MEDIA AND

INFORMATION
LITERATE CITIZENS

THINK
CRITICALLY,
CLICK WISELY!

Module 3
Part Research, Information Cycle,
2 Digital Information Processing,
Intellectual Property

Media & Information Literacy Curriculum

for Educators & Learners
Published in 2021 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific
and Cultural Organization, 7, place de Fontenoy, 75352 Paris 07 SP,
France

© UNESCO 2021

ISBN 978-92-3-100448-3

This publication is available in Open Access under the Attribution-

ShareAlike 3.0 IGO (CC-BY-SA 3.0 IGO) license (http://
[Link]/licenses/by-sa/3.0/igo/). By using the content
of this publication, the users accept to be bound by the terms of
use of the UNESCO Open Access Repository ([Link]
open-access/terms-use-ccbysa-en).

The designations employed and the presentation of material

throughout this publication do not imply the expression of any
opinion whatsoever on the part of UNESCO concerning the legal
status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or
concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.

The authors are responsible for the choice and the presentation
of the facts contained in this book and for the opinions expressed
therein, which are not necessarily those of UNESCO and do not
commit the Organization.

Authors
Alton Grizzle, Carolyn Wilson, Ramon Tuazon, C.K. Cheung, Jesus
Lau, Rachel Fischer, Dorothy Gordon, Kwame Akyempong, Jagtar
Singh, Paul R. Carr, Kristine Stewart, Samy Tayie, Olunifesi Suraj,
Maarit Jaakkola, Gina Thésée, Curmira Gulston

Edited by Alton Grizzle, Carolyn Wilson, Dorothy Gordon

Graphic design by UNESCO/Katharine Mugridge

Cover design by UNESCO/Katharine Mugridge

Typeset by UNESCO
Printed by UNESCO

Printed in France
TABLE OF CONTENTS
MODULE 3: RESEARCH, INFORMATION CYCLE, DIGITAL INFORMATION
PROCESSING, INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY 114
Background and Rationale 115
UNIT 1: HOW ACADEMIC AND SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION ARE CONSTRUCTED 119
Key Topics 119
Learning Objectives 119
Pedagogical Approaches and Activities 119
Assessment & Recommendations 121
UNIT 2: SEARCHING: STRATEGIC INFORMATION EXPLORATION 121
Key Topics 121
Learning Objectives 121
Pedagogical Approaches and Activities 122
Assessment & Recommendations 126
UNIT 3: EVALUATION OF ACADEMIC AND SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION 126
Key Topics 126
Learning Objectives 126
Pedagogical Approaches and Activities 127
Assessment & Recommendations 129
UNIT 4: CONCEPTS AND APPLICATIONS OF INFORMATION LITERACY 129
Key Topics 129
Learning Objectives 130
Pedagogical Approaches and Activities 131
Assessment & Recommendations 133
UNIT 5: LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS AND INFORMATION LITERACY 133
Key Topics 133
Learning Objectives 133
Pedagogical Approaches and Activities 134
Assessment & Recommendations 136
UNIT 6: MORE ON DIGITAL INFORMATION PROCESSING 137
Key Topics 137
Learning Objectives 137
Pedagogical Approaches 138
Assessment & Recommendations 139
UNIT 7: INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND AUTHORSHIP RECOGNITION 140
Key Topics 140
Learning Objectives 140
Assessment & Recommendations 142
MODULE 3:
RESEARCH,
INFORMATION
CYCLE, DIGITAL
INFORMATION
PROCESSING,
INTELLECTUAL
PROPERTY
 “To be a citizen in our
information society, individuals
ought to understand the
information cycle, so that they
benefit and contribute to it, no
matter if information is oral or
written.”
- Jesus Lau, 2021

BACKGROUND AND
RATIONALE
Educators will have been exposed to the basics of media and information
literacy (MIL) in the foundational Module 1 and subsequent units. The purpose
of this module is to show that other important research and information cycle
issues are vital components of MIL as well.
This module emphasizes the building blocks that contribute to traditional
information literacy. Many courses concentrate on the delivery of knowledge
rather than on learning how to learn. However, the increasing emphasis on
the value of MIL in education and in wider society highlights the importance
of users being skilled learners, being aware of their role and variable place in
the information cycle. While the concept of “information cycle” is sometimes
limited to the processes of news media production and consumption, the
notion can be much wider – covering how content can flow and transform
within and across many different institutions and actors. The value is to put
attention on flows, rather than a single snapshot, and the interdependent
character of communications as enabled by diverse entities with differential
power, reach and influence. For MIL, all this implicates a need for learning
how, within the fluid universe of a mass of variable content, to recognize
information needs. Then, on this basis, how to efficiently and effectively

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locate/retrieve information; analyse, organize, and evaluate
this information; and use, apply, reproduce and communicate
that information for specific decision-making and problem-
solving ends (UNESCO, 2008). Essentially, MIL also embraces
library skills, study and research skills, and technology skills.
Every research must start with a question, which must be
answered through the collection and analysis of data and
information. or to satisfy a need for information.
Science does not only refer to a body of knowledge, but is also
a way of knowing and learning. One important underpinning for
learning and appreciating science is learners’ understanding
of the nature and structure of scientific knowledge and the
process by which it is developed, including as an end in and
of itself. In addition, emerging research evidence suggests
that learners’ grasp of scientific explanations of the natural
world and their ability to engage successfully in scientific
investigations are advanced when they understand how
scientific knowledge is constructed.
Educators have to acquire for themselves and develop
in learners a set of competencies (knowledge, skills
and attitudes) for obtaining, understanding, adapting,
generating, storing, and presenting information for problem
analysis and decision-making. These are competencies
applicable to any educating and learning context, whether
in the education environment, general work/professional
environment or for personal enrichment. A media and
information literate educator is capable of understanding
messages from different information sources and is able to
evaluate and use that understanding appropriately to solve
problems. The educator has also acquired basic library skills
and can maximize the use of documentary resources for
learning and information sharing. A media and information
literate educator understands and appreciates the functions
in society of media and other content providers, such
as libraries, museums, archives, digital communications
companies, and educational and research institutions
working in this field.
Content providers offer an important service for people
to access and in some cases store their own information.
Beyond the media, there are other sources of information
that people use (e.g. health notices, government reports
and information communicated orally, both informally and

