Assessing Youth Response to Media and Information Literacy Competencies through an Online Course: An Empirical Study and Comparative Analysis - Part 2

This article is Part 2 of the paper titles Assessing Youth Response to Media and Information Literacy Competencies through an online course An Empirical Study and Comparative Analysis presented into articles Part 1 offers a discourse on the urgency for MIL to empower youth the context and a suggested methodology This second part shows the principal findings obtained with this research and some discussion 1 Part 2 of the study is presented here See Part 1 earlier in this Journal Volume This study explores how best to disseminate media and information literacy MIL skills and inform goal-oriented development of educational policies and strategies Using the qualitative and quantitative method the research completed in 2018 investigated youth responses to online and offline personal social economic political and cultural challenges and opportunities before and after acquiring MIL-related skills It involved a sample of 1 735 14- to 30-year-olds who reflected on their knowledge of MIL and their attitudes toward social and democratic issues such as freedom of expression FOE freedom of information FOI intercultural dialogue ICD and interreligious dialogue IR

Representation of religion in the print media of Great Britain and Jamaica and cultural barriers to communication: a comparative study

O presente trabalho reúne uma investigação sobre a representação nos meios de comunicação de massa de seis religiões e grupos seculares em quatro jornais do Reino Unido e Jamaica realizados em 2013. Através da análise de conteúdo, os autores tentam determinar, entre outras coisas, o que era o elemento mais importante nas notícias sobre a religião, se as fontes usadas ou o discurso ou tema principal de cada uma dessas religiões. Conclui-se que não parece haver grandes diferenças na representação da religião por meio desses sistemas de mídia e países com culturas e contextos sociopolíticos semelhantes. O islamismo e o cristianismo receberam a representação mais “negativa”, mas também um enquadramento “positivo” para o cristianismo, enquanto algumas religiões não são representadas de forma alguma. Este artigo também analisa as possíveis barreiras culturais à comunicação que podem estar presentes nas informações sobre religiões.This research is an investigation of the representation of six religions and secular groups in four newspapers from the UK and one from Jamaica made in 2013. Through content analysis, authors aimed to ascertain, inter alia, which religion was more prominent in the news, which were the sources used and the main discourse or subject about these religions. They conclude that no major differences were found in the representation of religion across these media systems and countries with similar culture and socio-political context. Islam and Christianity received the most ‘negative’ representation but also ‘positive’ framing for Christianity and others, while some religions are not represented at all. Freedom of religion and inter-religious dialogue is relative absent from the public and journalistic discourse. This article also analyzes the possible Cultural Barriers to Communication that may be present in the information on religions.Este documento reúne una investigación sobre la representación en los medios de comunicación de seis religiones y grupos seculares en cuatro periódicos del Reino Unido y Jamaica realizada en 2013. A través del análisis de contenido, los autores intentan determinar, entre otras cosas, qué fue el elemento más importante en las noticias sobre religión, ya sea las fuentes utilizadas o el discurso o tema principal de cada una de estas religiones. De ello se deduce que no parece haber grandes diferencias en la representación de la religión a través de estos sistemas de medios y países con culturas y contextos sociopolíticos similares. El Islam y el cristianismo recibieron la representación más “negativa”, pero también un marco “positivo” para el cristianismo, mientras que algunas religiones no están representadas en absoluto. Este artículo también analiza posibles barreras culturales a la comunicación que pueden estar presentes en la información sobre religiones

Introduction: Living in Media and Information Literate Cities.

Introduction - MIL Cities and MIL Citizens: Informed, Engaged, Empowered by Media and Information Literacy (MIL).Cities are large learning spaces (McKenna, 2016). Over half of the world’s population—3.9 billion people—currently lives in cities. The projection is that 2.5 billion more people will live in urban spaces by 2050, meaning the world will be almost 70% urban. The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Cities Platform responds to this plausible reality with eight networks and programs, drawing on its strong interdisciplinary approach to leverage city spaces for the maximum benefit for denizens (UNESCO, n.d.-b)

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Alfabetización mediática e informacional : curriculum para profesores

