DCR co-organizes three-day international workshop on MIL
Polytechnic University of the Philippines — Department of Communication Research (DCR) Chairperson Dr. Rudolf Anthony A. Lacerna announced the establishment of the international partnership on organizing the TechCamp 2021, through his personal social media post on March 17, 2021.
The activity is in partnership with the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP), the Centro Escolar University (CEU), Penang Institute in Malaysia, the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO), and the Regional Centre for Education in Science and Mathematics (RECSAM) and supported by the United States (US) Department of State, US Embassy Kuala Lumpur.
Media and Information Literacy in a Nutshell
Media and information literacy (MIL) is a criterion for the development of a society where individuals meet to attain a certain level of information literacy to face and resolve the escalating challenges of the Information Age. Nowadays, the responsibility of media in disseminating information has become increasingly more vital. Media becomes a pivotal instrument in enabling and empowering toward acquiring the ability to create, distribute, and utilize knowledge and information which is often regarded as an important component underlying economic growth and advancements in the quality of life (Nath, 2001).
In a nutshell, MIL is more than acquiring knowledge and information in the production of consuming communication materials. As supported by Galassis (2019), amid the growing access of the internet and social media, rising cases of misinformation and disinformation have been cited by scholars. Prominently within the COVID-19 pandemic, this represents an imperative issue generating confusion and insecurity among the populace, therefore leading academicians, and governments to rethink and reorganize the definition of MIL. High-level MIL requires a distinguished order of critical thinking skills, thereby making an audience capable of deconstructing, questioning, analyzing, evaluating, and reconstructing information and media texts (Mariani, 2017).
This called for the act to competently address issues arising from the lack of its orientation. Buckingham (2007) argued that academic institutions have hardly begun to teach students how to view or listen critically to media messages, even though students are exposed to various forms of messages. While it was claimed by Hamid (2007) that the role of our teachers, educators, and professors in equipping and molding the children with the knowledge and making them media and information smart is crucial, the problem is that media education only focuses on media technology and the roles and impacts of media and information in society. Media education is neglecting to examine and tackle media discourses relevant to critical thinking.
Conclusively, educators are not well-equipped with the necessary competencies and abilities to engage with media and information systems effectively to provide opportunities for the youth to develop media literacy skills in formal settings where “life and work skills” for the future generation are needed (Mustaffa, 2007). It appears that the role of MIL educators in equipping our future generation with this life skill and making them media and information literate is decisive. As declared by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organizations (UNESCO) in 2011 that,
“It is in this context that the need for Media and Information Literacy must be viewed: it expands civic education movement that incorporates teachers as principal agents of change.”
MIL Educators, Assemble
TechCamp Malaysia-Philippines is a system-funded alumni project from TechCamp Malaysia 2020. It was organized by Media and Information Literacy for Malaysia-Philippines Network that aims to train and deepen the understanding of the importance of MIL in a fast-paced, digital landscape.
Specifically, TechCamp Malaysia-Philippines has the objectives to design and conduct MIL workshops, to create online and offline spaces for MIL knowledge, information, and practice exchange among teachers and educators, and to develop, review, and publish a MIL Teachers’ guidebook.
The MIL for MY-PH network opens the provision of MIL skills to teachers and educators in Malaysia and the Philippines. An in-depth and systematic workshop was offered to teachers and educators who are passionate about building a well-informed society.
Situated in the Information Age, MIL is considered an “essential” competency in different countries. To abide by the demands of MIL enrichment, TechCamp Malaysia-Philippines set to project and conduct MIL workshops among teachers and educators. The activity was deemed as a support system in developing and promoting MIL initiatives that empower teachers and educators, promote critical thinking, and organize capacity-building activities related to the use of media and information.
The participants were secondary education teachers and educators in public and private institutions in Malaysia and the Philippines. Through the three-day workshop (March 29, 2021, to March 31, 2021, via Zoom) that was facilitated with international MIL experts and trainers, participants strengthened their understanding of the value of MIL in a fast-moving digital media landscape.
The workshop topics include the following:
- Overview of media landscape in Malaysia and Philippines;
- Countering false information in modern classroom setting;
- Verification and fact-checking as foundations of civic online reasoning;
- Netiquettes for teachers and educators; and
- Guide to cyber safety, data privacy, and data protection.
The learning experiences of the participants in the discussions are their inputs in the development of the MIL Lesson Plan. All outputs were required to be presented before the end of the activity.
PUP-DCR’s Footprints in the Partnership
In a Zoom meeting with the Circle of Research Enthusiasts (CORE) and BACR Presidents last Saturday, March 20, the Department Head clarified how the PUP-DCR community would contribute to the partnership. For DCR faculty and students, exposure to the conduct of research with international collaborators is possible and significant in increasing and improving the quality of communication research in the University considering “internationalization.
Dr. Lacerna acknowledged the Penang Institute’s Executive Director Dato’ Dr. Ooi Kee Beng and Special Project Officer Ms. Sheryl Teoh Chiau Yin with PUP President Dr. Manuel M. Muhi who signed the Memorandum of Understanding. Also, Dr. Lacerna extended his gratitude to COC Dean Dr. Hemmady Mora, Associate Dean Dr. Divina T. Pasumbal, Office of the International Affairs Director Jonna Karla C. Bien, and PUP faculty members Prof. Ricky R. Rosales and Prof. Marynelle L. Rosales.
References:
Galassi, L., & Tagliabue, F. (2020). The “Pandemic” of Disinformation in COVID-19 [Abstract]. US National Library of Medicine. Retrieved February 22, 2021, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7395797/
Hamid, N. A. (2007). Media Literacy: Accessibility and Skills among Malaysian Women [Abstract]. Intercultural Communication Studies, 16(3). Retrieved February 22, 2021
