What is Media Literacy?

Let's start with literacy. Literacy itself refers to the skills of reading and writing--both understanding and communicating with words. Over the years, literacy has taken on a new meaning where literacy refers to various other skills, often taught in skills. There's information literacy--the skills of researching and knowing how and where to find good information. There's digital literacy--understanding and knowing how to use technology. Imagine a Literacy Octopus with all of his tentacles represent a different skill. This Literacy Octopus needs to use all the tentacles to be as successful as possible. Sometimes, Literacy Octopus may not use some tentacles, or maybe they get tangled and confused. Literacy Octopus needs to learn how to use these tentacles to survive in the wilds of the ocean. That's what we're doing here.

Media literacy refers to the skills that are connected with forms of media. So, think of the internet and the digital world, but also information, social media, the news, movies and television, artificial intelligence, and even video games. In order to be a successful human being (or octopus), you need to be skilled in all of the tentacles--I mean literacies.

Artwork: Dixon, S. (2023, December 10). Literacy Octopus [PNG]. Canva. https://www.canva.com/create/social-media-graphics/

What is Information Literacy?

Information literacy is being skilled in researching, finding and working with information. Crazy, right? It's about knowing what you're trying to find; where and how to find this information; making sure you have good information and the source is valid and trustworthy; being able to analyze and work with the information; using the information responsibly; and understanding how information works in our society.

Here are some different skills to consider when exploring information literacy.

  • Lateral research and fact checking

  • Information Pollution, or the ways information and you are manipulated

  • Prebunking, or training yourself to watch out for dubious information

  • And here's a link to other resources, tools, and references that you might find helpful as you explore information literacy.

The self-assessment rubric for information literacy below is meant to help guide you to explore where you could further your researching and informational skills. Where are you in these key elements of this literacy?