Media and Information Literacy

• Media and information literacy is the term used by UNESCO and IFLA to designate the ability to locate, access, evaluate, use, manage, communicate and generate information across mediums. It examines both ideas (information) and format (medium that the idea is “contained”/ “packaged”/ “recorded” in).

• o   UNESCO Media and Information Literacy Concepts & Policies https://en.unesco.org/themes/media-and-information-literacy
• o   UNESCO Media and Information Literacy – Resources https://en.unesco.org/themes/media-and-information-literacy/resources
• o   https://ictliteracy.merlot.org/
• o   http://tinyurl.com/FakeNewsLibGuide includes a page on MIL and supporting literacies

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  MIL Research

• o   See IASL Research SIG
• o   https://en.unesco.org/themes/media-and-information-literacy/milidnetwork
• o   https://projectinfolit.org/
• o   https://www.lib.purdue.edu/infolit/scholarship
• o   http://tlresearchupdate.csla.net/
• o   Bruce, C. (2017). Information literacy research. Australian Research & Academic Libraries, 74(4). https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00048623.2016.1253423

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  Information Literacy

  Information literacy is the ability to locate, evaluate, use and share information effectively. It incorporates critical thinking, and often uses technology. It is sometimes explained as research skills (which is purposeful, task-based information literacy that might or might not be communicated). It is important to differentiate among these terms. Information literacy, unlike research skills, ALSO includes dealing with information that one encounters, or has to respond to (such as dealing with a car accident). Critical thinking addresses how to evaluate/critique a given document, but it does not include location skills, which information  literacy does. Even in Common Core State Standards, which largely overlaps information literacy, the term information literacy is missing. Therefore, librarians are well positioned to "translate" or "crosswalk" the skills and knowledge from other domains.

• o   ASLA Resources for Information Literacy – Australian School Library Association https://asla.org.au/information-skills 
• o   IFLA Information Literacy Section https://www.ifla.org/information-literacy
• o   UNESCO Communication and Information, Access to Knowledge - Information Literacy http://www.unesco.org/new/en/communication-and-information/access-to-knowledge/information-literacy/
• o   UNESCO Overview of information literacy resources worldwide http://www.unesco.org/new/en/communication-and-information/resources/publications-and-communication-materials/publications/full-list/overview-of-information-literacy-resources-worldwide/
• o   Information Literacy Matters - WASLA and SLAV, Australia - A collection of online resources: reports, articles and infographics on Information Literacy curated by the Western Australian School Library Association and School Library Association of Victoria (Australia) http://www.literacymatters.org.au/il-home.html
• o   Bell, J. (n.d.). Information literacy process models https://slideplayer.com/slide/4331754/
• o   https://suffolk.libguides.com/information_literacy
• o   https://libguides.seminolestate.edu/researchfoundations/informationliteracy
• o   Hollis, H. Information literacy and critical thinking: Different concepts, shared conceptions. Information Research, 24(4). http://informationr.net/ir/24-4/colis/colis1921.html

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  Media Literacy

  Video and film are multimedia phenomenon that incorporates image, sound, and action. Media literacy is sometimes confused with visual literacy, but is should be defined principally by its producers: the mass media industry. In that respect, media can include periodicals as well as broadcasts. As such, it is necessary to remember that mass media has an agenda, usually done for profit or power, and the audience needs to be aware of their purposes. Because so much media is now available digitally, digital literacy largely overlaps.

• o   Center for Media Literacy – defining Media Literacy https://www.medialit.org/reading-room/what-media-literacy-definitionand-more
• o   National Association for Media Literacy Education https://namle.net/
• o   Important research MIL practices and trends: https://www.medialit.org/important-research-mil-practices-and-trends  European scope

• o   Crash courses:  

  o   Crash Course on Media Literacy

  o   The Language of Film 

  o   Television Production

  o   on Film Production, including TV production:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZrpxf2ebDM&t=0s&list=PL8dPuuaLjXtN-Bd-H_TGq72CN50Fpv_JX&index=18 , https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7ZHd1xU2w8&index=5&list=PL8dPuuaLjXtN-Bd-H_TGq72CN50Fpv_JX,

  o   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02mqlmcZzVs

  o   The video Photoshop Ethics compellingly demonstrates the reason for media literacy -- because of mass media's agendas. 

  o   This video explains the language of camera shots and other film "grammar"  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfIanZimZR8

  o   Center for News Literacy PPT shows the interaction between media formats / outlets and their users: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B0A4TA9gVLt1Rzk0bkw1UFBXX2c

  o   California Dept. of Ed. media literacy collection: https://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/cr/ml/index.asp

  o   interviews with media literacy pioneers: http://www.medialit.org/voices-media-literacy-international-pioneers-speak

  o   Aural Literacy:

  o   This article explains aural literacy: http://www.21stcenturyschools.com/aural-literacy.html 

  o   bookmark collection: https://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewPortfolio.htm?id=1038495&hitlist=userId%3D23711%26  

  o   Bookmark collection links to social media aspects: 

  o   https://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewPortfolio.htm?  id=1035220&hitlist=userId%3D23711%26 

  o   https://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewPortfolio.htm?id=1035246&hitlist=userId%3D23711%26

  o   TedEd has several media literacy lessons, such as this "mediated" one: https://ed.ted.com/lessons/clay-shirky-how-social-media-can-make-history

