Media and Information Literacy Repository – South Asia

Social media has become an indispensable tool for communication and political campaigns, significantly shaping the dynamics of political discourse in contemporary society. Its relevance is underscored by the intensification of political debates on the international stage, particularly in relation to wars and armed conflicts. The war in Ukraine exemplifies how social media has also become an informational battlefield where political communication plays a decisive role. With society becoming increasingly reliant on the internet, studying the strategies and outcomes of political social media use is crucial to understanding its impact on public opinion, voter behavior, and electoral processes. This study applies the constructivist research paradigm and employs qualitative content analysis to examine the influence of the internet, and social media in particular, on political and social discourse. It analyzes electoral marketing practices and the use of digital platforms in political campaigns, with the goal of identifying significant methods, assessing their effectiveness, and uncovering the essential components of political social media engagement. Additionally, the research investigates the construction of political leaders’ personalities online and addresses the difficulties and challenges associated with social media use in political campaigns, while outlining potential future directions. The methodological approach involves reviewing relevant literature to identify theories and concepts on social media and politics, as well as case studies that demonstrate actual practices of digital campaigning. The results indicate that as digital platforms continue to advance, they will exert even greater influence on politics, underscoring the importance of responsible and ethical participation by politicians, voters, and regulators.

Traditional approaches to the use of computers in education have given insufficient attention to the impact of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) on the classroom. Any implementation of ICT in schools requires a level of change in practice. This article examines three such levels: where existing practice is made more efficient or effective, where it is extended in some new way, and where it is transformed. A model of pedagogy is outlined and then used to examine these three levels and their implications. The analysis suggests that a more sophisticated idea of change is needed if ICT is to have a significant impact on classroom practices.

This paper examines changing models of pedagogy by drawing on recent research with teachers and their students as well as theoretical developments. In relation to a participatory view of learning, the paper reviews existing pedagogical models that take little account of the use of information and communications technologies, as well as those focused more specifically on technology-rich learning environments. A possible framework for understanding pedagogy is beginning to emerge, which can be applied to both face-to-face and online learning. This framework combines individual and group regulation of learning, where pedagogical reasoning is transparent and shared between students, teachers, and others involved in students’ learning. The framework also needs to integrate purposeful elements and the sharing of roles characteristic of formative assessment in pedagogy, as well as a learning culture that enables supportive interaction.

This paper presents an analysis of ways in which pedagogy with information and communications technologies (ICTs) may need to adapt to accommodate to a major shift in our conceptions of knowledge and learning. A holistic approach to this analysis based on Checkland’s “systems thinking” suggested changes in pedagogy needed for 21st century learning and suggested ways of managing the complexity in order to support teachers in developing their pedagogical practices. The examination of how learning is conceptualised while learners are in contact with vast arrays of knowledge through Internet access and how this understanding can be reconciled with current views of knowledge acquisition in formal education suggests a need for rebalancing in most phases of education between individual work and group participation. Furthermore, opportunities need to be increased for learners to develop expertise in their chosen domains and to make links between their formal and informal learning. Examination of scenarios in which people learn through peer interaction rather than any formal teaching suggests a need to recognise and not underestimate young people’s capabilities. The paper proposes incorporating opportunities for students to engage with self-organizing social systems into pedagogy. This would complement an emphasis on develosping and understanding both individual and shared expertise.

This study examines the role of social media in providing political education and reducing electoral fraud during Nigeria’s 2023 presidential election. Using a survey of 100 participants, the research found that platforms like WhatsApp and Facebook were major sources of information about electoral fraud. Results show that social media helped increase voter awareness and discourage electoral malpractice. However, challenges such as internet inaccessibility, misinformation, and distrust of online content limited its effectiveness. The study concludes that social media can support electoral integrity, but its impact depends on better digital literacy, reliable information, and improved access to digital platforms.

This article reviews research on pedagogies associated with the use of information and communications technology (ICT) in primary and secondary schools. We propose a framework for examining pedagogical practices based on an analysis of the nature of pedagogy as revealed in the literature. In light of this framework, we discuss empirical evidence of the use of different types of ICT in various subjects and phases of education. We identify pedagogical issues associated with ICT use and their implications for teachers’ pedagogical reasoning and practices. The evidence suggests that new affordances provided by ICT-based learning environments require teachers to undertake more complex pedagogical reasoning than before, incorporating knowledge of specific affordances and how these relate to subject-based teaching objectives, alongside the knowledge traditionally needed to plan for students’ learning. In addition, the research shows that teachers’ beliefs about the value of ICT for learning and the nature of successful learning environments are important factors in their pedagogical reasoning.

