Media Literacy

  • What is media literacy?
    • The dictionary defines Media Literacy as the ability to critically analyze stories presented the mass media to determine the accuracy or creditability. In “Digital literacy skills 21st Century Skills: Learning for Life in Our times, By Bernie Trilling, Charles Fadel” I think the best definition is given as to what Media Literacy is. The article states how “kids today need to know more than just read and write about information. They also need to know how to access information efficiently and effectively, evaluate information critically and competently and to use information accurately and creatively. I think this really highlights all of the important pieces behind media literacy and how complex it really is. Growing up in the 90’s I feel like the media was mostly magazines, the tabloid and television. Nowadays online has so many different platforms to create media that the options are endless. With the endless road there is also so much information that people need to learn to critically think for themselves.
  • How do notable individuals use social media?
    • Social Media is used by many people on Earth. Within that large group of people it is used for different reasons. Social Media has become a job for many people even celebrities use it to advertise themselves whether its to commercially sell a product, promote their work or even to have people pay them to say happy birthday to them through a video. Social Media is something that is used to create your image or brand or social media. The more someone uses a platform like Twitter or Instagram the more their image relates to that. Sophie Lui’s podcast talked about how on Twitter she shows her intellectual side and how on Instagram its more light hearted and fun. So depending on which platform they use the use may be different. Social media can also be used as a way for people to connect with their fans or groups of people. Last week Shelley Moore talked about how she engaged with her reading group weekly and how it really created powerful relationships with those people. Sophie Lui also mentioned that staying online platforms like twitter allow her to remain relevant and do her job in the best way that she can. I feel like social media is used by notable individuals mostly in a professional way. Some of it may be personal but when I look at the influential people I follow its usually for a personal gain for them other than for something extremely personal. But I do feel like it is all part of their image (PLN).
  • What are the benefits of being in the public eye and having a PLN?
    • Looking at this question I feel like it really connects to my last answer. When I look at the benefits of being in the public eye and having a PLN I feel like most people think about how they present themselves. With this ability they can create an image based what they want people to see them as or the way they get seen. Being in the public eye is also a valuable way to connect through your PLN. On Twitter, Julie Smith shared on the podcast how she was able to connect with others based on their posts and collaborate. Through this collaboration she could get supported with anything. She described it as a 24 hour Pro-D event. By putting yourself out there you have the ability to connect with people opening doors to endless opportunities and information.
  • Building a community with online tools provided by the employer can be limiting, what are the perceived restrictions and benefits?
    • When options are limited by the employer I feel like it could be good. I feel like it sets perimeters for employees to know what is appropriate and what tools are acceptable. When this is set I feel like an employee can only go so far in one direction and is less likely to get in trouble. On the other side of things, I feel like if employees are using a limited supply of tools they may be limited to what the tools capabilities are. Secondly, when something is controlled by the employer a person may only navigate it in a work-mode style. This may limit their true voice and close doors to opportunities that could have shown through a persons true voice. I feel like it really depends on how up to date and relevant the program is and what its limitations are.
  • Delivering information in a connected society requires verifiable resources, how do build a PLN to rely on?
    • With the amount of information available online it is extremally trickly to know the validity of the information viewed online. I feel like the most important thing to do when navigating the internet information a person must follow their instincts and critically think about everything they are reading. There is so much “Fake News” online but there is so much wonderful information online too. People are able to learn anything and has endless access to information. Digital literacy skills 21st Century Skills: Learning for Life in Our times opens with a story about this. The King is beyond excited about the opportunities while the Queen is very worried about the results. In the story the King realizes their civilization is not ready for it yet but we are actually there right now. And it came extremely fast and is new. It is a scary but exciting place to be. People to be careful and protect their children from the dangers online, but allow them to navigate knowingly. Julie Smith talks about how many parents approach her hoping to keep their students off technology when really we should be supporting them to being safe online and knowledgeable on what is safe and what is not. The Political Economy of Fake News by Martin Hirst talks about how “Fake News” should be governed because it has been known to cause so much trouble. The article focuses a lot of Donald Trump and election rigging. It also talks about the idea that “Fake News” is killing journalism. Donald Trump is talked about how he claims Fake News in his favor to object factual information. At this point I agree with the article on the fact that no one knows what to believe anymore. I feel like I am very hesitant regarding the information online too. There is a wonderful website online about the Pacific Tree Octopus and it is a wonderful way to educate students and adults to realize that even if something looks legitimate they still need to think about things very carefully. Many people have ventured down dangerous Fake News roads and made some dangerous and scary mistakes. For example, Alex Jones made up fake news which he later admitted about school shootings being Fake News. Because of this families of dead children were harassed by people who believed him with all of their being. This is an unacceptable and heartbreaking result. Moving forward knowing places online that are accurate and fact checked sources are so important. There are places with verified information. This information is an important skill people should learn to be safe online.
  • How do those, who are veteran storytellers, minimize the risk of sharing misinformation?
    • To clarify for myself and readers, when talking about Veteran Storytellers I am talking about people who are extremely influential and who have been sharing information online, someone like Sophie Lui would be a good example. How do these storytellers minimize the risk of sharing misinformation? People like Sophie Lui would use fact checkers. They would hopefully have a team of people making sure the information is accurate. Someone who shares “Factual Information” could do their own research and think critically about what they are reading or hearing about. They also need to make sure they stick to facts apposed to drawing their own ideas as conclusions. Peoples ideas are important but for someone who spreads information I feel like sticking to the facts is extremely important. As a teacher I need to do the same and keep my opinions out of certain issues. For things like taking care of the Earth’s resources I definitely let my emotions join in the learning because its a fact but on something like religion or political ideas I need to remain neutral and just present facts. I feel like people having their own opinions is important but if you are presenting things as facts its important to not be one sided. Julie Smith spoke about how she reads a conservative and liberal newspaper. I feel like this is a good way to stay informed. Online we see adds based on demographic or interest I feel like these facts may be one sided and we need to critically think about everything we see online just like storytellers need to be careful about what they see. And humans make mistakes so if the storytellers make one admitting it is just as important too.

What are the risks engaging with a public audience? How to address negative concerns?

Engaging with a public audience allows a person to be criticized. They need to be careful about what they say, how they say it to and if they are being offensive in any way. They need to know when to listen to criticism and when to not. Sophie Lui talked about how some of the information she is given by people in a negative way changes how she does things and some she tries to ignore. A public figure has the risk of no privacy and the world misinterpreting their life. I don’t envy that it makes me think about Justin Bieber and how his life gets looked at through a microscope. Because of this if he does something that gets misinterpreted it could affect his images and the feedback fans give him. I feel like its can be good online and bad at the same time. Julie and Sophie talked about how its okay to ignore or mute people that have a bad energy and post negative things. In that way you can make sure the people you are looking at are more positive. It is also hard knowing that the negative information is still out there.

How can open Dialogues about Media Literacy create conflict?

The thing is anything is debatable. Open conversations are accessibly to so many different people. Online its easier for people to speak their mind in more unkind ways then in person. Because of this, you open yourself to heathy informative debates and also harassment. People across the globe that have access may misinterpret something online or may just have a different opinion. The world is diverse and each family and person may have different views politically, religiously or just independently. Conflict is inevitable so it is important to only take what you want away from the debates and maybe learn something new in the process.

The benefits of having a PLN that values media literacy.

The benefits of having a PLN that values media literacy is very important. One main thing is influence. If you are someone who understands it and you can model it you may support someone else. Sophie Lui talks about being relevant. I think that the more relevant you are on PLN the less likely you are to take Fake News to heart. You are more safe online and capable of knowing where to look how to look and how to interpret online information.