Media and Information Literacy Repository – South Asia

This is a position paper on the capacity for media and information education in the UK in 2014 to facilitate media, digital and information literacy as defined by the European Commission (EC) and on the relationship between UK media/information education, regulation and law. The report analyzes the extent to which achievement in Media Studies can be mapped against EC objectives for media literacy. It concludes that while the UK has strong provision of Media Studies in the curriculum, there is a mismatch between curriculum content, assessment modes, and media literacy policy objectives, with barriers from policy and cultural prejudice preventing full realization of media literacy goals.

This paper describes teachers’ perceptions of their ICT and media competencies, and the importance they assign to these competencies in teacher training. A questionnaire was used as a data collection instrument based on UNESCO’s proposals on ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) and MIL (Media and Information Literacy). A total of 402 teachers and pre-service teachers participated in the questionnaire. This is an exploratory cross-sectional study employing quantitative descriptive and correlational methodology. Findings reveal that the self-perceived competence of teachers is low and that the self-perceived level is consistently lower than the importance given to the corresponding competence. Greater importance is assigned to MIL competencies than to ICT competencies, which questions the tendency to prioritize technological and didactic training over media education training. The study concludes with the need for a paradigm shift towards convergence in teacher training policies for the digital age, and proposes a global model of teacher competencies in media and ICT (COMPROMETIC) that integrates MIL competencies with those of ICT teachers. The model is based on a double convergence: that of different literacies, and that of the resulting multi-literacy with the specific training of education professionals in ICT and media.

This paper presents an overview of UNESCO’s Media and Information Literacy (MIL) Curriculum for Teachers. The overview explores key program areas for trainers to teach issues related to MIL and the competences needed for developing programs. These program areas include a conceptual and organizational framework; production and use of information; media texts and information sources; evaluation and analysis; media audiences; democratic discourse and social participation; approaches for curriculum adaptation; and pedagogical approaches for the classroom (textual analysis, contextual analysis, case study, translation, simulation, and production). After introducing these key areas of the program, the paper concludes by offering recommendations for the successful development, adaptation, and implementation of MIL programs. The main recommendations are: curriculum leaders must be available for training, support, and consultation; promotion of teacher networks implementing MIL initiatives; inclusion in official educational curriculum documents; analyzing student needs before implementing curriculum modules; facilitating online resources for teachers; professionalizing MIL teachers; promoting collaboration between community members (family, teachers, students, and other stakeholders); and conducting research to identify best practices and new trends to be developed.

Teachers must first acquire the necessary media literacy skills, strategies, dispositions, and pedagogy to effectively integrate media literacy into their instruction. Previous studies have also suggested designing curricular resources as an effective form of media literacy professional learning. This case study examined how high school teachers from different content areas integrated media literacy into their instruction while participating in an online professional development course, and how they applied the content from the course to design media literacy instruction. Findings indicated that teachers made minor changes to their previous instructional practices, suggesting that participation in the online course led them to think about media literacy integration in new ways. Additionally, teachers applied the professional development content by using media to build background knowledge, offering explicit media literacy strategy instruction and support, promoting independent practice at the intersection of content curricula and media literacy, and assigning media production to demonstrate content knowledge. Recommendations include equipping teachers with media literacy background knowledge, examining instruction stemming from media literacy professional development, and empowering teachers to design media literacy instruction through critical lenses.

This curriculum offers 10 lesson plans that cover some of the major themes of Media and Information Literacy (MIL) in the digital era. The lesson plans are written as a teaching guide and combine core knowledge content with ‘MILAB’ activities that enable educators to explore further how to incorporate MIL in the classroom. The curriculum is student‑centred and project‑based, encouraging critical thinking skills through Analyse/Interpret/React (AIR). It uses SavoirDevenir’s ‘7Cs’ competences linked to human rights values such as freedom of expression, dignity, privacy, participation, and education.