We have proposed to present a theoretical and practical approach to effective communication in teaching, with the objective of knowing the opinions of teachers on communication skills and the motivation of their students in the classroom. It is a descriptive case research aimed at identifying teachers’ perspectives on communication skills and student motivation. The study included a total of 245 people from four universities in Romania. The results obtained by analyzing the responses of the subjects in our sample showed that groups of teachers share similar opinions regarding communication competencies. The research findings align with recent studies, confirming that without communication, the teaching and learning process cannot take place. Therefore, teachers with good communication skills create a more successful teaching and learning environment for students. On the other hand, individuals with strong communication skills have the potential to influence others, and effective communication strategies lead to success. Communication skills and work motivation have a significant influence on teaching. The teacher’s communication style can shape the interest and attitude of students, fostering a fun and engaging learning atmosphere.

This study examined the role of digital technology in political campaigns in Nigeria’s 2023 general elections. Although political campaigns are critical in elections in the country but the role played by digital technology in the 2023 general elections remains a subject of concern. The study was anchored on the Technological Determinism Theory and descriptive research design. Data collection was through documentary method while content analysis mechanism was employed for data analysis. The study found out that digital technologies such as social media tremendously impact political campaigns in Nigeria. It also found out that Nigeria, with her complicated political environment, has potential with digital tool to reach far-flung audience even though concerns regarding the spread of misinformation and such challenges remain. The study therefore recommended the need to bridge the digital divide through media literacy and education for informed participation. It equally recommended the need for responsible data practices in addressing misinformation and harnessing technology's potential for positive political outcome.

Social media and the sometimes opaque algorithms of the platforms are playing an increasingly influential role in political communication strategies because of advancing digitalisation. Traditional communication and political theories have undergone a paradigm shift due to social media platforms, and their premises have been expanded. As part of a systematic literature review, five hypotheses were examined in order to generate a broad basic understanding of the relevance of algorithms, platforms and their operators, as well as regulatory approaches in political election campaigns. The research focuses primarily on Western democratic countries. The results are limited in their significance, but point to the relevance of a global, cooperative approach to the issue. Cooperative collaboration can ensure the control of algorithms, artificial intelligence (AI) and other digital strategies. It is also necessary to ensure access to digital campaign tools and strategies for all. Transparency and global solutions are key to achieving this goal. This literature review will discuss current research findings in various countries and highlight national regulatory approaches. These will form the basis for further research and policy recommendations.

Disinformation and other forms of manipulative, antidemocratic communication have emerged as a problem for Internet policy. While such operations are not limited to electoral politics, efforts to influence and disrupt elections have created significant concerns. Data-driven digital advertising has played a key role in facilitating political manipulation campaigns. Rather than stand alone incidents, manipulation operations reflect systemic issues within digital advertising markets and infrastructures. Policy responses must include approaches that consider digital advertising platforms and the strategic communications capacities they enable. At their root, these systems are designed to facilitate asymmetrical relationships of influence.

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a media literacy education intervention on adolescents’ responses to digital marketing of weight-control products, focusing on media literacy, persuasion resistance efficacy, and purchase intention. Using a quasi-experimental design, the study involved 326 11th-grade students from a municipal high school in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan, with 189 students in the intervention group and 137 in the comparison group. Conducted in 2023, the intervention group participated in baseline and follow-up assessments and attended four 50 min media literacy sessions, while the comparison group completed only baseline and follow-up assessments with standard instruction. The results indicated that the media literacy intervention had positive effects on adolescents’ conceptual, attitudinal, and critical media literacy, as well as their persuasion resistance efficacy in relation to digital marketing of weight-control products. However, no significant effect was observed on purchase intention. In conclusion, media literacy interventions can effectively enhance adolescents’ media literacy and their ability to resist persuasion.

