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This review is by Liam French from University College Plymouth, St Mark and St John and is hosted at the Higher education Academy subject Centre, Art Design Media site at:
http://www.adm.heacademy.ac.uk/library/files/resource-re-
views/french.pdf
Issues in Information and Media Literacy: Education, Practice and Pedagogy is the
second of two volumes concerned with exploring issues and debates underpinning
information and media literacy. Information and media literacy is something of a ‘hot
topic’ at the moment so in many respects this is a timely publication and one that is
certainly in tune with Ofcom's strategic work on developing media literacy (Media
Literacy Task Force) and the European Charter for Media Literacy. Increasingly,
there is a growing awareness that ‘a media literate society is…not a luxury, it is a
necessity in the twenty-first century - for social, economic, cultural and political
reasons’ (Ofcom). The unifying theme underpinning this edited collection of papers
compiled by Marcus Leaning is also an understanding and recognition that
information and media literacy in the twenty-first century will be central to (indeed a
prerequisite for) full citizenship and effective participation in the knowledge /
information society.
The book comprises of twelve chapters divided into four thematic sections as a
means of organising what is essentially a diverse and wide-ranging collection of
international perspectives and projects dealing with different aspects of information
and media literacy. The first section focuses specifically on the development and
impact of information and media literacy in the context of Higher Education. Section
Two offers a collection of essays that are broader in scope and are concerned with
the development and assessment of skills for information and media literacy in a
range of contexts. Section Three focuses on different approaches to teaching
information and media literacy whilst the two chapters in Section Four place
emphasis on research concerned with both the uses and need(s) for information and
media literacy in terms of, firstly, the population of a South African metropolitan
municipality (Averweg & Greyling) and secondly, information security in
organisational contexts (Narasimhan & Das).
One key issue that is addressed both in the short Preface to this volume and in
subsequent chapters to varying degrees, are differing interpretations and definitions
of information and media literacy. This is perhaps not surprising as there does not, as
yet, appear to be a singular agreed-upon definition of either media or information
literacy in the existing literature and the chapters in this volume reflect that to a
greater or lesser extent. A number of the authors (understandably) prefer to use the
term ‘literacies’ as a means of acknowledging the complexity and multiplicity of skills
and competencies involved in definitions of information and media literacy in the
constantly evolving media environment. It is certainly the case that, historically,
information literacy and media literacy have themselves been conceptualised
(pedagogically) as separate concerns with each perceived as involving different
types of knowledge, skills and competencies. However, as the editor Marcus Leaning
points out, in the current media, communication and information environment, the
commonalities are greater than the differences hence the term 'information and
media literacy'. There is a sound rationale offered in support of this combining of the
two terms. As information and communication technologies are increasingly
becoming a commonplace and pervasive feature of everyday life and with the
integration of text, image and sound available across a range of formats, channels,
contexts and environments, the need for both an information and media literate
society is an imperative. Indeed, Leaning makes the point succinctly when stating
that as ‘content becomes less and less tied to specific formats and the volume of
media and information channels multiply, this distinction between being skilled users
of media and skilled users of information becomes increasingly arbitrary’ (Leaning,
2009: ix).
So, whilst the different authors of the various chapters define information and media
literacy in slightly different ways, implicit in many of the essays is an understanding
and insistence that, however defined, information and media literacy needs to be
embedded in primary, secondary and tertiary levels of formal education and
thoroughly integrated in course design both across and within subject areas. In terms
of breadth and depth then, the chapters in this volume offer a fairly comprehensive
selection of work that reflects the importance of media literacy at different levels and
stages in formal education in a range of contexts. Chapter One (Pope & Walton) for
example, offers a useful case study of a working model for thinking through ways to
embed and map information and media literacies onto learning outcomes in a Higher
Education context from Certificate Level courses right through to Doctoral level.
Chapter Four (Di Blas et al) states the case for introducing media literacy in Italian
schools with an emphasis on media literacy involving learning how to use technology
in creative ways to communicate effectively. Chapter Eight (Smith) focuses on
television, media literacy and the pedagogy of the pre-schooler whilst Chapter Ten
(De Abreu) considers media education for ‘middle-schoolers’ (junior high school
students aged ten – fourteen) in the United States and considers teaching strategies
that implicitly recognise both the centrality and importance of media culture in the
leisure time of this particular demographic.
Unfortunately, there are some minor errors and grammatical inconsistencies (slightly
disconcerting in a book that takes ‘literacy’ as its central topic) but one assumes that
these errors must have occurred somewhere in the editing / proof reading stages
given the academic credentials and research experience of the various contributors.
Overall, these inconsistencies do not undermine to any great extent what is,
essentially, an academically sound collection of essays written by researchers and
practitioners involved with, and committed to, developing and promoting information
and media literacy.
To sum up then, this book will certainly be a useful resource for practitioners,
academics, programme leaders, course administrators and just about anyone in the
educational sector involved in course design and delivery who are looking for
strategies to successfully embed or further develop information and media literacy in
their programmes. And whilst many of the themes and issues raised throughout the
book will indeed be familiar to colleagues working in media and communications
departments in higher education colleges and universities, it is both reassuring and
pleasing to see that media and information literacy is now being more widely
recognised for what it is – a vital and important life-skill. On this point, a chapter
specifically devoted to media literacy and lifelong learning would have been
desirable. Lifelong learning is touched on but not really developed in a sustained way
in this volume but, on the whole, there is much to be positive about here. The core
message of the book, that information and media literacy will be central to the skills,
competencies and knowledge(s) required for both employability and empowerment in
the multi-textual and hybrid (global) cultural economy of the twenty-first century, is
one that can no longer be ignored. This is what makes this volume an interesting and
important contribution to debates concerning media literacy and the book should
certainly find a place in schools, colleges and universities throughout the United
Kingdom and further afield.
Rating:  [4 of 5 Stars!] |
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.jpg "Foundations of Informing Science: 1999-2008")
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