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Module 3: Research, Information Cycle, Digital Information Processing, Intellectual Property
 through public debates). These may be carried electronically, (e.g. as election
debates on television) or in face-to-face sessions (e.g. town hall meetings).
These events may be mediated by the media or by people.
A central concept to the information life cycle is intellectual property rights
of which everyone should have a basic understanding. “Intellectual property
rights are the rights given to persons over the creations of their minds. They
usually give the creator an exclusive right over the use of his/her creation for
a certain period of time1.” There are two main aspects of intellectual property
(IP), copyright and rights related to copyright. So important is this concept that
the United Nations set up the World Intellectual Property Rights Organization
(WIPO) consisting of 193 member states. WIPO serves as a global forum for IP
services, policy, information and cooperation. Most countries have laws that
protect IP such as patents, copyright and trademarks.
This module focuses on developing understanding of the information
cycle, research skills and respect for intellectual property in the context of
academia media and information literacy, library skills and the digital ecology.
The focus is on problem-solving and decision-making in educational and
local community engagement contexts. It intends to enable educators and
learners to understand the concepts mentioned above and the relationship
between these in order to increase their skills in accessing and using the
wide range of information resources available in today’s world. Gaining
these skills will provide opportunities for life-long learning, thus ensuring
educators’ and learners’ continued participation in an active intellectual life.

1. W
 orld Trade Organization, [Link]
al%20property%20rights%20are%20the,a%20certain%20period%20of%20time.

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Module 3: Research, Information Cycle, Digital Information Processing, Intellectual Property
 UNITS
UNIT 1:
HOW ACADEMIC AND SCIENTIFIC
INFORMATION ARE CONSTRUCTED

UNIT 2:
SEARCHING: STRATEGIC
INFORMATION EXPLORATION

UNIT 3:
EVALUATION OF ACADEMIC AND
SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION

UNIT 4:
CONCEPTS AND APPLICATIONS OF
INFORMATION LITERACY

UNIT 5:
LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS AND
INFORMATION LITERACY

UNIT 6:
DIGITAL INFORMATION
PROCESSING

UNIT 7:
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND
AUTHORSHIP RECOGNITION

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Module 3: Research, Information Cycle, Digital Information Processing, Intellectual
TITLE GOES Property
HERE
 UNIT 1: HOW ACADEMIC AND
SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION ARE
CONSTRUCTED
DURATION: 4 HOURS

Key Topics
● Definition of science
● Definition of scientific knowledge.
● Nature and structure of science
● Nature and structure of scientific knowledge.
● Sources of new knowledge.

Learning Objectives
To improve the understanding of:

● the meaning of science

● the meaning of knowledge
● the relationship between science and knowledge
● the nature of science
● the nature of knowledge
● different sources of knowledge.

Level Of Competencies Targeted in this Unit

● Basic / Introductory.

Pedagogical Approaches and Activities

As discussed earlier in this Curriculum (Part 1) various pedagogical approaches are
possible. Please review the list in Part 1 and decide which approach to apply to the
suggested activities below and others that you may formulate.

● Educators have long argued that learners should understand how scientific
knowledge is constructed. One rationale that is often invoked, but not empirically
tested, is that understanding science makes for a more informed citizenry and
supports democratic participation. That is, citizens who understand how scientific
knowledge is produced will be careful consumers of scientific claims about scientific
issues of public interest (e.g., global warming, ecology, genetically modified foods,
alternative medicine, sanitary crises and their responses, such as pandemics and
vaccines) both at the ballot box and in their daily lives.

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● A second argument to justify this stance among educators is that understanding
the structure and nature of science makes one better at doing and learning science.
That is, if learners come to see science as a set of practices that builds models
to account for patterns of evidence in the natural world, and that what counts as
evidence is contingent on careful observations, verification studies, and building
arguments, then they will have greater success in their efforts to build knowledge.
Viewing these processes from a distance - not merely enacting them - enhances
students’ ability to practice science.
● Four sources of knowledge are sometimes recognized: intuition, authority,
rational-inductive, and scientific empiricism. All four are good sources for a
research hypothesis, but scientific empiricism is the only accepted source of
new scientific knowledge.
● One can distinguish two types of research: academic research and private
research. Academic research is the type of research which is carried out in
universities, academies and scientific institutions. It is often carried out by scholars
and professors. Whereas private research is carried out by private businesses and
firms and is mainly used to solve commercially related problems. Despite the fact
that there are differences between the two types, they can complement each other.
Private firms may rely on university scholars to carry out research for them and they
also make use of academic research carried out in the universities. However, this
can raise issues about public investment in research vis-à-vis the use of academia
and engagement of academic scholars for private interests and benefits. Ethical
issues can also arise when private firms fund academic research.
● In order to understand the kind of skills we need to carry out research, we can learn
from the characteristics of scientific research. Scientific research is often normatively
distinguished from other types of research by six important characteristics; it is
public, objective, systematic, cumulative, empirical and predictive.
● Two major categories of scientific research can be distinguished, (1) quantitative
research and (2) qualitative research. Both quantitative and qualitative research
may use methods such as surveys, content analysis, focus group discussions,
interviews (structured, semi-structured and open), observation and case study.
Each method uses different tools to collect data. For instance, the questionnaire
is the data collection tool for the survey and the content analysis sheet is used to
collect data for content analysis.
● The research process requires reliable information. This necessitates adequate
skills to find relevant sources of information.
● Science gathers data, organizes and analyses it a way that so as to ensure it can
provide meaningful information and can function as a foundation for knowledge.
● Educators should ensure interactivity with learners in administering activities under
this unit, and guide learners to give example of the:

• The meaning of science

• The meaning of scientific knowledge
• The relationship between science and knowledge

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 • The nature and structure of science
• The nature and structure of knowledge
• Different sources of new knowledge.