Parental mediation plays a leading role in the process of shaping children’s relations with and raising awareness about digital advertisements. This study aims to qualitatively evaluate the effectiveness of the digital-based education model created to develop digital advertising literacy skills that parents need in this process. For this purpose, the action research model, which is one of the qualitative research methods, was adopted in the study and a 12-hour digital-based training was conducted with the participation of seven parents with children between the ages of 7 and 13 living in Antalya. Semi-structured interview was used to collect research data. The qualitative data obtained through semi-structured interview and observation were qualitatively content-analyzed in the MAXQDA 2020 analysis program. The results obtained from the qualitative data showed that the education model contributed to the development of parents’ skills in terms of conceptual, attitudinal and performance dimensions of digital advertising literacy. It was determined that this improvement also reflected positively on parental mediation strategies. Based on the results of the research, suggestions were made to researchers, practitioners and policy makers working in this field.

This thesis explores parents’ views on advertising directed at children through digital media. It examines how parents perceive the influence of advertising on children’s behavior, consumption habits, and attitudes. The study also investigates parents’ awareness of digital advertising techniques and their concerns about children’s exposure to marketing messages online. The research highlights issues such as ethical concerns, persuasion techniques, and the vulnerability of children as consumers. Findings suggest that many parents are worried about the growing presence of digital advertising and its potential impact on children’s development and decision-making. The thesis emphasizes the need for greater regulation, parental guidance, and media literacy to help children critically understand advertising messages.

Media literacy began in the 1960s in Western countries like the United States, Canada, and France to help citizens better understand media and participate in democratic society. This thesis studies the media literacy of advertising among young people (18–25) from four groups: Australians, Thais, Thai-Australians, and Asian international students in Australia. It examines their media use, understanding of advertising, and responses to advertisements through interviews after viewing ad samples. The study found that Thai and Thai-Australian participants had stronger knowledge of advertising practices and were more skeptical of advertising claims than Australians. Cultural differences were also seen in interpretations of gender, sexuality, and consumer ethics. Overall, the research shows that media literacy and interpretations of advertising vary across cultures.

Standard agent and action-based approaches in computer ethics tend to have difficulty dealing with complex systems-level issues such as the digital divide and globalisation. This paper argues for a value-based agenda to complement traditional approaches in computer ethics, and that one value-based approach well-suited to technological domains can be found in capability theory. Capability approaches have recently become influential in a number of fields with an ethical or policy dimension, but have not so far been applied in computer ethics. The paper introduces two major versions of the theory – those advanced by Amartya Sen and Martha Nussbaum – and argues that they offer potentially valuable conceptual tools for computer ethics. By developing a theory of value based on core human functionings and the capabilities (powers, freedoms) required to realise them, capability theory is shown to have a number of potential benefits that complement standard ethical theory, opening up new approaches to analysis and providing a framework that incorporates a justice as well as an ethics dimension. The underlying functionalism of capability theory is seen to be particularly appropriate to technology ethics, enabling the integration of normative and descriptive analysis of technology in terms of human needs and values. The paper concludes by considering some criticisms of the theory and directions for further development.

This article reflects on freedom of expression, privacy, ethical and social responsibility, in the context of social networks, in the context of the experience of democracy in cyberspace. It asks questions about ensuring the protection of privacy, freedom, and autonomy of internet users in the internet environment. It identifies national and international legislation that guarantee the right to privacy and the protection of citizens' personal data. It reviews the literature on the concept of ethics and social responsibility, in democracy, in the digital age, associating this domain of knowledge with the concept of privacy, freedom, and ethical and social responsibility, in the context of social networks. The article discusses the concepts that guide this theme and that are directly involved with related domains. It is alert to the need for ethical and legal protection of the digital data of internet users, aiming at the autonomous safeguarding of their digital identities.

The rapid development of technology has a significant impact on human life, both in economic, social and cultural aspects. Without a clear implementation of ethics and social responsibility, technology innovation can lead to various problems, such as privacy violations, algorithmic bias, digital inequality, and resource exploitation. This research highlights the importance of integrating ethical values in technology to ensure that innovations provide equitable and sustainable benefits to society. Through a literature review approach, this research examines the main challenges in the implementation of technology ethics as well as strategies that can be applied to overcome these problems. The results of research show that strict regulations, transparency in technology development, and increased digital literacy are key factors to create an ethical and socially responsible technology ecosystem. Collaboration between the government, private sector and civil society is needed to build ethical standards that can keep pace with dynamic technological developments.Awareness of the social impact of technology should also be raised through education and public involvement in technology ethics discussions. With a comprehensive approach, technology can develop as a tool that supports the advancement of civilization without compromising moral principles and social justice. The integration of ethics in technological innovation is not just an option, but a necessity to create a more inclusive and sustainable future