  Research Skills

• o   Big Six Information Problem-Solving: https://thebig6.org/
  "Big Six" is a scheme developed by Michael Eisenberg and Bob Berkowitz in the United States of America as "a six-stage model to help anyone solve problems or make decisions by using information." It is a process that can help anyone "identify information research goals, seek, use, and assemble relevant, credible information". The Big6 information literacy process is completely transferable to any grade level, subject area, or workplace." Available information in multiple languages. See also "The Super3," for grades K-6: https://thebig6.org/thebig6andsuper3-2
• o   American Association of School Librarians (AASL: https://www.ala.org/aasl/) offers multiple pages on reading and literacy standards which correspond to the Common Core State Standards
• o   Open Educational Resources (OER): https://iasl-online.org/resources/Documents/PDLIB_OPEN%20EDUCATIONAL%20RESOURCES.pdf This page provides links to OER Information, OER Evaluative Toolkits, Model policies and standards, OER Repositories, and subject-specific OER.

• Information Literacy Instruction

  While it is true that some students learn study skills without formal instruction, most skills, including information literacy, require explicit instruction. However, since information literacy per se is a fairly recent term, it is often omitted in school curriculum. Furthermore, who is qualified to teach information literacy? Certainly, teacher librarians have the knowledge; teacher librarians can also collaborate with subject teachers to conduct information literacy instruction. Information literacy, like reading, is the entire school community's responsibility; that said, the teacher librarian can serve as coordinator. It should also be noted that such instruction, similar to other disciplines, may include a variety of strategies: from direct instruction (such as learning how to use a library catalog) to inquiry-based instruction (e.g., evaluating web sites) and constructivist approaches (e.g., using databases)..

• o   Braesel, S., & Karg, T. (2021). Media and information literacy: A practical guidebook for trainers. Deutsche Welle. https://www.comminit.com/content/media-and-information-literacy-practical-guidebook-trainers-third-edition
• o   Paciotti, P. (2017). 5 Essential literacies for students: Part 3 information literacy. Looking Backward. https://lookingbackward.edublogs.org/2017/12/24/literacies-info-lit/
• o   Farmer, L. (2001). Information literacy: A whole school reform approach. Libraries and Librarians Proceedings.
• • Lamb's information instruction course: https://eduscapes.com/instruction/course/index.htm
  • https://500hats.edublogs.org/category/information-literacy/
  • Montiel-Overall, P. (2005). Toward a theory of collaboration for teachers and librarians. AASL. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ965627.pdf
  • ACRL Instruction Section: https://acrl.ala.org/IS/
  • MERLOT's ICT Literacy portal: https://ictliteracy.merlot.org/
• o   Basic Steps to the Research Process: http://www.crlsresearchguide.org/
  This site takes users step-by-step through the research process, with easily-located tip sheets for specific parts of the process. Developed by school librarian Holly Samuels, it is suitable for school levels from upper primary through to senior high school.
• o   Research Process Helper: http://www3.sympatico.ca/sandra.hughes/sandra.hughes/research/default.html
  Developed by Sandra Hughes (Canada), this site is designed for junior-intermediate school students, to help them to: understand the research process; do their research; evaluate what they are doing; and provide support for getting the job done.
• o   Module Maker: http://questioning.org/module/module.html
  This section of the "From Now On" site guides teachers through the process of creating online research modules for their students. The guidance includes advice on asking good questions, developing assignments, and setting up the online module.
• o   Measure of Student Success: Assessing Information Problem-Solving Skills: http://fno.org/oakharbor.html
  This article by Jamieson McKenzie and the Library Media Staff of the Oak Harbor Schools in Washington State (USA) incorporates the Oak Harbor Information Skills Rating Scale.

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  Teaching the Dewey Decimal Classification System

• o   Meet Melvil Dewey: https://www.thrall.org/dewey/dewbio.htm
• o   How to Use the Dewey Decimal System, https://mcpl.info/childrens/how-use-dewey-decimal-system
• o   Do the Dewey! [game]: https://www.thrall.org/dewey/levels.htm
• o   OCLC DDC guides: https://www.oclc.org/en/dewey.html
• o   Let's Do Dewey: http://walker.mtsu.edu/dewey/
• o   Cassidy, T. (2000). The Dewey Game. Library Talk (Sep.), 18-20. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ620134

Teaching searching strategies

• https://www.commoncraft.com/video/web-search-strategies  (CommonCraft has several good tutorials) 
• https://www.lifewire.com/what-is-web-directory-3482036 
• University of Tennessee Chattanooga’s video “Searching is strategic”  about online database searching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlStByygQVw 
• Search better. (2018). GCFGlobal. https://edu.gcfglobal.org/en/search-better-2018/ 
• Online Searching Tips and Tricks, inLearning Video https://www.linkedin.com/learning/online-searching-tips-and-tricks/the-data-you-need-is-just-a-few-clicks-away?u=42458916 
• Database Searching https://libguides.mit.edu/database-search

Updated 17 June 2022