"Algorithms are not to be regarded as a technical structure but as a social phenomenon - they embed themselves, currently still very subtle, into our political and social system. Algorithms shape human behavior on various levels: they influence not only the aesthetic reception of the world but also
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the well-being and social interaction of their users. They act and intervene in a political and social context. As algorithms influence individual behavior in these social and political situations, their power should be the subject of critical discourse - or even lead to active disobedience and to the need for appropriate tools and methods which can be used to break the algorithmic power." (Publisher description)
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"With people living longer all over the world, ageing has been framed as a socio-economic problem. In Brazil, older people are expected to remain healthy and autonomous while actively participating in society. Based on ethnographic research in São Paulo, Ageing with Smartphones in Urban Brazil show
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s how older people in a middle-class neighbourhood conciliate these expectations with the freedom and pleasures reserved for the Third Age. Work is what bonds this community together, providing a sense of dignity and citizenship." (Publisher description).
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"The role of algorithms for producing and curating content as well as potential outcomes of these mechanisms is one of the most debated issues in existing communication research. “Communicating algorithms” affect processes of political, social and interpersonal communication. A broad variety of
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communication fields is thus currently touched on by algorithms, ranging from news exposure, public opinion forming, information retrieval, and political communication processes among others. However, a scientific sound and objective consideration of algorithms as actors in digital (mass) communication is still scarce. The special issue “Algorithms and Communication” addresses this research gap. It presents theoretical as well as empirical results in important fields of communication science, such as media literacy, news aggregation or robotics. With this, it aims to shed light on the black-box of algorithms as “hidden actors” in communication processes." (Abstract)
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"This pioneering curriculum presents a comprehensive competency framework of media and information literacy and offers educators and leraners structured pedagogical suggestions. It features various detailed modules covering the range of competencies needed to navigate today’s communications ecosys
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tem. This resource links media and information literacy to emerging issues, such as artificial intelligence, digital citizenship education, education for sustainable development, cultural literacy and the exponential rise in misinformation and disinformation. With effective use of this media and information literacy curriculum, everyone can become media and information literate as well as peer-educators of media and information literacy." (Short summary)
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"Information literacy emphasizes to the access, evaluation and use of information. Media literacy emphasizes the ability to understand, evaluate and use media as a leading source and producer of information. Thus, UNESCO considered information literacy and media literacy together as Media Informatio
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n Literacy (MIL), which is essential to empower people with critical knowledge about media functions, information systems, and their content. In the beginning, information literacy and media literacies were discussed separately as distinct fields. After technological developments and a fair amount of interdisciplinary research work in these areas were carried out, based on which UNESCO made considerable effort to bring these fields together as media and information literate. Today’s students and researchers need a different set of competencies like knowledge, skills and attitude are necessary for their work. This bibliography is prepared to bring out a special issue on media and information literacy to help readers who intend to do the research work in this area will get benefitted. This is a comprehensive bibliography covering all areas of media and information literacy comprising information literacy and media literacy, from its origin to the end of February 2021 collected from all sources including online indexing, full-text and digital theses and dissertations databases. Primarily covers journal articles, books, book chapters, conference proceedings, papers published in conference proceedings, reports, book reviews, and Ph.D. Theses on media and information literacy." (Abstract)
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"The eight articles in the publication can be broadly grouped into two main sets. The first set discusses the different types of digital skills required from a more academic perspective, in particular in the context of the pandemic and post-pandemic period, as countries accelerate their move towards
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the digital transition. It also features an article that looks at a specific development sector – humanitarian assistance – and demonstrates how digital skills training can help communities affected by crisis. The second set of articles presents concrete examples, from countries in different regions, of digital skills initiatives, policies and programmes; and provides insights on lessons learned and recommendations on the way forward." (Page 4)
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"The authors have updated, expanded and partly completely rewritten the texts. They attached particular importance to presenting the contents in a way that is as easy to understand as possible. For this purpose, they were able to draw on their experiences and observations in many Media and Informati
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on Literacy (MIL) workshops of the past years. The MIL Handbook is primarily intended for MIL trainers, but also for anyone interested in media and MIL. The book contains background information, suggestions for training plans and methods, hand-outs and worksheets for practical exercises. After an introductory chapter on media and the basics of MIL, the other chapters deal with information and news, photography, video and audio. The final chapter on the internet and social media has been completely revised and expanded by the authors." (Thorsten Karg, mail to the fome mailing list, 2021-05-20)
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"Eine Auswahl der Test-Ergebnisse im Überblick:
1) Unterschiede zwischen Desinformation, Information, Werbung und Meinung wer den zum Teil nur schwer erkannt [...]
2) Ob eine Quelle vertrauenswürdig ist, wird oft richtig eingeschätzt. Interessens konflikte werden seltener erkannt [...]
3) Kennzei
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chnungsstrategien von Social-Media-Plattformen zu Desinformationen bisher kaum wirksam [...]
4) Menschen zweifeln an Unabhängigkeit des Journalismus von der Politik [...]
5) Knapp die Hälfte besteht den Test, nur 22 % der Befragten erreichen insgesamt hohe Kompetenzwerte [...]
6) Jüngere Generationen kompetenter als Ältere – allerdings abhängig vom Bildungsabschluss [...]
7) Digitale Nachrichtenkompetenz hängt auch mit demokratischer Grundhaltung zusammen [...]
8) Besonders bei AfD-Anhänger:innen digitale Nachrichtenkompetenz niedrig [...]