Assessment & Recommendations

● Written examinations
● Essays, reflection and reaction papers to lectures, case studies, audiovisual
presentations/viewings
● Participation in group learning activities
● Production of information-education-communication materials (e.g. posters,
brochures, infographics, social media cards, vlogs)
● Research paper
● Investigative story/report.

Topics for Further Consideration

● Articulating hypotheses, laws, or models
● Deductive thinking
● Discourse analysis.

UNIT 2: SEARCHING: STRATEGIC

INFORMATION EXPLORATION
DURATION: 4 HOURS

Key Topics
● Factors to narrow and focus your information search
● Keywords to represent your search information needs
● Boolean operators and other limiting search commands
● Search engines shortcuts to save time.

Learning Objectives
After completing this unit, educators and learners will be able to:

● Develop an efficient information search strategy

● Learn how to use search commands in databases
● Filter information outputs of search engines.

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Level of Competencies Targeted in this Unit
● Basic.

Search and Discovery

The abundance of available content means that the information that is sought-after is
not always easy to access, as it is organized in different ways in databases, repositories,
repertories, libraries, information centers and quite often individually sorted. Therefore,
when searching for information, there is a need to develop strategies to explore and find
relevant information or data. Some resource providers, like libraries, have standardized
ways to classify and catalogue information items that make searching easier. However,
those produced and stored by other providers, such as websites, may use a myriad of
information organization methods that makes it difficult to search, locate, and retrieve
what is relevant.
The key commands to retrieve relevant database outputs - including in general searches
on the Internet, whether by a special search engine or on social media or ecommerce
services - use Boolean Operators: AND, OR, NOT. The use of these words in the
search, will eliminate irrelevant results and save time and effort. Search engines use
search delimiters to help you to find what you need with minimum irrelevant resources.
Some examples are given in an activity below.
A good way to learn Boolean operators is to practice them. Ask learners to choose
two related topics (either historic or current), for example a virus and vaccines, and
how they affected their country both positively and negatively. The learners then apply
Boolean operators in searching for information on these topics either in a search engine
or a library database, using the below guidelines, adapted from “Database Tips” by
the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Libraries, where you can also find
information about the use of other search operators.

Pedagogical Approaches and Activities

As discussed earlier in this Curriculum (Part 1) various pedagogical approaches are
possible. Please review the list in Part 1 and decide which approach to apply to the
suggested activities below and others that you may formulate.
1. Using the Boolean Operator AND to combine topic, country and date

Use AND in your search to:

● Narrow your results

● Tell the database that all defined search terms must be present in the resulting records
● Example: cloning AND humans AND ethics.

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 The purple triangle in the middle of the Venn diagram below represents the result set
for this search. It is a small set using AND, the combination of all three search words.

CLONING ETHICS

HUMANS

It should be noted that in many, but not all, databases, the AND is implied.

● For example, Google automatically puts an AND in between your search terms.
Though all your search terms are included in the results, they may not be connected
together in the way you want
● For example, this search: college students test anxiety is translated to: college AND
students AND test AND anxiety. The words may appear individually throughout the
resulting records
● You can search using phrases to make your results more specific
● For example: “college students” AND “test anxiety”. This way, the result will better
correspond to the information you are looking for.

2. Using OR to combine your topic with other information such as country and date

Use OR in a search to:

● Connect two or more similar concepts (synonyms)

● Broaden your results, telling the database that ANY of your search terms can be
Present in the resulting records
● Example: cloning OR genetics OR reproduction.

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All three circles represent the result set for this search. It is a big set because any of
those words are valid using the OR operator.

CLONING GENETICS

REPRODUCTION

3. Using NOT to combine your topic, country and date

Use NOT in your search to:

● Exclude words from your search

● Narrow your search, telling the database to ignore concepts that may be implied
by your search terms
● Example: “cloning NOT sheep”.

4. Search order

Databases follow commands you type in and return results based on those
commands. Be aware of the logical order in which words are connected when using
Boolean Operators:

● Databases usually recognize AND as the primary operator, and will connect
concepts with AND together first
● If you use a combination of AND and OR operators in a search, enclose the words
to be ‘ORed’ together in parentheses.

Examples:

● Ethics AND (cloning OR reproductive techniques)

● (Ethic* OR moral*) AND (bioengineering OR cloning).

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 5. G
 oogle Search Operators (Consider other search engines such as DuckDuckGo,
Baidu, Yandex, Ecosia, etc.).

A more advanced tool is the Google Search Operators (2020). You can group learners
in teams to use the operators to research specific topics. Search for the topic using
each of the six categories listed in the table below. Each team can consequently be
tasked with presenting the advantages of using these search operators to narrow
search results and have more effective search retrievals. The following table below lists
the six categories. The included hyperlinks leads to webpages where one can obtain
full information on how to use these search operators.

TABLE 3.1: GOOGLE SEARCH OPERATORS

SEARCH SERVICE SEARCH OPERATORS

allinanchor:, allintext:, allintitle:, allinurl:, cache:, define:, filetype:, id:,

Web Search
inanchor:, info:, intext:, intitle:, inurl:, link:, related:, site:

Image Search allintitle:, allinurl:, filetype:, inurl:, intitle:, site:

Groups allintext:, allintitle:, author:, group:, insubject:, intext:, intitle:

Directory allintext:, allintitle:, allinurl:, ext:, filetype:, intext:, intitle:, inurl:

News allintext:, allintitle:, allinurl:, intext:, intitle:, inurl:, location:, source:

Product Search allintext:, allintitle:

6. Case study

Different countries might have different advertising regulations. Find a social media
company or search engine company that operate in different countries and research
the advertising regulations in respective country. Investigate if that social media or
search engine company complies with the different regulations in the respective
countries, and discuss issues such as a) conflicts between revenues and the public
interest b) ethical issues between revenues and privacy and c) the public response to
a) and b) in different countries.

7. Research practicing other search limiting tools

Using the Internet and search operators, investigate the regulations that exist in your
region for the advertising industry. Identify where the regulations are located and how
accessible the information is to citizens needing to access this information. Identify
which individuals or groups have created these regulations. Summarize the key
areas that are covered by the regulations and explain their purpose. Explain how the
regulations support the interests of citizens and consumers of the regulated services.
Explain the potential impact of these regulations on the industry. In instances where an
advertisement violates the regulations, investigate the recourse available to consumers.
See more on advertising in Module 10.

