Media and Information Sources

MEDIA AND INFORMATION SOURCES

MEDIA AND INFORMATION LITERACY (MIL)

  • Focus on understanding various sources and forms of information including libraries, indigenous media, and the internet.

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

  • LIBRARIES

  • INDIGENOUS MEDIA

  • INTERNET

LIBRARIES

DEFINITION

  • Library: 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 (Merriam-Webster's 11th Collegiate Dictionary).

MAJOR TYPES OF LIBRARIES

  1. Academic Library

    • Serves colleges and universities.

  2. Public Library

    • Serves cities and towns of all types.

    • Essential community centers, offering free access to resources for lifelong learning.

  3. School Library

    • Serves students from kindergarten to grade 12.

  4. Special Library

    • Located in specialized environments such as:

      • Hospitals

      • Corporations

      • Museums

      • Military

      • Private business

      • Government.

    • Caters to specific organizations or professions, offering tailored resources to meet their needs.

INDIGENOUS MEDIA

DEFINITION OF INDIGENOUS

  • Indigenous: Native, local, originating or produced naturally in a particular region/locality.

INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE

  • Knowledge unique to a specific culture or society, most often not written down.

INDIGENOUS COMMUNICATION

  • Transmission of information through local channels or forms, preserving and adapting culture.

DEFINITION OF INDIGENOUS MEDIA

  • Forms of media expression conceptualized, produced, and circulated by indigenous peoples as vehicles for communication.

FORMS OF INDIGENOUS MEDIA

  1. Folk or Traditional Media

  2. Gatherings and Social Organizations

  3. Direct Observation

  4. Records (written, carved, oral)

  5. Oral Instruction

INTERNET

DEFINITION

  • Internet: A global computer network providing a variety of information and communication facilities, consisting of interconnected networks using standardized communication protocols.

EVALUATING INFORMATION FOUND ON THE INTERNET

FACTORS TO CONSIDER

  • Authorship: Who authored or published the information? Is the source credible?

  • Publishing Body: Identify the entity responsible for the publication.

  • Accuracy and Verifiability: Check the correctness and reliability of the information.

  • Currency: The relevance of the information based on its time of production or update.

THINGS TO CONSIDER IN EVALUATING INFORMATION

  • Reliability: Information is reliable if verifiable and trustworthy.

  • Accuracy: Refers to the closeness of the report to the actual data; varies based on the type of information being evaluated. For example:

    • Forecasts should be similar to actual data.

    • Financial values must be correct.

  • Value: Information is valuable if it aids the user in making or improving decisions.

  • Authority: The credibility of the author or publishing source.

  • Timeliness: Reliability, accuracy, and value may diminish over time.

SKILLS IN DETERMINING THE RELIABILITY OF INFORMATION

  • Check the Author: Verify who the author is and their qualifications.

  • Check the Date of Publication or Update: Ensure the information is current and relevant.

  • Check for Citations: Look for references to other credible works.

  • Check the Domain or Owner of the Site/Page:

    • Commercial: .com

    • Educational: .edu

    • Military: .mil

    • Government: .gov

    • Nonprofit Organization: .org.

SKILLS IN DETERMINING ACCURATE INFORMATION

  • Look for Facts: Ensure the information is fact-based.

  • Cross-Reference with Other Sources: Check for consistency across multiple sources.

  • Determine the Reason for Writing and Publishing the Information: Understand the intent behind the publication.

SEAT WORK

EXAMPLE QUESTIONS

  1. What is a school library?

    • Serves students from kindergarten to grade 12.

  2. What is the definition of a library?

    • A place in which literary, musical, artistic, or reference materials are kept for use but not for sale (Merriam-Webster's 11th Collegiate Dictionary).

  3. How does the reliability, accuracy, and value of information change over time?

    • May become irrelevant and inaccurate with the passing of time, thus making it less valuable.

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS

  1. What does it mean for information to be reliable?

    • Information is said to be reliable if it can be verified and evaluated. Others refer to the trustworthiness of the source in evaluating reliability.

  2. What is indigenous media?

    • Forms of media expression conceptualized, produced, and circulated by indigenous peoples as vehicles for communication.

  3. Characteristics of a public library?

    • Serves cities and towns of all types, essential community centers, offers free access to resources for lifelong learning.

ADDITIONAL SKILLS

IDENTIFY SKILLS IN DETERMINING RELIABILITY OF INFORMATION

  • Ensure critical evaluation of information sources to determine validity and credibility.