Zusammenfassung: Die Gesamtauswertung der Daten zeigt: Internetnutzer:innen verfügen bereits über einige Grundkenntnisse, um nachrichtenkompetent durch ein für viele Menschen vergleichsweise neues Medienumfeld zu navigieren. So konnte beispielsweise mehr als die Hälfte der Befragten erkennen, wenn eine Quelle nicht neutral oder nicht ver trauenswürdig ist. Und den Meisten war klar, dass man ein unbekanntes Video nicht ungesehen weiterleiten sollte. Überhaupt zeigten die Test-Teilnehmer:innen ein gro ßes Interesse daran, akkurate Informationen zu teilen bzw. Falschnachrichten nicht selbst zu verbreiten. Doch all das sollte nicht darüber hinwegtäuschen, dass die Befragten insgesamt in fast allen Kompetenz-Bereichen überwiegend mittelmäßig bis schlecht abgeschnit ten haben und es oft an ganz konkreten Kenntnissen und Fähigkeiten fehlt. Insofern sind die Ergebnisse dieser Erhebung auch kritisch, weil sie zeigen, dass Bürger:in nen viel zu lange damit allein gelassen wurden, sich in immer komplexeren Medien umgebungen selbst zurecht zu finden." ((Executive Summary, Seiten 4-7)
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"A thematic meta-analysis – of recent literature on online propaganda in the context of the Global South, and 20 Facebook-funded research projects in 2018 – shows that research is overwhelmingly focused on the psychological and behavioral impacts of propaganda. This research advocates for promot
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ing “media literacy” and helping citizens “inoculate” themselves against propaganda. This approach has limited use in tackling propaganda in the Global South. It not only oversimplifies “media literacy,” but also fails to examine, quite crucially, how the state, corporations, and media institutions interact – the political economy of propaganda. Further, scholars need to reflect on how entities such as Facebook fund such research to deflect scrutiny of their institutional role in propaganda-related violence in the Global South." (Essay summary)
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"Digital technologies have enabled the spread of all kinds of information, displacing traditional formats of usually more carefully curated information such as encyclopaedias and newspapers. The massive information flow of the digital era demands that readers be able to distinguish between fact and
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opinion. Readers must learn strategies to detect biased information and malicious content like fake news and phishing emails. What the PISA 21st-Century readers report reveals is that students’ access to digital technologies and training on how to use them greatly vary between countries and students’ socio-economic profiles. This report explores how 15-year-old students are developing reading skills to navigate the technology-rich 21st century. It sheds light on potential ways to strengthen students’ capacity to navigate the new world of information. It highlights how countries need to redouble their efforts to combat emerging digital divides. It also explores what teachers can do to help students navigate ambiguity and manage complexity." (Publisher description)
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"Hay una variedad de estrategias y enfoques que se pueden aplicar para enseñar a la Alfabetización mediática e informacional (AMI), los cuales se centran en el conocimiento, la actitud y las habilidades. Por supuesto, las y los capacitadores están en la libertad de modificar las metodologías pr
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opuestas y desarrollar sus propios métodos de enseñanza. Sin embargo, deben tener muy claros sus objetivos y la manera de alcanzarlos. Deben también reflexionar sobre sus estrategias de formación después de cada sesión. Asimismo, es importante que sean conscientes de sus hábitos con relación a los medios de comunicación y de cómo estos influyen en su enseñanza. Se anima a las y los capacitadores a que sigan estos cinco pasos para la formación en AMI: acceder, analizar, crear, reflexionar y actuar (AACRA)." (Página 9-10)
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"The results of this review clarify that increasing women’s digital literacy depends not just on digital skills training, but on increasing their digital access and use. This is not a simple, linear process, and not just a case of distributing devices and data plans to women. There are several con
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ditions that need to be in place, and they need to be in place in tandem. Creating women-led environments and peer networks, for example, are key ingredients of success. But these approaches can only go so far to drive women’s digital adoption if the digital literacy training fails to use appropriate technology, or does not overcome women’s time constraints. In a way, creating the perfect conditions for success is akin to a jigsaw puzzle: while some parts of the puzzle may be in place, it seems all the puzzle pieces are required to make an effective whole." (Conclusions)
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"Despite the looming crisis in journalism, scholarly research on the topic is often disconnected from the research that the news industry and journalists need and want, but do not have the time or expertise to do. This book provides valuable insights for journalists and scholars about news business
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models, audience research, misinformation, diversity and inclusivity, and news philanthropy, offering journalists a guide to what they need to know and a call to action for what kind of research journalism scholars can do to best help the news industry reckon with disruption." (Publisher description)
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"The concept of digital literacy has been defined in numerous ways over the last two decades to incorporate rapid technological changes, its versatility, and to bridge the global digital divide. Most approaches have been technology-centric with an inherent assumption of cultural and political neutra
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lity of new media technologies. There are multiple hurdles in every stage of digital literacy implementation. The lack of solutions such as local language digital interfaces, locally relevant content, digital literacy training, the use of icons and audio excludes a large fraction of illiterate people. In this article, we analyse case studies targeted at under-connected people in sub-Saharan Africa and India that use digital literacy programmes to build knowledge and health literacy, solve societal problems and foster development. In India, we focus on notable initiatives undertaken in the domain of digital literacy for rural populations. In Sub-Saharan Africa, we draw from an original project in Kenya aiming at developing digital literacy for youth from low-income backgrounds. We further focus on Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso and Tanzania, where field studies have been conducted on the use of digital technologies by low-literacy people and on how audio and icon-based interfaces and Internet lite standard could help them overcome their limitations. The main objective of this article is to identify key performance indicators (KPIs) in the context of digital literacy skills as one of the pillars for digital inclusion. We will learn how digital literacy programmes can be used to build digital literacy and how KPIs for sustainable development can be established. In the final discussion, we offer lessons learned from the case studies and further recommendation for stakeholders and decision-makers in the field of digital health literacy." (Abstract)
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