Este documento es un importante recurso para los Estados Miembros en su trabajo continuo para lograr los objetivos de la Declaración Grünwald (1982), la Declaración de Alejandría (2005) y la Agenda de Paris de la UNESCO (2007) – todas relacionadas con Alfabetización Mediática e Informacional (AMI). También es pionero por dos razones. Primero, va hacia el futuro, toma en cuenta las tendencias actuales quese dirigen hacia la convergencia de la radio, televisión, Internet, periódicos, libros, archivos digitales y bibliotecas en una sola plataforma – por lo tanto, es la primera vez que se presenta AMI de una manera holística. Segundo, está diseñado específicamente tomando en cuenta a los profesores y está dirigido hacia la integración de un sistema formal de educación para profesores, por lo tanto inicia un proceso catalizador que deberá llegar a millones de personas jóvenes y desarrollar sus capacidades. Esta publicación se divide en dos partes: La Parte 1 contiene el Curriculum AMI y el Marco de Competencias, que proporciona una visión general de los fundamentos, diseño y temas principales. Es un complemento al Marco de Competencias TICs para Profesores (2008) de la UNESCO. La Parte 2 incluye el detalle de los Módulos Obligatorios y Opcionales del curriculum

Media and information literate citizens: think critically, click wisely!

Can we improve our societies by clicking wisely? Content providers such as libraries, archives, museums, media and digital communications companies can enable inclusive and sustainable development. However, they do not always live up to these ideals, which creates challenges for the users of these services. Content providers of all types open up new opportunities for lifelong learning. But at the same time, they open up challenges such as misinformation and disinformation, hate speech, and infringement of online privacy, among others. Media and information literacy is a set of competencies that help people to maximize advantages and minimize harms. Media and information literacy covers competencies that enable people to critically and effectively engage with: communications content; the institutions that facilitate this content; and the use of digital technologies. Capacities in these areas are indispensable for all citizens regardless of their ages or backgrounds. This pioneering curriculum presents a comprehensive competency framework of media and information literacy and offers educators and learners structured pedagogical suggestions. It features various detailed modules covering the range of competencies needed to navigate today’s communications ecosystem. This resource links media and information literacy to emerging issues, such as artificial intelligence, digital citizenship education, education for sustainable development, cultural literacy and the exponential rise in misinformation and disinformation. With effective use of this media and information literacy curriculum, everyone can become media and information literate as well as peer-educators of media and information literacy

MIL Cities and MIL Citizens: Informed, Engaged, Empowered by Media and Information Literacy (MIL).

Libro completoThe UNESCO UNITWIN Cooperation Programme on Media and Information Literacy and Intercultural Dialogue (MILID) is based on an initiative from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the UN Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC). This Network was created in line with UNESCO’s mission and objectives, as well as the mandate of UNAOC, to serve as a catalyst and facilitator helping to give impetus to innovative projects aimed at reducing polarization among nations and cultures through mutual partnerships. This UNITWIN Network is composed of universities from different geographical areas: Autonomous University of Barcelona (Spain), University of the West Indies (Jamaica), Cairo University (Egypt), University of Sao Paulo (Brazil), Temple University (USA), Tsinghua University (China), Moulay Ismail University (Morocco), Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University (Morocco), University of Guadalajara (Mexico), Western University (Canada), University of Gothenburg (Sweden), Sorbonne Nouvelle University (France), Punjabi University, Patiala (India), University of the South Pacific (Fiji), University of South Africa (South Africa), Nnamdi Azikiwe University (Nigeria), Ahmadu Bello University (Nigeria), Lagos State University (Nigeria), University of Jors (Nigeria), University of Calabar (Nigeria), Hosei University (Japan), University of Latvia (Latvia), Moscow Pedagogical State University (Russia), Corporación Universitaria Minuto de Dios UNIMINUTO (Colombia), Vytautas Magnus University (Lithuania), MICA (India), University of Campinas (Brazil). The main objectives of the Network are to foster collaboration among member universities, to build capacity in each of the countries in order to empower them to advance media and information literacy and intercultural dialogue, and to promote freedom of speech, freedom of information and the free flow of ideas and knowledge. Specific objectives include acting as an observatory for the role of media and information literacy (MIL) in promoting civic participation, democracy and development as well as enhancing intercultural and cooperative research on MIL. The programme also aims at promoting global actions related to MIL and intercultural dialogue. In such a context, a MILID Yearbook series is an important initiative. This MILID Yearbook is a result of a collaboration between UNESCO UNITWIN Cooperation Programme on Media and Information Literacy and Intercultural Dialogue, The Corporación Universitaria Minuto de Dios - UNIMINUTO (Colombia) and the University of Gothenburg (Sweden)

Assessing citizens’ responses to media and information literacy competencies through an online course: an empirical study and critical comparative analysis of experts’ views

