Media and Information Literacy Repository – South Asia

Introduction: Information literacy has become indispensable in navigating today’s fast-paced media environment, with teachers playing a pivotal role in fostering reflective and critical digital citizenship. Positioned as future gatekeepers, pre-service teachers are the key to teaching media skills and especially information literacy to future generations of pupils. Given the particular challenges facing educators today compared to previous generations, it is important to determine whether the next generation of teachers feel adequately prepared and perceive themselves as competent to pass on these skills to their future pupils. However, previous research has highlighted deficiencies in formal learning opportunities at universities, underscoring the need for further investigation into pre-service teachers’ information acquisition, evaluation practices as well as their perceived relevance to teaching, and person-related factors associated with their perceived competence in teaching information literacy.Method: An online questionnaire was presented to participants, employing a mixed-method approach. We qualitatively examined the sources of information used by pre-service teachers and the evaluation strategies they employ, while quantitatively analyzing relationships between pre-service teachers’ person-related factors and their perceived teaching competence. Participants assessed their perceived teaching competence, perceived learning opportunities, self-efficacy (general and related to information assessment), perceived informedness, selective exposure, need for cognition, need for cognitive closure, and mistrust in media coverage.Results: Data from 371 participants revealed digital media dominance in information acquisition over traditional sources, albeit with a prevalence of surface-level evaluation strategies over reflective approaches. Two distinct dimensions of perceived competence in teaching information literacy emerged: one focusing on information assessment while the other centers on the understanding of news creation processes. Perceived competence in teaching information literacy was significantly associated with self-efficacy in information assessment, perceived informedness, selective exposure to information as well as perceived learning opportunities focusing on information evaluation. Moreover, pre-service teachers employing diverse information evaluation strategies demonstrated a heightened sense of perceived competence in teaching information assessment.Discussion: Our results provide valuable insights into the multifaceted nature of pre-service teachers’ perceived competence in teaching information literacy. Theoretical implications for future research as well as practical implications for teacher education and the structure of future curricula are discussed.

MIL (Media and Information Literacy) is a stand-alone course integrated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 2011, which directly relates to an individual's daily communication and lifelong learning abilities. Nonetheless, promoting the MIL curriculum in universities worldwide is difficult since specific countries like the United States and the United Kingdom, have their frameworks, standards and models for teaching and evaluating IL or MIL. After analyzing 91 relevant articles, the researchers found that universities still need to accept the MIL curriculum worldwide. In terms of curriculum frameworks, most of the existing studies adopted the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) IL curriculum framework proposed by the American Library Association (ALA). In comparison, the MIL education framework proposed by UNESCO has been not adopted fully. It will take time to synthesize ML and IL into a stand-alone course due to resistance to pedagogical reforms, overloading students, limited classroom, and faculty training gap. The promotion of student-centeredness, educational equity, gender equality, decolonization, anti-racism, rethinking Eurocentrism, white centrism and bridging the digital divide will become a universal value in the MIL curriculum in universities MIL modules will be integrated into the core curriculum of different disciplines in a flexible manner. The involvement of academic library staff in the MIL education process will become more widespread. As educational technology (EdTech) and communication technologies become widely integrated into MIL education, encouraging students' participation in the design and process of the MIL course will be more prevalent.

The advent of digital media has profoundly transformed political campaigns and voter behavior, reshaping the landscape of political communication and electoral processes. Digital platforms, such as social media, websites, and online forums, have enabled political candidates to engage with voters more directly and efficiently than ever before. Through personalized messaging, targeted advertising, and real-time interaction, campaigns can now tailor their strategies to specific voter demographics, harnessing data analytics to influence opinions and mobilize supporters. Additionally, digital media offers voters unprecedented access to information, allowing them to evaluate candidates and issues from multiple perspectives. However, the same platforms also present challenges, such as the spread of misinformation, echo chambers, and polarization, which can distort public discourse and affect voter decision-making. This paper explores the dual-edged role of digital media in modern political campaigns and its impact on voter behavior, including the implications for democratic participation and the integrity of electoral processes.

This paper examines literature from the COVID-19 period (2020–2022) to outline prevalent themes and essential competencies in the post-COVID era. Employing informetrics within a quantitative research approach, the study scrutinizes Scopus database data using the terms COVID-19, e-learning, e-commerce, and media and information literacy. Results reveal a surge in scholarly focus on e-commerce, online learning, e-health, and ICTs, including social media. A total of 355 media and information literacy terms were identified, with digital, information, health, and media literacy at the forefront. Moreover, 244 corresponding competencies and skills were noted. The study emphasizes the necessity for comprehensive media and information literacy programs, diverse competencies, and stakeholder engagement in fostering a digitally literate society. Prioritizing skill development for navigating digital landscapes is vital amid the fourth industrial revolution, laying the groundwork for adept usage of media, information, and digital realms.

Concerns about the spread of disinformation, information disorder, and fake news have grown to unprecedented proportions in recent years. This study aimed to explore how to mitigate this communication disorder and achieve a balance in the relationship among the public, the media, the dominant institutions, and the digital influencers in society. This study used the grounded meta-synthesis method, which relies on induction, to arrive at a new model according to the objective of the study. The process of open, axial, and selective coding included 101 studies, books, reports, and guides, starting with the Public Opinion by Walter Lippmann, issued in 1922, and ending with the 2022 Edelman Trust Barometer. The results led to the proposal of a new model to reduce communication dysfunction, in which media and information literacy (MIL) plays a crucial role in increasing an individual's ability to resist disinformation and enhancing their ability to monitor the performance of institutions, as well as expanding the circle of influencers in social media. To fulfil the three goals and contribute to achieving a degree of functional balance in communication within societies, the model recommends enhancing MIL. Other intervening variables, such as the fragility of political, cultural, and legal structures, should not be disregarded.

Media and information literacy (MIL) is gaining academic attention due to media technology advancements and evolving communication, with pre-service teachers (PTs) playing a crucial role in preparing future citizens. This systematic review examined 40 articles focusing on PTs to identify their theoretical characteristics and methodological patterns. The methodology follows the PRISMA statement and covers research from 2013 to 2024. All of these selected papers are evaluated using a quality assessment tool, Quality Assessment Tool for papers with Diverse Designs (QATSDD). The review identifies a regional concentration of PTs’ MIL research in Europe and Asia. This demonstrates how regional settings and national policies have a significant impact on MIL research, as do differences in terminology usage and conceptual understanding. However, aspects of PTs’ MIL that support teaching practices remain underexplored in the existing literature, indicating a critical gap in preparing PTs for their roles as educators. Concerns regarding the credibility of results are further raised by the extensive use of self-reported assessments. Furthermore, because they have a big impact on PTs' MIL abilities, demographic factors including gender and regional discrepancies need constant monitoring. The findings highlight the need to integrate MIL into teacher education to enhance teaching competencies and address regional and demographic disparities, ensuring preservice teachers are equipped for modern educational demands.

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.