Media and Information Languages – Comprehensive Study Notes

Module Overview

• Quarter $3$ – Module $5$ of Grade $12$ Media and Information Literacy (MIL) focuses on “Media and Information Languages”.

• Part of DepEd’s Alternative Delivery Mode (ADM); First Edition $2019$.

• Materials are government property: per Republic Act $8293$ §$176$ no copyright subsists, but prior approval is needed for commercial use.

• Development team: Author – Romalyn A. Rizardo; Editor – Krislene C. Dela Cruz; multiple reviewers & management listed.

Structure of the Self-Learning Module (SLM)

• What I Need to Know – intro & objectives.
• What I Know – pre-test (MCQ).
• What’s In – review activity (Word Search).
• What’s New – springboard activity (Symbol identification).
• What Is It – content discussion (core theory).
• What’s More – enrichment (advertisement analyses).
• What I Have Learned – reflection questions.
• What I Can Do – performance task (create an ad).
• Assessment – post-test.
• Additional Activities – field task on community signages.
• Answer Key, References, Contact info.

Learning Objective

• After completing the module, learners should be able to “present an issue in varied ways to disseminate information using the codes, conventions, and language of media.” (Codes MIL11/12MILA-IIIf15 & IIIf16)

Key Terminology

• Language: “system of arbitrary, vocal symbols” enabling cultural communication (Finocchioro in Jiang, $2010$).

• Media Language: how producers encode meaning in media texts and how audiences decode via signs & symbols.
  • Denotation – literal / direct meaning.
  • Connotation – culturally or personally associated meanings.

• Codes: systems of signs for meaning-making.

• Conventions: socially accepted ways codes are organized.

• Producers: initiators/creators of media texts.

• Stakeholders: orgs/persons with aligned interests.

• Audience: target receivers of media texts.

Symbol Identification Activity (What’s New)

• Symbols to match with meanings:
– Peace Sign (anti-nuclear logo).
– Swastika (auspicious in some cultures yet tied to Nazi anti-Semitism).
– Yin Yang (Chinese philosophy; balance).
– Caduceus (Hermes; trade/negotiation, often confused as medical).
– Trinity Knot (Celtic; Holy Trinity or vows “love, honor, protect”).

Media Language: Codes

1. Symbolic Codes (audience-based)

• Setting – time/place of narrative.
• Mise en scene – “everything within the frame” (set design, props, costume, staging).
• Acting – actor’s portrayal.
• Color – connotative, culturally loaded.
Example: waving white flag ⇒ “surrender”.

2. Technical Codes (medium-specific)

• Camerawork – operation, angles, movement.
• Editing – selection and ordering of image/sound.
• Audio – use of sound/music/SFX.
• Lighting – manipulation of light for mood.
Note: Camera conventions meaningless outside film/photography context.

3. Written Codes

• Printed Language – visible on-screen text, captions, disclaimers.
• Spoken Language – dialogue, voice-over, song lyrics.
Example: Cigarette ads end with “Smoking is dangerous to your health.”

Media Language: Conventions

a. Form Conventions

• Expected arrangement of codes.
– Film titles & main cast at beginning; credits at end.
– TV series: recap then next-ep preview.

b. Story Conventions

• Narrative structures, character construction, PoV, cliff-hangers.

c. Genre Conventions

• Common narrative elements (character types, settings, themes) per genre; tied to audience expectations.

Audience & Reception Variables

• Audience Analysis – study of demographics & psychographics before production.
• Audience Engagement – immediate reaction.
• Audience Expectations – anticipations shaped by genre, stars, marketing.
• Audience Foreknowledge – factual information audience already has.
• Audience Identification – sense of personal connection/representation.
• Audience Placement – strategic devices to address audience directly.
• Audience Research – monitoring before, during, after release (surveys, ratings).

Sample Pre-test Items (illustrative)

1. “Various interpretations suggested” ⇒ Connotative meaning.

2. “People who initiate, plan, produce” ⇒ Media producers.

3. “Same interests/intentions” ⇒ Stakeholders.

4. Meaning depends on audience ⇒ Symbolic codes.

5. “Everything within the frame” ⇒ Mise en scene.
   6 – 15: Items on setting, acting, camera codes, audience variables etc.

Activities Synopsis

• Word Search: terms like Library, Dictionary, Audio, Video, Biography, Email…
• Advertisement Analysis (4 ads):
– Identify Code, Convention, Meaning; rubric $2$–$5$ pts for reasoning.
• Video Analysis “Kahera” commercial: complete table on symbolic, technical, written codes & conventions; craft message.

Reflection Questions (What I Have Learned)

1. “How do we get the meaning of code and conventions?”

2. “How significant is learning media & information language?”
   • Scoring rubric: $2$-$5$ pts based on inductive/deductive reasoning.

Performance Task – Create an Advertisement (Gender Empowerment)

• May be print or non-print.
• Must apply appropriate codes & conventions.
• Rubric (Excellent $4$ ➔ Needs Improvement $1$):
– Written Codes (originality).
– Symbolic & Technical Codes (format aesthetics).
– Advertising Technique (creative application).

Post-Test Highlights

A. Identify Type of Code/Convention

Examples:
– Shooting at sunset ⇒ symbolic code.
– Rearranging story flow due to actor injury ⇒ story convention.

B. Link Audience Variable

Examples:
– Viewer feels ad mirrors own life ⇒ Audience Identification.
– Survey on effectiveness ⇒ Audience Research.
– Feeling addressed personally ⇒ Audience Placement.
– Divergent reactions ⇒ Audience Engagement.
– Hype then disappointment ⇒ Audience Expectations.

Additional Field Activity

• Photograph $5$ community signages.
• For each: explain meaning & purpose; rubric $2$–$5$ pts based on depth.

Rubrics Summary (common scale)

• $2$ pts – little info / weak reasoning.
• $3$ pts – some info / inconsistent reasoning.
• $4$ pts – essential info / competent reasoning.
• $5$ pts – comprehensive / insightful / multiple resources.

Sample Mathematical Expressions Used in Module (for LaTeX practice)

• Basic scribbles: $1+1=2$; $4+4=8$; $8+8=16$; $242=4$ (note possible typo).

Ethical & Practical Implications

• Cultural sensitivity: same symbol (e.g., Swastika, thumbs-up) may evoke opposite meanings across cultures.
• Responsibility of producers to research audience and avoid misinterpretation.
• Written health warnings (e.g., cigarettes) demonstrate ethical/legal compliance.

Real-World Relevance & 21st-Century Skills

• Understanding codes/conventions equips learners for media production, critical viewing, and digital citizenship.
• Empowers creation of socially responsible, inclusive, and persuasive messages (e.g., gender empowerment campaign).
• Encourages audience research & data-driven content strategy.

Contact & Reference Information

• DepEd-BLR Office Address: DepEd Complex, Meralco Ave., Pasig City, Metro Manila.
• Telefax lines: $(+632)8636\text{–}1663$ / $8633\text{–}1942$ / $8635\text{–}9817$ / $8638\text{–}7530$ / $8638\text{–}7531$ / $8638\text{–}7529$.
• Mobile: $(+63919)456\text{–}0027$ / $(+63995)921\text{–}8461$.
• Email: action@deped.gov.ph.
• Main references: Magpile (2016); Pitagan et al. (2016); MPW AS Media resources; Young (2017); StudentNewsDaily (2019).