The curricular integration of Media and Information Literacy (MIL) is crucial for cultivating informed, critical, and engaged citizens in contemporary society. It assists in addressing the challenges of the digital era and capitalizing on the opportunities presented by the ever-changing media landscape. Thus, the present systematic literature review uses the PRISMA guidelines to examine three dimensions in the process of integration of Media and Information Literacy (MIL) in the prescribed curriculum: formulation, implementation, and evaluation and challenges. Starting with the search criteria, 131 studies were found in the Web of Science, Scopus, ERIC, Dialnet, and Google Scholar databases, published between January 2013 and March 2023, written in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Turkish. The findings suggest that the will of the political sphere and the activism of the triad composed of passionate teachers, civil society, and academia are key factors for promoting the introduction of MIL in formal education. Likewise, it is underlined that the evaluation of this education policy requires special attention in order to guarantee the analysis of its reach, effectiveness, and capacity to adapt against the challenges that emerge in the media ecosystem. Thus, the intention is to provide up-to-date information for the creation of policies, research studies, and curricular content on this subject.

Utilizing a mixed-method approach, this research aims to evaluate algorithmic literacy among students at the University of Sarajevo – Faculty of Political Sciences and the Faculty of Philosophy (BIH), and to assess the possibilities for improving existing practices of media and information literacy (MIL) integration. The central research question investigates how current MIL educational strategies influence students’ awareness and understanding of the roles algorithms play in the digital transformation of a society striving for sustainable development. The study encompasses a descriptive method with holistic approach elements, including strategic documents, MIL book editions, and MOOC modules. Subsequently, a thematic analysis of ten qualitative interviews with students further explores their experiences, attitudes, and perceptions regarding information, media, and algorithms. The research results offer insights into the potential of MIL education to support algorithmic literacy and its contribution to sustainable development, particularly focusing on SDG 4 – Quality Education. By aligning its findings with the objectives of a universally applicable goal, this study not only addresses the context of algorithmic literacy as an integral component of quality education but also serves as a step towards advancing the interconnectedness of open education and artificial intelligence.

Media and Information Literacy (MIL) is essential for navigating information as technology continues to grow. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, teaching and learning were implemented through online platforms, requiring academicians and students to be equipped with media and information literacy. In the digital age, where business success depends on staff performance, MIL integration is crucial. MIL empowers people to be curious, to search, to critically evaluate, to use, and to contribute information and media content wisely. It also calls for competence in knowing one’s rights online, combating online hate speech and cyberbullying, addressing misinformation and disinformation, and understanding the ethical issues surrounding access and use of information. Academic personnel require knowledge, skills, and psychological capacity to teach, research, and serve the community. These age-, gender-, socio-religious-, educational-, and literacy-diverse individuals behave differently. This study proposes the moderating role of socio-demographic factors between MIL and individual work performance to improve academic staff capabilities and service delivery.

The Tor anonymity network is difficult to measure because, if not done carefully, measurements could risk the privacy (and potentially the safety) of the network's users. Recent work has proposed the use of differential privacy and secure aggregation techniques to safely measure Tor, and preliminary proof-of-concept prototype tools have been developed in order to demonstrate the utility of these techniques. In this work, we significantly enhance two such tools---PrivCount and Private Set-Union Cardinality---in order to support the safe exploration of new types of Tor usage behavior that have never before been measured. Using the enhanced tools, we conduct a detailed measurement study of Tor covering three major aspects of Tor usage: how many users connect to Tor and from where do they connect, with which destinations do users most frequently communicate, and how many onion services exist and how are they used. Our findings include that Tor has ~8 million daily users, a factor of four more than previously believed. We also find that ~40% of the sites accessed over Tor have a torproject.org domain name, ~10% of the sites have an amazon.com domain name, and ~80% of the sites have a domain name that is included in the Alexa top 1 million sites list. Finally, we find that ~90% of lookups for onion addresses are invalid, and more than 90% of attempted connections to onion services fail.

This paper explores how 20-something Facebook users understand and navigate privacy concerns. Based on a year long ethnographic study in Toronto, Canada, this paper looks at how - contrary to many mainstream accounts - younger users do indeed care about protecting and controlling their personal information. However, their concerns revolve around what I call social privacy, rather than the more conventional institutional privacy. This paper also examines the somewhat subversive practices which users engaged in to enhance their own social privacy, and in some cases, violate that of others. Finally, this paper examines some of the reasons that users may continue using the site, despite privacy concerns.