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Module 3: Research, Information Cycle, Digital Information Processing, Intellectual Property
Assessment & Recommendations
● Written examinations
● Essays, reflection and reaction papers to lectures, case studies, audiovisual
presentations/viewings
● Participation in group learning activities
● Production of information-education-communication materials (e.g. posters,
brochures, infographics, social media cards, vlogs)
● Research paper
● Investigative story/report.

Topics for Further Consideration

● Articulating hypotheses, laws, or models
● Searching library catalogues
● Web credibility assessment.

UNIT 3: EVALUATION OF ACADEMIC

AND SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION
DURATION: 4 HOURS

Key Topics
● Evaluation principles of academic and scientific information
● Evaluation criteria for main information sources.

Learning Objectives
After completing this unit, educators will be able to:

● Understand different types of research that generates information and knowledge

● Assess information relevance and reliability
● Evaluate main information sources
● Types of sources.

Level of Competencies Targeted in this Unit

● Basic.

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 Pedagogical Approaches and Activities
As discussed earlier in this Curriculum (Part 1) various pedagogical approaches are
possible. Please review the list in Part 1 and decide which approach to apply to the
suggested activities below and others that you may formulate.

● Information is generally divided into primary, secondary and tertiary sources. Any
research product such as a scientific journal article, thesis, research report and
first-hand output is regarded as primary source as long as it presents original data
(including statistics, patents, etc.) Secondary sources are generally publications
whose content abstracts, cites or summarizes primary information, such as a
book, journals but also scientific or journalistic articles. A tertiary source is normally
a compilation of sources such as a bibliography, a database, encyclopaedia, etc.
Whatever source is used, you need to apply critical assessment if the objective of
your research is decision-making, but also if you are reading for leisure.
● Information evaluation requires a critical process to identify the originality,
reliability, and relevance of the information. This includes how updated/recent
the information is, as well as the geographical and subject coverage. Information
reliability means to assess the following elements: author, title, publisher, place,
date, review the table of content, and bibliography. These elements exist under
different names for monographs (books, thesis, reports, pamphlets), as with serials
(journal, magazines, annuals, proceedings), web sources (websites, mass media,
talks, tweets, etc.), and other type of sources such as patents, standards and mass
media messages. The main academic sources in learning environments and in
academia are normally journals and books.

Below is an example of how to assess the relevance of sources when looking for
specific information:

1. Title. The first element to check is the title. Does it indicate relevance to your
information needs? Does it motivate you to read it? A good title will reflect the
content of the publication.
2. Author. Review the authoritative weight of the author (or authors), i.e. how much
knowledge and expertise they have shown in previous publications or research
outputs. The affiliation of the author is another factor to consider that may give you
an insight if the author has eventual biases.
3. Publisher. Check the publisher that has printed the publication. If the publisher is a
well-established company or organization (for example a commercial one, research
centre, university or government body) the publication is likely to have undergone
a long editorial process that includes peer review, content and style assessment. A
less reliable source will be, for example, a self-published book.
4. Secondary phase – Browse preliminaries. Once the author and the title have been
assessed, in the monograph and serials, check the date, go to the preliminary
sections of the publication, such as the table of content and the bibliography.
These elements will give you a better idea about the relevance of this material to
your work.

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Module 3: Research, Information Cycle, Digital Information Processing, Intellectual Property
5. Third phase – Browse content. Read the introduction and conclusions, plus
browsing chapters or sections of the article. When reading research products, it is
important to check if the methodology was appropriate, the sample big enough,
among other research methodology elements.

● The assessment of all aforementioned elements can be checked online using a

search engine. Such cross-checking evaluation may be necessary especially for
publications that will constitute the basis for your research or decision. As you
get familiar with a subject, it will be easier to evaluate the relevance and reliability
of sources.
● Finding the proper resources requires skills to locate and recuperate information
that has to be evaluated to identify subject validity, geographic coverage, and its
contemporary relevance, among other factors, as mentioned above. Information
is normally generated after a long process. Information issued by academic
and scientific institutions, or government data, undergo validation processes,
such as editing in the case of books and peer review as regards journal articles.
Contributions are published in all sorts of monograph and serial publications.
Higher quality publications are often part of subscription journals that are usually
indexed and distributed through databases that normally have high subscription
costs. In addition to paid-subscription databases with access to journals, e-books
and other types of materials, including business information such as patents and
standards, there are open access publications, that are gaining in prominence.
● Open access repositories are compiled by universities, knowledge organizations,
and governments. There are institutional, regional, national and even international
repositories that are built under international compatibility standards. Libraries,
either academic, public, school, special and national ones, are, on the other hand,
the best sources for quality information as they acquire, organize and distribute
them to their communities, and act as gateways to reliable open access information
available on the Internet, since they often have reference services that provide
information guidance and assistance to users.

Learning Exercise
Educators can ask learners to do learning activities that can enable students to critically
evaluate content from different sources such as:

1. Books: Ask participants to find three books on a topic of their choice and evaluate
them using the criteria described.
2. Journal articles: Group participants in teams and guide them to identify a problem
in their community. They should find three academic articles that fulfil the described
reliability criteria. The articles may suggest partial or, possibly, full solutions to the
community problem. Ask the learners to write down why the selected articles are
trustworthy.
3. Authors that are leaders in their field normally have several publications. Guide
learners to identify for example a Nobel Prize winner, to search their publications,
and assess what are the most prestigious ones in terms of who was the publisher,
editor and affiliation institution.

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 4. Publishers: Guide learners to identify what are the most well-known publishers in
a generic field of their choice. The more specific the subject, the fewer specialized
publishers there may be.
5. Media and information topology: Do a search to identify how many primary,
secondary and tertiary categories and types of media and information there
may be. Rank from 1 to 10 each information and media category or type found
according reliability, for example, according to the peer review or editorial process
that they undergo.

