction involves the setting, scene, and
expectations of the individuals involved.
8. Interference or noise. This is anything that blocks or changes the source’s intended meaning of the
message. For example, if you drove a car to work or school, chances are, you were surrounded by
noise.

Forms of Communication (According to the number and role of participants)

1. Intrapersonal communication occurs within oneself. It involves self-talk, reflection, or internal
dialogue that helps in analyzing situations, resolving conflicts, or making decisions. It is crucial
for personal growth and emotional processing.
2. Interpersonal communication happens between two individuals. It is characterized by the
exchange of messages, emotions, and ideas in personal relationships or professional settings.
This form hinges on mutual understanding and plays a vital role in building connections.
3. Small group communication takes place within a group of people, typically around three to
twelvw members. It fosters collaboration and teamwork, allowing participants to share ideas,
solve problems, or make decisions. Examples include team meetings, study groups, or
brainstorming sessions.

Media and Information Literacy

 4. Public communication is the transmission of messages to large audiences. It involves
delivering information, persuasion, or entertainment to people gathered in public spaces or
connected through media. Public speaking, campaigns, and performances are common
examples of this form.

Models of Communication
1. Aristotle Model of Communication, one of the earliest, focuses on persuasion. It emphasizes
the speaker, the speech, and the audience, illustrating how rhetoric can be crafted to achieve
desired effects. This model is particularly useful in public speaking and persuasive
communication.
2. Shannon-Weaver Model, introduced in 1949, is often regarded as the mathematical model of
communication. It depicts communication as a linear process involving a sender, encoder,
channel, decoder, and receiver, while also accounting for 'noise' that may disrupt the message.
3. Transactional Model of Communication views communication as a two-way process where
sender and receiver simultaneously exchange messages. This interactive model highlights the
dynamic nature of communication and the importance of context and feedback.
4. Berlo’s SMCR Model simplifies the communication process into four components: Source,
Message, Channel, and Receiver. It underscores the significance of the sender's skills,
attitude, and knowledge, as well as how these influence the communication outcome.
5. Dance’s Helix Model of Communication presents communication as an evolving, continuous
process. Represented as a helix, it shows how communication grows and builds on past
interactions, reflecting its non-linear and dynamic nature.

Media and Information Influence to Communication

Media and information technology play a vital role in globalization. Through these, we become
connected to different people around the world. These have significant influence on the modern
culture and become tools in sharing information, ideas, personal messages, and other content
and have become more widespread and accessible. Not only that they become sources of
information, but entertainment as well. Media, particularly social media provides great ways to
connect, to interact and communicate with friends and family while living separately. We can share
pictures, videos, some information among our friends who are far away from us. Through social
media, you can make your existing relationships strong and can make new friends from all over the
world through different social networking websites (A Research Guide for Students, 2019). Social
media reduce the barriers of communication and making it easier for everyone to express their
thoughts to the world (EASE Technology Solutions, 2016). Indeed, as technology grows and expands
our range of communication, media is becoming a vital tool for daily social interaction.

Media and Information Literacy

 LESSON 3: Responsible Use of Media and Information

From the moment you wake up to the time you fall asleep, you are, in one way or another,
exposed to all media you listed above, and actually even more. Wherever you go, you see and hear
all forms of it, and you may even be consuming media unconsciously. Unfortunately, there is a sad
reality about media and information consumption in today’s society: Information Disorder. It refers to
the many ways our information environment is polluted – content is fake, used out of context, or
weaponized to attack certain individuals or groups of people. Understanding this landscape is the first
step towards better and responsible use of media and information.

The Information Disorder

There are three categories of Information Disorder:
1. Misinformation – refers to information that is false, but the person sharing or disseminating it
unknowingly perceives it as something true.
a. False connection – when headlines or visuals do not support the content
b. Misleading content - by cropping photos or choosing quotes or statistics selectively
(Note: These information are based on how the specific types are grouped generally. These,
as we may know, have been evolving and could’ve been classified into another general type)
2. Disinformation – refers to content that contains false information with the deliberate intention to
mislead or deceive the audience.
a. False context – when genuine content is re-circulated out of its original context
b. Imposter content – persons’ bylines used alongside articles they did not write, or
organizations’ logos used in videos or images they did not create
c. Manipulated content – when genuine content is manipulated to deceive
d. Fabricated content – fabricated “news sites” or fabricated visual
3. Mal-information – refers to information that is based on reality but is used to inflict harm
Examples:
a. Leaks to the press of private information for personal or corporate interest (e.g., revenge
porn)
b. Using a picture (e.g. of a dead child, with no context or false context) in an effort to ignite
hatred of a particular ethnic group

