What knowledge and skills have you gained in this module?
Two hundred years ago, Americans got most of their information from the people around them: friends, family, and coworkers. These people played a big part in shaping an individual’s worldview. Today, for better and for worse, that same worldview can be swayed and shifted by an endless assortment of speakers and screens. It’s a one-side conversation since technology, for the most part, can’t hear its audience, much less engage them in deep conversation. This endless stream of information can empower people with limitless knowledge. However, it can also leave them vulnerable to manipulation and untruth.
Today, students must be equipped with the skills to interpret the world around them as presented by media—both media they choose and media that has been chosen for them. This module has explored those aspects of Information Age media that help you fully understand exactly what you’re seeing and hearing, as well as address misinformation. Scan through the slideshow below to recount some of the module’s broader topics, and after your review, respond to the question on the bottom of the page.
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Inspect the Tech
Understanding media involves learning a type of literacy that goes beyond reading and writing. As a media-literate student, you need to keep up with a world where technology is growing and evolving faster than you are—changing both how you learn and what you learn. Understanding the features of this technology is key to true media literacy.
Something Doesn’t “Ad” Up
Multimedia messages are available all day. You must stay aware of the techniques they use to get your attention—especially when they are trying to convince you to think or act a certain way. It’s not so much that propaganda and advertising are always a problem—it’s that they’re at their most effective when you are least aware of them.
New News Blues
There has never been more news media in our culture than there is today—unfortunately, more and more of it is coming from untrustworthy sources. As technology advances to the point where even seeing doesn’t necessarily mean believing, understanding the journalist’s code of ethics will help you identify the use of shaky evidence, loaded language, and other objectionable habits.
On with the Shows
Several categories of visual broadcast media have caused us to consider what “reality” really is. How do films use the technology of a camera lens to make new meanings out of established stories? And what does that suggest about whether the genre of Reality TV can ever be truly real? Finally, why does society feel the need to make light of what’s real through the use of humorous parody?
Reading Between the Screens
To apply the skills that you need to navigate today’s barrage of media messages, you need to expand your vocabulary to include some concepts that are unique to living in an Information Age. Learning the strategies that enable you to read more efficiently and the devices that help you communicate important concepts will assist you in every form of media literacy.
Question
The image of a double-edged sword is often used to describe something that has both positive and negative effects for the user. How can Information Age media be described as a double-edged sword?
Many aspects of media in the Information Age have both positive and negative effects. While people are now able to create messages with greater flexibility and purpose, those same messages can be used to harm and manipulate audiences with fewer media literacy skills. While people now have greater access to information via media, some of that information can be completely bogus, potentially leading to ignorance.