Assessment & Recommendations

● Written examinations
● Essays, reflection and reaction papers to lectures, case studies, audiovisual
presentations/viewings
● Participation in group learning activities
● Production of information-education-communication materials (e.g. posters,
brochures, infographics, social media cards, vlogs)
● Research paper
● Investigative story/report.

Topics for Further Consideration

● Performing a literature review
● Data analysis techniques
● Detecting patterns and trends in research findings.

UNIT 4: CONCEPTS AND

APPLICATIONS OF INFORMATION
LITERACY
DURATION: 2 HOURS

Key Topics
● Introduction to information and information literacy
● Key concepts in information literacy
● Impact of information on societies and new skills
● Standards and applications in information literacy
● Stages of information literacy.

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Learning Objectives
After completing this unit, educators should be able to:

● Describe the role and importance of information and the need for information
literacy skills in information and knowledge societies
● Demonstrate understanding of stages/major elements of information literacy
applicable across all domains
● Identify and explore general information sources (print and electronic)
● Analyse information literacy standards
● Identify and discuss ethical and responsible uses of information tools and resources.

Concepts
The terms ‘information’, ‘information literacy’, ‘ICTs’ and ‘key skills’ for the 21st century
are in frequent use in discussions about the information and knowledge society. Citizens
require new competencies (knowledge, skills and attitudes) in order to participate. An
understanding of these terms is necessary before engaging in training and must first
begin with a clear comprehension of the concept of information. See Part 1, Curriculum
and Competency Framework and Module 1 of this curriculum for more information
about how the terms mentioned above relate to media literacy, digital literacy, social
media literacy, library skills and other terms that UNESCO groups under the umbrella
of media and information literacy.

Definition of Information
Discuss the definitions of information below:

● Information is data that have been collected, processed and interpreted so that
they can be presented in a useable form
● Information is that ‘which changes us’ (Stafford Beer, 1979)
● Information is what reaches people’s consciousness and contributes to their
knowledge (Blokdjik and Blokdijk, 1987)
● ‘Information is data that have been processed into a form that is meaningful to
the recipient and is of real or perceived value in current or prospective actions or
decisions’ (Davis and Olsen, 1984).

What do these definitions have in common? Do you think they are relevant in the
21st century? Research other definitions of information. Can you find definitions that
offer a broader description of the term? Note that information itself can serve as data,
which in turn can be processed into further information, which, if then put to use,
becomes knowledge.

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 Pedagogical Approaches and Activities
As discussed earlier in this Curriculum (Part 1) various pedagogical approaches are
possible. Please review the list in Part 1 and decide which approach to apply to the
suggested activities below and others that you may formulate.

● Define critical thinking. Discuss the role of analysis, synthesis and evaluation of
information in critical thinking. Present a meaningful and valuable case in the
context of learners’ daily lives.
● Define the term ‘information overload’ and relate it to the concept of an ‘infodemic’
wherein people struggle to distinguish information from misinformation content.

The stages/elements of information literacy include:

• Identifying/recognizing information needs

• Determining sources of information
• Locating or searching for information
• Analysing and evaluating the quality of information
• Organizing, storing or archiving information
• Using information in an ethical, efficient and effective way
• Creating and communicating new knowledge.

● Discuss, in general, the stages/elements of information literacy (see Woody Horton

Jr., 2007 Understanding Information Literacy – a Primer. Paris, UNESCO, pages
9 - 13 and Annex B).
● Have participants prepare a checklist of key skills needed at each stage/element of
the information literacy process. How does this apply in different problem-solving
contexts? How would you identify and accurately define information needed to
solve a problem or make a specific decision (e.g. ‘financial advice information to
deal with a financial problem’)?
● Sources of information can be categorized in three broad groupings: primary,
secondary and tertiary sources. Describe these sources of information to educators
and guide them to give examples of such sources.

Information Society - And Knowledge Societies

● There is a significant change in the way the world works today. Rapid technological
growth has enabled information and knowledge to become the engine of
economic, social, political and cultural life. Emerging from this phenomenon is
what has been called information society, with the objective upheld of becoming
“knowledge societies”.

• Carry out a search in your library or on the Internet on the term ‘information
society’. Describe the key assumptions underlying the information society.
Discuss the relevance of these assumptions to life and learning in today’s society.
Do the same using the term ‘knowledge society’. Note how UNESCO uses this

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 term in the plural, in order to reflect diversity. What are the perceived similarities
and differences between the two concepts, if any?
• Ask educators and learners to write what they think information literacy, including
library skills, involves, based on their own knowledge. They should also list five
reasons why having these skills is relevant to navigate today’s information society.
• Ask educators to draw a diagram with necessary annotations describing the
relationship between information, the information society, ICTs, information
overload and media and information literacy (MIL). Discuss the choice of diagram
used and how they decided to place the different concepts in certain positions.
• Discuss with educators and learners how the level of information literacy changes/
increases during our lifetimes, particularly from undergraduate to graduate and
professional levels (in a context of lifelong learning). Discuss the information and
knowledge production cycle. Analyse the role, functions and accountability of
content providers in society. Discuss how information literacy skills are developed
using ICTs.
• Describe what makes a learner information literate.
• Compare and contrast how different kinds of information are generated, their
common characteristics, and their uses and value to health and well-being, in
civil society, in the education sector and for work and economic activity.

● Research and debate one or several of the following topics:

• Information is an input to action or decision-making, and not simply a commercial

commodity (for reference, see Towards Literacy Indicators, UNESCO, 2008,
page 14).
• The provision of and access to information is a source of power and control in
society.
• Does information literacy require separate skills to those for using ICT (i.e. skills
linked to digital literacy)? For example, can people be media and information
literate in the absence of digital literacy… and vice versa?
• Discuss cultural attitudes to information. How is information viewed and
valued in your society? How do views on printed information (e.g. from the
major newspapers) compare with information appearing on screens? What is
the relationship between information and power, and print media and digital
media? What is the identity of the person(s) behind the information generated?
Is knowledge of this information important and why? Propose the following
activities to educators:
• Assess the value of information from print media (e.g. newspapers, magazines,
etc.) and the costs associated with its storage, retrieval and use. The investigation
should also address the following issues: the value of the information based
on the benefits it generates, the realistic value of the information based on its
availability or non-availability, and the consequences for users if information is
not available.

