It is true that media can grant users unlimited access to various sources of information. Correspondingly, this allows them to be informed and it also grants them opportunities to learn new skills. In fact, there are hundreds of universities online that offers wide-range of courses for free. Nevertheless, in order to enjoy the vast resources of information that the internet can provide, users need to have media literacy skills. Media literacy skills, according to Center for Media Literacy, allow people to access, analyze, evaluate and create messages in different forms, understand how media affects the society, and develop the necessary skills of inquiry (cited in Trilling & Fadel, 2009). People need this particular skill because not everything they saw online are real. For example, there are news online that are created with the intention of spreading malicious information. If one is media literate, he/she will double-check if this certain news is true before sharing it with others. On the other hand, if he/she is not media literate, he/she will just carelessly share the information with others. Thus, making him/her responsible in spreading malicious lies or fake news.

No matter how important media literacy skills are, especially now that it is already the Digital Age, open dialogues on media literacy and factual information actually create conflict. This is because, not everyone agrees on the concept of media literacy and not everyone sees it as an independent concept. In the interview of Prof. Miller to Prof. Smith, Prof. Smith mentioned that there are some people who are surprised to learn that media literacy is actually different from “literacy” that we know (Miller, 2020). This implies that people have this notion that for as long as you know how to read and write you are considered be literate and that you are media literate too. Consequently, people often dismiss media literacy skills because they think that they already have it and there is no need for them to learn it anymore.

On the contrary people needs to learn media literacy skills because it will help them navigate through the Internet. Also, just as Prof. Smith mentioned, media changes every day and it is not as constant as math (Miller, 2020). For this reason, it is exciting to know what will happen next. On other hand, the unpredictability of media makes others fearful and instead of learning how to use media, they would rather be alarmed and put their walls up (Miller, 2020). For me this kind of reaction is dangerous because this will deprive people of the necessary skills they need. In order to learn media literacy skills, people can build or be a part of a PLN composed of people who values media literacy. People who values media literacy are critical thinkers, they can also be reliable sources of information, and people who are not familiar with media literacy can learn from them. Being part of a PLN will also help users to see varied view of different people on a certain topic. However, users must make sure that factual consensus is present because this indicates that the PLN maintains healthy discussion and harmonious relationship.

References

Miller, J. (2020, October). EDCI 338 A01: Smith, Julie [Video]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_T9RghwJlI&feature=youtu.be

Trilling, B., & Fadel, C. (2009). 21st century skills: Learning for life in our times. John Wiley & Sons.