This collection demonstrates the significance of television as a field of study in disciplines across the humanities and social sciences. It brings together the most important published writings on television in theoretical, historical, empirical, and political terms, and provides quick access to the essential scholarship in the field. The thematically organized volumes include: * "The History of Television" * "Methods" * "Audiences" * "Issues" * Public Television * Private Television

Providing a framework for understanding the relationship between media and society, this updated Sixth Edition of Media/Society helps students develop the skills they need to critically evaluate both conventional wisdom and their own assumptions about the social role of the media. The book retains its acclaimed sociological framework but now includes additional discussions of new research and up-to-date coverage of today’s rapidly changing media landscape. Now featuring streamlined content and a more engaging narrative, this edition offers expanded discussions of the "new media" world, including digitization.

Representation is an essential part of the process by which meaning is produced and exchanged between members of a culture. It does involve the use of language, of signs and images which stand for or represent things. Representation is the production of the meaning of the concepts in our minds through language. It is the link between concepts and language which enables us to refer to either ‘real’ world of objects, people or events, or indeed to imaginary worlds of fictional objects, people and events. Meaning depends on relationship between things in the world – people, objects and events, real or fictional – and conceptual system, which can operate as mental representations of them. At the heart of meaning process in culture, then, are related ‘systems of representation’. The related ‘systems of representation’ enables us to give meaning to world by constructing a set of correspondences or a chain of equivalences between things – people, objects, events, abstract ideas, etc.

This popular introductory book provides a clear introduction to the key ideas within media studies. The friendly writing style and everyday examples, which made the first edition a favourite with students and lecturers alike, has been retained and updated in this new edition. This comprehensive text provides a wide-ranging perspective on the media and: Uses examples and case studies from the real world. Shows how key concepts can help us understand the relationship between the Media and societyProvides a clear explanation of how critical perspectives on the Media construct thinking about media businesses, texts and audiencesThe fully updated new edition features new boxed summaries of critical approaches and key thinkers.

The rise of digital media has been widely regarded as transforming the nature of our social experience in the twenty-first century. The speed with which new forms of connectivity and communication are being incorporated into our everyday lives often gives us little time to stop and consider the social implications of those practices. Nonetheless, it is critically important that we do so, and this sociological introduction to the field of digital technologies is intended to enable a deeper understanding of their prominent role in everyday life

The rapid advancement of digital technologies has transformed the global media landscape, creating opportunities for inclusiveness while introducing challenges related to equity, representation, and misinformation. This article examines the intersections of media literacy, gender representation, advertising strategies, and journalism practices to assess their collective impact on fostering equitable information access in the digital age. Key questions include: How does media literacy enhance critical evaluation of digital content? To what extent does gender representation in media influence societal norms? What ethical concerns arise from data-driven advertising strategies? How can journalism help ensure credible and inclusive information access? This journal article offers actionable recommendations: integrating media literacy into educational curricula, fostering gender diversity in media leadership, establishing ethical guidelines for algorithmic advertising, and promoting inclusive journalism practices. Amixed-methods approach—comprising surveys, content analysis, and focus groups—supports evidence-based solutions for policymakers, educators, and media practitioners. By addressing systemic challenges, this study provides a roadmap to create a media ecosystem that prioritizes inclusivity, diversity, and equitable access to credible information

The present work aims to examine the Italian scenario for what concerned gender stereotypes against women and, specifically, how they are reinforced and partially created by the media (Volpato, 2011; 2013). It’s essential to analyze briefly the evolution of women's movement, particularly in the historic moment that goes from the '60s until today, characterized over time by different claims which have led to innovations in civil and social rights. After this first part, designed to provide a basis for a better understanding of the complexity of the phenomenon, the work goes into a part related to women’s gender stereotypes, highlighting their pervasiveness. Since this is an extremely complex phenomenon, the focus was narrowed to two areas: the role of women within the family (and how the transformation of the couple has produced substantial changes in gender roles) and women seen as an object. Both roles assigned and self-assigned to women are also compared with the media representation to provide a broader picture of the phenomenon. Despite the progress made both from a social and legislative point of view, stereotypes against women are still present on the Italian scene, and the media seems that are using them in their favor, continuing to promote their spread and pervasiveness.

Three female African-American mathematicians play a pivotal role in astronaut John Glenn's launch into orbit while dealing with racial and gender discrimination.