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 • Discuss how media and information literacy skills are relevant for combating
diseases, enhancing employment opportunities or improving a teacher’s
classroom pedagogical practices.
• Using either the Internet or a library or both, identify a problem or issue to
investigate in one of the following areas: civic education, science, social studies,
history, or geography. Present the results of your research using presentation
software. After the presentation, reflect on the following: How did you select what
you wanted to present from the wide variety of information available on the topic?
What did you want more information on that you could not access, and how
did this affect your presentation? Finally, did you transform the information you
gathered to apply to your particular context? How and why?

Assessment & Recommendations

● Written examinations
● Essays, reflection and reaction papers to lectures, case studies, audiovisual
presentations/viewings
● Participation in group learning activities
● Production of information-education-communication materials (e.g. posters,
brochures, infographics, social media cards, vlogs)
● Research paper
● Investigative story/report.

UNIT 5: LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS

AND INFORMATION LITERACY
DURATION: 3 HOURS

Key Topics
● The Big 6 – guide to information problem-solving in six stages
● Using libraries
● Learning environments and content providers.

Learning Objectives
After completing this unit, educators should be able to:

● Understand the differences between information transmission and information for

learning.
● Describe and demonstrate understanding of key aspects of organizing information,
i.e. using classification schemes to locate information and knowledge (e.g. library
collection classifications, indexes, abstracts, bibliographies, databases, etc.).

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● Use a library effectively for learning – evaluating the opportunities a library presents
for researching a specific topic or issue.
● Apply the Big 6 stages for information problem-solving.

Pedagogical Approaches and Activities

As discussed earlier in this Curriculum (Part 1) various pedagogical approaches are
possible. Please review the list in Part 1 and decide which approach to apply to the
suggested activities below and others that you may formulate.

● Ask educators to consider the following six-stage framework for information

literacy and information problem-solving (for a more detailed description of the
framework, see the table at the end of this unit):

• Task definition: define the information problem and identify the information
needed
• Information-seeking strategies: determine all possible sources and select the
best sources
• Locate and access: locate sources and find information within the sources
• Use of information: engage (e.g. read, hear, view, touch) and extract relevant
information
• Synthesis: organize information from multiple sources and present the information
• Evaluation: judge the product (effectiveness) and the process (efficiency).

● Compare this to other information cycle taxonomies, such as the process provided
by Woody Horton, Jr. (2007) or Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy for information literacy.
Do you agree that the six stages in the Big 6 form the core elements of information
literacy? If not, what would you add and why? Do you think these six stages occur
in a neat sequential order as presented?
● Now guide educators through each stage of the information problem-solving
process in the table shown at the end of the unit and ensure that they invest
sufficient time to address all the topics/questions outlined in the table.

• Access a journal in print or electronic format in the library from your learning space
(or in the main library in your city or town) concerning the topic of education (e.g.
educator education, special education, comparative education, etc.). Identify an
issue that you wish to learn more about in the journal. Summarize the key findings
or arguments of the articles. How useful is the information for your professional
practice as an educator? Is the information applicable in your country context? If
so, how would you use this information?
• Participants meet with a librarian in their learning space and discuss the
information skills they need to ensure they are equipped to make full use of the
library. Set tasks that require learners to use the full range of resources in the
library, and get them to compare the information they have acquired in the library
with other sources (e.g. the Internet) and evaluate their usefulness in terms of the
task specifications.

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 • Evaluate a school environment for its information literacy needs and make specific
recommendations that would enhance the information literacy of learners.
• The Big 6 and information problem-solving: use information resources in the
library to explore a topical or current affairs issue (e.g. voting rights, democracy,
HIV/AIDS, etc.). Apply the Big 6 stages to explore this topic.
• Discuss the possibility of setting up a radio in a library. It could be an online
radio or one that broadcasts on the spectrum. Guide a brainstorming about this
possible project. Plan a discussion with the competent authorities and develop
an action plan. How do you think a radio in a library could be used creatively to
stimulate access to information and learning? What are some pros and cons?
• Use the Internet to access information on a topic of interest and present the
information (textual or numerical) in a table or graphical format. Compare the
amount, quality and usefulness of the information from your library resources
with the information from the Internet.
• Write an essay on how the use of radio or mobile phone technology is changing
the face of information generation and use in your country. Deliver your findings
as a presentation or share them online after careful validation with your peers
or experts.

TABLE 3.2: SIX-STAGE FRAMEWORK FOR INFORMATION LITERACY AND

INFORMATION PROBLEM-SOLVING

STAGES TOPICS/QUESTIONS

What do I want to find out?

Stage 1
What problem am I trying to solve?
Defining
Do I understand the nature of the problem or the topic being researched?
information
Can I clearly define my information needs or the problem?
needs or
What prior knowledge do I have about the subject?
problems
How much information do I want on the subject?
How much time do I have to find this information?
Where should I look for the information? Educators should be guided as to the best
sources for certain types of information and why. Depending upon the context,
these may include (i) primary sources, which are original sources, where information
is not interpreted, such as research reports, sales receipts, speeches, e-mails,
Stage 2 original artwork, manuscripts, photos, diaries, personal letters, spoken stories/
Information- interviews or diplomatic records; (ii) secondary sources, provided by content
seeking providers, where information has been interpreted, analysed or summarized (e.g.
strategies scholarly books, journals, magazines, criticism or interpretations; and (iii) tertiary
sources, which include compilations, indexes, or other organized sources (e.g.
abstracts, bibliographies, handbooks, encyclopaedias, indexes, chronologies,
databases, etc.). Do I search the physical library, the Internet (including digital
libraries), museums, archives, etc.?
Who can I ask for help?