Media and Information Literacy Skills

The Center for Media Literacy (2005) lists five core concepts of Media Literacy:
1. All media messages are ‘constructed’
2. Media messages are constructed using a creative language with its own rules.
3. Different people perceive the same media message differently.
4. Media have embedded values and points of view.
5. Most media messages are organized to gain profit or power

Media and Information Literacy

 Analysis of how Evaluation of a content's Creation of a
Access to information and
media is meaning, value, purpose, media content or
communication tool
constructed and point of view message

Four Components of MIL Literacy Skills

Responsibilities as a Media Consumer

According to the Center of Media Literacy, when analyzing media messages, you should ask
these five key questions related to the five core concepts of Media Literacy:
1. Who created this message? (Author)
2. What creative techniques are used to attract my attention? (Format)
3. How might other people understand this message differently than me? (Audience)
4. What values, lifestyles, and points of view are represented in, or omitted from, this message?
(Content)
5. Why is this message being sent? (Purpose)

Responsibilities as a Media Producer

1. Give credit where credit is due.
2. Avoid sharing raw and unverifies information.
3. Think about who can see what you have shared.
4. Be open to learning and constructive criticisms.
5. Share expert knowledge.
6. Respect other people’s privacy.
7. Always be respectful.

Media and Information Literacy

 LESSON 5: Media Types

1. Print Media. Media consisting of paper and ink, reproduced in a printing process that is
traditionally mechanical.
2. Broadcast Media. Media that reach the target audiences using airwaves as the (one-
way) transmission medium.
3. New Media. Content organized and distributed on digital platforms such as the Internet.
Media Convergence is the merging of mass communication outlets – print, television,
radio, and the Internet, along with portable and interactive technologies through various
digital media platforms.

Media Roles
1. as Channel
2. as Watchdog
3. as Resource Center
4. as Advocate

Media Effects
1. Third-Party Theory. People think they are more immune to media influence than
others.
2. Reciprocal Effect. When a person gets media attention, it influences the way the
person acts or the way the event functions. Media coverage often increases self-
consciousness, which affects our action.
3. Boomerang Effect. It refers to media-induced change that is counter to the desired
change.
4. Cultivation Theory. It It states that media exposure, specifically to television, shapes
our social reality by giving us a distorted view on the amount of violence and risk in the
world. The theory suggests that television and media possess a small but significant
influence on the attitudes and beliefs of society about society.
5. Agenda-Setting Theory. It is the process whereby mass media determine what we
think and worry about.
6. Propaganda Model of Media Control. The model tries to understand how the
population is manipulated, and how the social, economic, political attitudes are
fashioned in the minds of people through propaganda.

Media and Information Literacy

 LESSON 6: Media and Information Sources
1. ____________________________ is an unconventional source of information. It is also known
as local knowledge. According to Warren (1991), it is the knowledge that is unique to a given
culture or society. It may contrast with the international knowledge system generated by
universities, research institutions and private firms.
____________________________ is owned, controlled and managed by indigenous peoples in
order for them to develop and produce culturally appropriate information in the languages
understood by the community by utilizing indigenous materials and resources, reflecting
community needs and interests, visions and aspirations, and independent from vested interest
groups (Indigenous Media, Freedom of Expression and Right to Information: ASEAN Scenario,
2014).
Its characteristics are as follows:
 oral tradition of communication
 _______________________________________________
 _______________________________________________
 information are contain within the border of the community

2. ____________________________ is a place in which literary, musical, artistic, or reference

materials (such as books, manuscripts, recordings, or films) are kept for use but not for sale. It
existed because of the birth of the printing press in which it is expected to select and provide
content area which are easy to access. Its main role is
_________________________________________
_______________________________.
TYPES
 ____________________________. It serves colleges and universities.
 ____________________________. It serves cities and towns of all types.
 ____________________________. It serves students from Kindergarten to Grade 12.
 ____________________________. These are in specialized environments, such as
hospitals, corporations, museums, the military, private business, and the government.

3. ____________________________ is a global computer network providing a variety of

information and communication facilities, consisting of interconnected networks using
standardized communication protocols.
How will you evaluate the information found in the _______________?
 ____________________________
 Author
 ____________________________
 ____________________________
Categories of Information

Media and Information Literacy

1. ____________________________ - an original, uninterpreted, or first-hand material created by
the person(s) involved in an activity or event (e.g., artifacts, diaries and autobiographies,
__________________________________________________________________________)
2. _____________________________ - obtained through analysis, interpretation, and evaluation of
primary source materials (e.g., newspaper articles, literature reviews, _____________________
____________________________________________________________________________)
3. ____________________________ - involves information that collects, organizes, and
summarizes ____________________________ source materials (e.g., encyclopedia, dictionary,
____________________________________________________________________________)

Media and Information Literacy