Response to Figure 1: Key Outcomes/Elements of Media and Information Literacy

It is important to realize the connection between information literacy and media literacy as they go hand by hand.  The processes are similar, the purposes of both are not, and yet the final outcome of both, which is to promote effective information seeking is the same.  Information literacy’s focus is on accessing information and making good and efficient use of it, while media literacy focuses on the idea of understanding how the media works and how to use it to your best interest.

The primary concern for us as teachers is to get our student body to be information literate.  To create a strong frame of thinking critically about the information they are looking at, and the information they are applying.  Once this step is achieved you can move on to media literacy.  At the same time, it is becoming harder to separate one from the other.    It is important to consider both literacies, as evaluating information can no longer be separated from the source it comes from.  The more information and sources are available the more obvious the need for these competencies is.