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STAGES TOPICS/QUESTIONS

Here educators should be guided on how to effectively search for information in

the sources mentioned in Stage 2. This should include: 1) Tips for searching the
Internet, including general searching and specialized searching on a particular
field (e.g. learners’ country); understanding domain names (e.g. .edu, .gov, .org,
etc.), searching the web for pictures and sound (audio and video), and searching
academic websites (e.g. via GoogleScholar); 2) using the index and table of
contents effectively in a book, and searching within different electronic formats,
Stage 3
such as PDF files, etc.; 3) using libraries (searching library catalogues, periodicals,
Locate and
indexes and abstracts and reference books); 4) searching databases (examples
access
of popular databases such as AGRICOLA, AGRIS/CARIS, EBSCO or Expanded
Academic ASAP, and others in the learners’ country or region); database search
tips (key word searches, identifying synonyms and spelling variations, searching
by subject or author, combining key words such as ‘and’, ‘or’ and ‘not’, using
truncation and wildcards, and searching by limits, such as date, language,
publication type and peer-reviewed works); and 5) using RSS feed to receive the
information you need automatically.
Stage 4
Evaluation criteria necessary to assess/validate the reliability, authenticity or quali-
Critical
ty of information from books, website, other online sources, etc.
evaluation
What is a synthesis?
What is my synthesis of the gathered information? How does this relate to the
Stage 5
problem I want to solve?
Synthesis
How do I effectively organize relevant information from multiple sources?
How do I present the information? What tools are available? What tools do I need?
Stage 6 Applying the information, I have located to solve my problem.
Information Referencing/tracking sources, using available bibliography/reference tools, such
use, as zotex, refwork, etc.
sharing and Tools available for sharing, distributing and cooperating with others who have sim-
distribution ilar information needs or problems (e.g. Google Documents, wikis, Slash, etc.).Un-
derstanding copyrights and plagiarism.

Assessment & Recommendations

● Written examinations
● Essays, reflection and reaction papers to lectures, case studies, audiovisual
presentations/viewings
● Participation in group learning activities
● Production of information-education-communication materials (e.g. posters,
brochures, infographics, social media cards, vlogs)
● Research paper
● Investigative story/report.

Topics for Further Consideration

● Relating the Big 6 to the media and digital environment
● Review e-ARTISTS model of MIL2
● Other information processing models.

2. [Link]
c1ef7f56f5488f9f471f2

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 UNIT 6: MORE ON DIGITAL
INFORMATION PROCESSING
DURATION: 3 HOURS

Key Topics
● The nature of online information
● Exploring computer hardware and software
● Copyright laws in the digital information age
● Protecting computer software and electronic data
● Digital services, including machine translation, speech to text and audio
transcription; Learning via the Internet (i.e. e-learning)
● Digital preservation and digital formats.

Learning Objectives
After completing this unit, educators should be able to:

● Describe digital vs analogue information, including the creation, storage,

transportation, distribution and preservation phases of digital vs analogue
information
● Use the basic features of productivity tools for word processing, file storage,
access to remote information sources, and interpersonal communication
● Use information technology to re-define many aspects of academic and personal
experience
● Understand and apply copyright laws including creative commons and copyright
licensing
● Search online using relevant techniques (search engines, subject directories and
gateways)
● Understand the role of content providers (e.g. as libraries, museums and archives)
in preserving digital information and challenges for preservation with digital
communications companies.

MIL and ICTs

Storing information in a digital format enables it to be accessed using a wide range
of devices, unlike many forms of analogue information. Increased accessibility
makes digitalization of information particularly important, and also underlines
the need for digital skills to be learnt alongside information skills. Essentially,
media and information literacy includes analysing, locating, organizing,
evaluating, creating and using information through digital technology. Discuss
the advantages and disadvantages of information in a digital format (effective
transmission, storage, search, manipulation, cross compatibility, etc.).

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Pedagogical Approaches
As discussed earlier in this Curriculum (Part 1) various pedagogical approaches are
possible. Please review the list in Part 1 and decide which approach to apply to the
suggested activities below and others that you may formulate.

● If educators or learners have limited or no knowledge of computers and software,

plan a series of computer lab sessions (physical or virtual). Guide the participant
to become familiar with the basics of hardware, software, networks and servers.
This could also include basic keyboard and mouse skills, file types and filing.
Participants should also be exposed to the basics of open-source software and
low-cost technology. Provide educators with a list of proprietary software and
popular computer hardware devices. Ask educators to search the Internet and
list at least two examples of free open-source software and low-cost computer
hardware devices with similar functionalities to each of the proprietary tools
selected. Critically assess the possible advantages and disadvantages of each.
● Mobile phones raise distinctive issues about their use in finding, viewing, organizing
and storing information.

Note that Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning are two of the most advanced
ways to store and process information, and to take decisions or aid in decision-making.
Learn more information on these topics in Module 11.

Activities
● Search the Internet and other online resources, such as databases and e-libraries,
to gather information on a specific research topic. Reduce the information sources
to fit the purpose of your search. Look for keywords, logical operations (e.g. ‘and’,
‘or’, ‘and’) and determine which work best and why.
● Produce an activity plan or a set of activities to get participants to use various
digital media resources to prepare a project, assessment, or homework. Discuss
features provided by new technologies for people with disabilities to access
digital information (e.g. web accessibility and the creation of digital documents in
accessible formats).
● Study an Internet site used to deliver a course on teacher education or any other
educational programme. Review how this information is organized and accessed
on the site. What online digital information resources are being used? How are
digital resources integrated with course materials? Practice using this site and
discuss how useful it could be to learning and what the limitations are. Discuss the
advantages and disadvantages.
● Visit various ‘blogs’ and ‘wikis’, which are put together by individuals or a
collaboration of individuals. What kind of information exchange is happening on
these online media? What purpose does the information serve? Who provides the
information? What do you think their motivations and motives are?