This research investigated the impact of media and information literacy (MIL) on education faculty students’ acquisition of the skills needed to detect fake news. A one-group experimental design was employed with a randomly selected sample of 100 Jordanian undergraduate students. The participants completed one pre-test and two post-tests, each consisting of 10 closed-ended questions and one open-ended question on how to detect fake news. The results indicated that studying MIL has a significant impact on students’ acquisition of the skills needed to detect fake news. The findings also suggested that the methods students employed to identify and detect fake news after studying the MIL course were scientific and well-reasoned. Based on the results, several recommendations are made that will be of value to researchers and practitioners in this field.

The ability to critically access, analyze, evaluate, and create media messages is crucial in the process of becoming an informed and engaged citizen throughout life. Asking critical questions is not only a valuable dimension of media literacy but also an indispensable aspect of participating in a democracy. Yet, measuring the effectiveness of media literacy remains a major challenge for the field. It is unclear to what extent people of all ages may engage in critical questioning habits with regard to media. To address this gap, we studied the changes in critical questioning habits among college-aged students enrolled in media literacy courses. To measure students’ media literacy inquiry, we evaluated the questions they posed in response to viewing an advertisement. We analyzed these questions by media literacy concept and by level of complexity before and after their participation in the courses. Findings revealed that after the media literacy courses, students’ inquiries were more complex and involved greater attention to key concepts related to production techniques and representations. Our study is significant as it reflects an innovative approach to media literacy assessment and offers a fresh perspective for examining the impact of media literacy on cultivating complex, critical thinking skills that can be applied with learners of all ages.

Through in-depth interviews with junior high school teachers in Hong Kong who participated in a media and artificial intelligence literacy program intervention, this research highlights the importance of prioritizing values and ethics education over technical proficiency when incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) into media literacy training. While quantitatively assessing students’ literacy levels posed challenges, future media literacy programs should concentrate on introducing technological terminology and concepts, promoting awareness of potential issues, instilling values for responsible technology use, and fostering empathy to create a harmonious online environment. By focusing on fundamental values and key concepts rather than following fleeting AI trends, educators can empower students to navigate the digital media landscape effectively. Introducing such education among junior high school students, potentially involving parental education, is crucial for nurturing well-rounded digital citizens. The discussion thoroughly explores implications and recommendations for media literacy education programs, specifically in an AI era.

In the digital age, online teacher professional development (TPD) has become a key strategy for enhancing instructional quality and ensuring equitable access to continuous learning. This research compares and analyzes Chinese online teacher professional development (TPD) with the United States over a period of ten years, from 2014 to 2024. This study uses a mixed-methods approach based on policy documents, structured surveys, and interviews to investigate how governance regimes influence TPD outcomes for fair education. Both countries experienced a massive expansion of web-based TPD access and engagement, with participation rates over 75% and effectiveness scores over 4.3 by 2024. China focused on fast scaling by way of centralized mandates and investments in infrastructure, while the United States emphasized gradual expansion through decentralized, locally appropriate models. Most indicators had converged by the end of the period, even with these different approaches. Yet, qualitative evidence reveals persisting gaps in functional access and contextual appropriateness, especially in rural settings. Equality frameworks with attention to teacher agency, policy implementation, and digital usability must supplant weak access metrics. A hybrid paradigm presents itself as an attractive means toward building equitable and productive digital TPD environments through the symbiotic integration of China’s successful scalability and the United States’ professional autonomy.

This article analyzes the integration of media literacy into teacher education with a focus on comparative analysis of international experiences and local practices. In the digital era, media literacy is recognized as an essential component of teacher professionalism, enabling educators to critically evaluate information, create digital content, and foster responsible media use among students. The study highlights best practices from international contexts, including the United States, Finland, and Singapore, and compares them with the reforms and initiatives implemented in Uzbekistan. The analysis demonstrates that integrating media literacy into teacher training requires a systemic approach that combines curriculum reform, methodological innovation, digital infrastructure, and continuous professional development of educators.

The implementation of new curricula presents significant challenges for teachers and necessitates the adaptation of their professional competencies. This study examines how the digital skills of Swiss teachers differ during and after the implementation of the Media and Information Literacy (MIL) modular curriculum. To achieve this, two independent samples totaling 617 teachers were surveyed at different stages of the reform. The analysis employed a multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) to identify differences in the four facets of MIL competence between the samples. The results indicate that MIL competencies did not improve uniformly. While no significant differences were found in the facets of ‘ICT knowledge and application’ and ‘media education knowledge and application’, significant differences were observed in the facets of ‘specialized didactics MIL’ and ‘interdisciplinary pedagogical and didactic knowledge’. The latter facet showed higher values after the reform, likely due to increased exposure to further training measures. These findings illustrate that teachers’ competencies can develop differently throughout a reform process, highlighting the importance of targeted professional development programs. The study provides valuable empirical findings for educational research and offers practical implications for the design of future reform processes.