Societal opportunities and challenges, whether they are personal, socio-political or cultural, are information-dependent in one way or another. Minimising the challenges and maximising the opportunities depend on the quality of information accessed and received; how people are enabled to think critically and independently about this information; what people choose to believe and why; and the process by which people choose to believe or reject and act upon certain information for problem solving. The purpose of this research is to explore how to improve the diffusion of media and information literacy (MIL) competencies for all citizens and to inform purpose-driven development of national MIL policies and strategies. Through a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods, the research investigated youth responses to personal, social, economic, political and cultural challenges and opportunities online and offline before and after having acquired MIL related competencies. The research also examined how MIL experts/practitioners perceive MIL competencies and relevant policy framework factors for MIL applications in different societal contexts. The youth component of this dissertation employed a quasi-experimental research methodology adopted from other researchers. It involved a sample of 1735 youths between the ages 14 and 30 years who reflected on their knowledge of MIL and their attitude towards social and democratic issues such as freedom of expression, freedom of information, intercultural dialogue and interreligious dialogue. They then engaged in a three-month intervention (a Media and Information Literacy Massively Open Online Course) with the social and democratic issues embedded. The youth reflected on their attitudes once more through survey, journaling and online discussion forum. The MIL experts’/practitioners’ component of the research used survey techniques to engage a sample of 502 experts/practitioners. They reflected on the levels and types of involvement in MIL; rated and ranked broad MIL competencies as well as related policy context factors based on their expert/personal perspectives, as well as their more experiential and ‘objective’ perspectives of the actualities of MIL implemented in the countries they work. The findings indicate that the youths have genuine interest in social and democratic discourse issues and have acquired prior knowledge of MIL through either erstwhile studies or experience. They demonstrate diverse attitudes towards freedom of expression and freedom of information in various societal contexts and show some uncertainty about what are the best responses to these issues in some situations. The youths have a generally positive attitude to intercultural dialogue and interreligious dialogue and think that governments and the media can do more to promote peace by facilitating more open discourses on religious and intercultural tolerance. The youths surveyed reported varying degrees of change in their attitudes and actions concerning the social and democratic issues investigated. MIL experts/practitioners have convergent views on MIL competencies but also with some divergence. Less divergence exists in their assessment of MIL policy context factors at country levels. Greater involvement of MIL experts/practitioners in community level activities and advocacy has the potential to improve a broader framework of MIL

Assessing citizens’ responses to media and information literacy competencies through an online course: an empirical study and critical comparative analysis of experts’ views

Societal opportunities and challenges, whether they are personal, socio-political or cultural, are information-dependent in one way or another. Minimising the challenges and maximising the opportunities depend on the quality of information accessed and received; how people are enabled to think critically and independently about this information; what people choose to believe and why; and the process by which people choose to believe or reject and act upon certain information for problem solving. The purpose of this research is to explore how to improve the diffusion of media and information literacy (MIL) competencies for all citizens and to inform purpose-driven development of national MIL policies and strategies. Through a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods, the research investigated youth responses to personal, social, economic, political and cultural challenges and opportunities online and offline before and after having acquired MIL related competencies. The research also examined how MIL experts/practitioners perceive MIL competencies and relevant policy framework factors for MIL applications in different societal contexts. The youth component of this dissertation employed a quasi-experimental research methodology adopted from other researchers. It involved a sample of 1735 youths between the ages 14 and 30 years who reflected on their knowledge of MIL and their attitude towards social and democratic issues such as freedom of expression, freedom of information, intercultural dialogue and interreligious dialogue. They then engaged in a three-month intervention (a Media and Information Literacy Massively Open Online Course) with the social and democratic issues embedded. The youth reflected on their attitudes once more through survey, journaling and online discussion forum. The MIL experts’/practitioners’ component of the research used survey techniques to engage a sample of 502 experts/practitioners. They reflected on the levels and types of involvement in MIL; rated and ranked broad MIL competencies as well as related policy context factors based on their expert/personal perspectives, as well as their more experiential and ‘objective’ perspectives of the actualities of MIL implemented in the countries they work. The findings indicate that the youths have genuine interest in social and democratic discourse issues and have acquired prior knowledge of MIL through either erstwhile studies or experience. They demonstrate diverse attitudes towards freedom of expression and freedom of information in various societal contexts and show some uncertainty about what are the best responses to these issues in some situations. The youths have a generally positive attitude to intercultural dialogue and interreligious dialogue and think that governments and the media can do more to promote peace by facilitating more open discourses on religious and intercultural tolerance. The youths surveyed reported varying degrees of change in their attitudes and actions concerning the social and democratic issues investigated. MIL experts/practitioners have convergent views on MIL competencies but also with some divergence. Less divergence exists in their assessment of MIL policy context factors at country levels. Greater involvement of MIL experts/practitioners in community level activities and advocacy has the potential to improve a broader framework of MIL