In today's age influenced by concepts like 'post-truth', media literacy has become urgent to maintain social health at a time when social media is being used excessively.
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In a society where ubiquitous information is reaching every second and concepts like 'post-truth' are becoming a part of daily life, it is essential to increase the awareness of the information seekers and to understand what the concept of 'information' is. Creating and disseminating information to achieve a specific goal is no longer something special. Spreading rumors or spreading false news in the political, ideological, economic and social spheres has become a matter of concern.
In the age of other messaging networks equipped with social media or perceived to be omniscient, sending large amounts of information is no longer just a matter of thought or media. It is simply impossible to stop this huge flow of information.
In such a situation, the recipients of the information need some concrete tools to filter out such information, analyze it and if the information seems to be false or inaccurate, then it can be rejected. It needs to be practiced at a very young age when the onslaught of such information begins. In order to distinguish between ideas and facts, this technique must be mastered in the context of teaching and learning, so it is essential to include it in the school curriculum.
The use of smartphones and tablets is rampant like cancer, meaning that today's youth have more access to information than ever before. A 2016 study by Stanford History Education Group found that while today's students are good at using social media, they can't tell the difference between local sponsored ads and news stories. Simply put, the obstacles that stand in the way of students getting accurate information cannot be given the right direction. Some nations have been quick to diagnose this problem, and in recent years they have received a much better response.
After 2014, for example, in Finland (the country has one of the best public education systems in the world), an anti-fake news drive was developed, the main purpose of which is to inculcate rational thinking and discernment in students. According to a 2016 study by IEA International Citizenship and Citizenship Education, 82% of teachers in Finland succeeded in inculcating in their students the power of rational thinking and independent thinking. In collaboration with various fact-finding organizations and / or outside experts, they developed a variety of components and incorporated them into the curriculum, developing the students' intellect and the ability to refute misinformation. It involves taking an ongoing topic and interacting with students on it, This included creating an environment where questions would be allowed and the ability to refute wrongdoings would be created, which would not be limited to just 'one attitude' but would become part of the daily routine. Similarly, in September 2018, California Governor Jerry Brown passed a law to promote media literacy in American public schools.
The bill, proposed by State Senate member Bill Dodd, directed the state Department of Education to provide the resources it needs to create media literacy and to train teachers accordingly. Creating such an environment included such things. Similarly, in September 2018, California Governor Jerry Brown passed a law to promote media literacy in American public schools.
In a country like India, where the veracity of information is becoming a very rare issue, there has been very little discussion about the inclusion of media literacy at the school level.
ICT, on the one hand, is trying to create ninth paths in different fields in the education space, but, efficient technology skills and literacy cannot be combined. The flow of information is not difficult to cross geographical boundaries, it is essential to think objectively while receiving information.
The education system in India is not ready to explain this broad dynamic idea as it is entirely focused on completing the curriculum and learning from scratch. To begin with, the severity of the problem is still not well known, even at the administrative level. In addition, as more and more teachers move away from the digital realm, familiarity with the use of technology is also a major problem. In the prevailing society, it is our culture to blindly believe what is printed in the newspapers or told on TV or even forwarded on WhatsApp, no one questions the veracity of this information. Reforms at different levels of society are needed to change this social situation.
First of all, the state education department needs to recognize the importance of medium literacy and include it in the educational curriculum. In this context, the guidelines of the Central Government will also be useful. In order to train teachers in this regard, a committee of experts in this field should be set up and with their help, various sections of the curriculum should be planned and emphasis should be laid on its effective implementation. Such committees should include existing physicians as well as representatives of fact-checking organizations who may have established some concrete mechanism for verifying the veracity of information. Most importantly, such a committee should be limited to a state or a specific region, so that they can bring elements relevant and relevant to their students into the curriculum.
Another important factor is the role of parents or close parents in the development of students. If there is a conversation about this at the student's home, it is difficult to inculcate analytical culture in the student. Despite the widespread use of the Internet by students, a recent study found that parents and families are the most reliable sources of information. Therefore, in addition to training teachers, there is a need to raise awareness among parents that there may be some skepticism about the information disseminated. It is possible to communicate about this through events such as parent-teacher meetings, school management committee events, annual get-togethers, sports festivals.
The third important thing is to make sure that the syllabus is not formal. Information is not transmitted through a single medium, there is a need to harmonize the training imparted in this field and the pattern of disseminating information in the prevailing times.
For example, if children are getting information through WhatsApp and Twitter, there is no point in teaching them what is printed in a newspaper. Instead, when teaching students how to think and how to analyze, it is possible to use (indirectly or incorrectly) the information that has recently been disseminated locally, nationally, as well as internationally, with context.
Finally, it is equally important to be careful that this attitude does not lead to insanity while promoting such skepticism about information. In order to achieve all the detrimental effects of this flow of information without any restrictions, the increasing dissemination of all types of media has led to the democratization of information, increasing its scope, diversity and penetration. Curiosity to learn or curiosity should not be overcome for fear of being deceived. In fact, the tendency to seek information is a prerequisite for analyzing information. At the same time, it is important to know that media literacy is not media control. Under no circumstances should students be instructed to rely on any one source of information and ignore other options. The purpose of this is to make decisions based on knowledge. At a time when misinformation and propaganda campaigns are affecting the social question and even the national election, it is imperative to inculcate in the students the three things of collecting, observing and analyzing information.
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