This study examines the advantages and significance of integrating media literacy education into school curricula, highlighting its increasing role in education. In an age when misinformation spreads through social media, news outlets, and advertising, equipping students with the skills to recognize, analyze, and ethically engage with media has become essential. Despite growing academic and societal interest in media literacy, there remains a notable lack of rigorous research on its effective inclusion in secondary school syllabi. To address this gap, we reviewed existing literature and analyzed the curricula for 11th and 12th grades from India’s National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) and the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE). Using narrative analysis, we examined how media literacy education is integrated within these curricula, focusing on its objectives, pedagogical approaches, and assessment strategies. Our key findings emphasize aims such as enhancing media literacy and weaving it throughout the curriculum. Additionally, our review revealed significant inconsistencies across Indian curricula, including sporadic references to media concepts without clear progression or depth, and identified promising areas for development, such as the addition of dedicated modules on media literacy. These enhancements could greatly improve student learning by fostering deeper engagement with real-world issues, sharpening critical thinking through evidence-based reasoning, and promoting responsible digital citizenship—equipping adolescents for participation in a hyper-connected world. The study also highlights opportunities for educators and policymakers to incorporate media literacy components and prioritize media literacy education.

It investigates the relationship between Accountability and Autonomy

Rapid advancements in media and information technology have led to an increasingly complex and interconnected information landscape. Navigating this digital age requires critical thinking skills and a comprehensive understanding of media and information literacy (MIL). However, the definitions of MIL vary across contexts, disciplines, and cultures. This qualitative study describes and analyzes diverse definitions of MIL through an in-depth analysis of existing literature to shed light on nuanced perspectives within the field, as well as the peculiarities and similarities of the terms ‘media literacy’ and ‘information literacy.’ By delving into qualitative dimensions, the article contributes to a comprehensive understanding of the evolving landscape of media and information literacy. Study findings will contribute to the development of a unified and comprehensive understanding of MIL and facilitate the design of educational programs and policies to enhance media literacy skills among individuals across societies and age groups. This theoretical study is devoted to analyzing theoretical and conceptual definitions of Media and Information Literacy to uncover the wide-ranging aspects of the umbrella term.

The Media and Information Literacy (MIL) concept has been widely used by librarians and information and knowledge practitioners to refer to three often clearly distinguished literacies: media literacy, information literacy, and digital literacy. MIL empowers people to develop themselves and their societies through enhanced capacities in communication and information in the digital age. The complexity of the digital and information society demands that citizens and learners possess information and digital literacies and competencies for lifelong learning, civic engagement, democratic participation, sustainable societies, and building and nurturing trust in media. While MIL seeks to build and nurture critical thinking and understanding skills amongst the populace as they navigate the information society, its application in development initiatives leaves much to be desired in most countries in the Global South. This article explores how MIL can be embraced as a key enabler of community development and social justice initiatives and contributes to the ongoing debate on the centrality of media, technological change, innovation, and education in advancing social justice. The study adopts a multisectoral approach by bringing together different information and communication practitioners, educators, and communities to advance social justice in Sub-Saharan Africa. Guided by UNESCO’s five laws of Media and Information Literacy, the study employs a qualitative research approach through document analysis and key informant interviews with MIL leaders in selected countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. Findings of the study contribute to strategies that can be used to integrate media and information literacy skills into community development initiatives.

Media literacy is not just a popular phrase but a necessity in the contemporary information society, particularly in evaluating information and combating disinformation. This article explores the critical role of higher education in improving students’ media literacy, with a particular focus on universities in Kosovo and North Macedonia. The research methodology employs a mixed approach, combining curriculum analysis, focus groups, and semi-structured interviews to examine current educational practices and institutional challenges. The results show that universities play a key role in developing critical thinking but face obstacles. However, they also have the power to overcome these obstacles. Recommendations include reforming curricula to integrate media literacy, improving teacher training, and promoting interdisciplinary approaches to empower students as informed and responsible participants in the media environment. In conclusion, the findings highlight the need for systemic support in education to develop analytical skills and an ethical attitude towards information in a digital context among young people.

This paper is intended to investigate the determinants of media information literacy by examining the skills of students belonging to the University of Jammu in July 2022. The focal point of the study is to identify the predictors of MIL by assessing students’ familiarity with various concepts of MIL and their level of MIL skills. MIL is studied through a scale having four parameters, with a 0.741 interclass correlation and a total reliability of 0.81. The majority of respondents demonstrated poor MIL skills, distinct from the self-reported MIL (W = 2386.5, p < 0.001, rB = 0.8). It was found that information literacy, computer literacy, and freedom of expression indirectly affect MIL, mediated by the capacities to create and evaluate information. Nevertheless, MIL is directly affected by information literacy.

The curricular integration of Media and Information Literacy (MIL) is crucial for cultivating informed, critical, and engaged citizens in contemporary society. It assists in addressing the challenges of the digital era and capitalizing on the opportunities presented by the ever-changing media landscape. Thus, the present systematic literature review uses the PRISMA guidelines to examine three dimensions in the process of integration of Media and Information Literacy (MIL) in the prescribed curriculum: formulation, implementation, and evaluation and challenges. Starting with the search criteria, 131 studies were found in the Web of Science, Scopus, ERIC, Dialnet and Google Scholar databases, published between January, 2013, and March, 2023, written in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Turkish. The findings suggest that the will of the political sphere and the activism of the triad composed by passionate teachers, civil society, and academia, are key factors for promoting the introduction of MIL in formal education. Likewise, it is underlined that the evaluation of this education policy requires special attention, in order to guarantee the analysis of its reach, effectiveness, and capacity to adapt against the challenges that emerge in the media ecosystem. Thus, the intention is to provide up-to-date information for the creation of policies, research studies, and curricular content on this subject.

This study explores the application of constructivist principles in the development of digital media literacy within higher education. Constructivism and digital media literacy share foundational elements, including active participation, critical thinking, contextual learning environments, and social collaboration. This research employs a qualitative approach through a literature review. Publications from 2014 to 2024 were selected based on their relevance to constructivist learning theory and digital media literacy, resulting in four core sources analyzed. The findings demonstrated that constructivist principles significantly contribute to the enhancement of digital media literacy skills, particularly in the areas of content creation, information management, digital publishing, and critical engagement. These competencies are essential for fostering independent, reflective, and responsible learners. The study concludes that constructivist-based approaches are vital for effectively integrating digital media literacy into higher education. To support this integration, it is recommended that universities embed digital media literacy into curricular frameworks and provide additional resources such as training programs through university libraries. These libraries, as central information hubs, can play a pivotal role in supporting students’ digital literacy development and promoting lifelong learning.

Purpose – Media and Information Literacy (MIL) education plays a crucial role in combating misinformation and disinformation in the digital era. This study explores an innovative pedagogical approach by integrating Experiential Learning Theory (ELT) into non-digital game-based learning to bridge gaps in MIL knowledge and skills among Malaysian secondary and tertiary students, while also addressing the digital divide. Given that current MIL interventions often rely solely on self-assessment, this study emphasizes the need for more objective assessment methods to measure actual learning outcomes. Methodology – A one-group pre-post-test mixed-methods research design was employed. A total of 95 participants from secondary and tertiary educational institutions in Malaysia engaged in an ELT-informed MIL board game intervention. The impact on MIL knowledge was assessed using a structured MIL knowledge test and a qualitative feedback survey. Findings – Results indicate that the intervention positively influenced MIL knowledge acquisition, as indicated by statistically significant improvements in post-test scores. Qualitative feedback further revealed enhanced understanding of MIL concepts, strengthened sense of responsible digital citizenship, and affirmation of the experiential game-based approach as an effective learning method. Significance – This study offers valuable insights into the application of ELT within non-digital game-based MIL education, particularly across diverse educational levels in Malaysia. It presents a scalable and cost-effective model for fostering critical thinking and ethical media engagement, offering practical recommendations for educators, community-based organisations, and policymakers in advancing MIL education nationwide.