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 ● Visit an educational wiki site and analyse how it delivers its course or curriculum.
Set up a wiki site on a topical issue in education (e.g. improving reading and
basic numeracy skills in early primary school). Organize a discussion forum for
an educator training assignment on the wiki, and review the benefits and limits of
sharing information using this platform.
● Experiment writing a blog on a topic related to education in your country. This should
be a topical issue that will attract interest and response (e.g. improving educational
access at primary or secondary level for the poorest in society, diversifying access
to information for learners to improve quality of learning, why the poor are getting
poorer in an age of increasing knowledge and information, etc.).
● Discuss which digital information, from learners’ point of view, should be preserved?
What are the major selection criteria and available technical solutions, and how can
sustainability be ensured? What are other aspects of this preservation issue?
● Identify international instruments and programmes for the preservation of digital
information (e.g. UNESCO Charter on the Preservation of Digital Heritage, digital
archiving and preservation guidelines; UNESCO’s PERSIST project, UNESCO’s
Information for All Programme [IFAP]).
● Visit the World Heritage Library website, and the Memory of the World Programme
website, [Link] Discuss how documentary
heritage is relevant to critical thinking, information verification, biases,
representation, and media and information literacy in general.
● Discuss the importance of preservation and promotion of documentary heritage
within the context of a natural disaster, such as an earthquake in a country, and
discuss the work to be done by archivists from the National Archives of that country.
Find an article that illustrates a situation in the country after that natural disaster.
● Ask learners why web archiving is needed and how it is done.
● Discuss the challenges of data portability such as the one’s ability to retrieve,
store and reuse one’s content posted on social media , and what it would take
for there to be inter-operable interfaces between different services and also to
be able to withdraw and transfer all one’s personal data between such services
should one so choose.

Assessment & Recommendations

● Written examinations
● Essays, reflection and reaction papers to lectures, case studies, audiovisual
presentations/viewings
● Participation in group learning activities
● Production of information-education-communication materials (e.g. posters,
brochures, infographics, social media cards, vlogs)
● Research paper
● Investigative story/report.

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Module 3: Research, Information Cycle, Digital Information Processing, Intellectual Property
UNIT 7: INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
AND AUTHORSHIP RECOGNITION
DURATION: 3 HOURS

Key Topics
● Definition of intellectual property
● Different types of intellectual property
● Different types of laws which protect various types intellectual property.

Learning Objectives
● To understand the meaning of intellectual property
● To understand the difference between authorship and ownership
● To be able to understand the different types of intellectual property.

Copyright Issues
● Information sources are, even if they are open access, subject to intellectual
property. Users have to acknowledge authorship and follow bibliographic standards
that vary according to each discipline and even at institutions. Lack of respect for
intellectual property is often deemed piracy. When writing one can use software
that helps to keep academic integrity. There are often paid-subscription programs.
Some are available free of charge.
● Issues surrounding intellectual property are often very complicated and among
the most debated issues today. The situation is further more complicated by the
widespread use of digital media. The situations and laws which organize intellectual
property vary between countries. In many traditions, although contractual
agreements may affect the situation, the intellectual property of a piece of work
belongs to its author. This means that works are automatically protected and
therefore formal registration is not necessary in order to recognize and respect the
authorship of these works. Generally speaking, intellectual property is any product
of the human intellect that the law protects from unauthorized use by others. The
ownership of intellectual property inherently creates a limited monopoly in the
protected property.
● It is also important to distinguish between two terms commonly used in this
respect; ownership and authorship. An author writes a manuscript and sells (i.e.,
“assigns”) the ownership rights to a publishing company. The author has thereby
given up at least some property rights to that manuscript.
● Below are listed four often identified types of intellectual property rights and
protections. Securing the correct protection for intellectual property is important,
which is why consulting a legal expert can be useful. There is much debate about

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Module 3: Research, Information Cycle, Digital Information Processing, Intellectual Property
 whether the public interest should override corporate copyright, including the
length of the period of protection. The four common categories of intellectual
property protection include:

Trade Secrets
Trade secrets refer to specific, private information that is important to a business
because it gives the business a competitive advantage in its marketplace. If a trade
secret is acquired by another company, it could harm the original holder. Examples of
trade secrets include recipes for certain foods and beverages , new inventions, software,
processes and even different marketing strategies. When a person or business holds a
trade secret protection, others do not have the right to copy or steal the idea. In order
to establish information as a trade secret, and incur the legal protections associated
with trade secrets, businesses must actively behave in a manner that demonstrates
their desire to protect the information.

Trade secrets are protected without official registration; however, an owner of a trade
secret whose rights are breached – i.e. someone steals their trade secret – may ask
a court to act against that individual or business and prevent them from using the
trade secret.

Patents
As defined by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), a patent is a type of
limited-duration protection that can be used to protect inventions (or discoveries)
that are new, non-obvious, and useful, such a new process, machine, article of
manufacture, or other composition of matter. When a property owner holds a patent,
others are prevented under law from offering for sale, making, or using the product
without authorization.

Copyrights
Copyrights and patents are not the same things, although they are often confused. A
copyright is a type of intellectual property protection that protects original works of
authorship, which might include literary works, music, art, and more. Today, copyrights
also protect computer software and architecture. Copyright protections are automatic;
once you create something, it is yours until/unless you waive or transfer the right or
certain aspects of it. While copyright is often enforceable by law, an influential voluntary
set of norms for the condition of use and reuse of content has emerged, known as
Creative Commons. However, if rights under copyright protections are infringed and
there is a wish of the copyright holder to file a lawsuit, then registration of the copyright
will be necessary.

Trademarks
The fourth type of intellectual property protection is a trademark protection. Remember,
patents are used to protect inventions and discoveries and copyrights are used to
protect expressions of ideas and creations, like art and writing. Trademarks, then, refer
to phrases, words, or symbols that distinguish the source of a product or services of
one party from another. For example, the Nike symbol–which nearly all could easily

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Module 3: Research, Information Cycle, Digital Information Processing, Intellectual Property
recognize and identify–is a type of trademark. While patents and copyrights can expire,
trademark rights come from the use of the trademark, and therefore can be held
indefinitely. Like a copyright, registration of a trademark is not required, but registering
can offer additional advantages.

● This unit activities mainly rely on the interactivity between educators and learners.
Guide learners to research, present and discuss examples according to the
following issues:

• The meaning of intellectual property

• The differences between authorship and ownership
• The different types of intellectual property
• Examples of different types of intellectual property
• Example of breaches of intellectual property rights
• Fair use of intellectual property
• World Intellectual Property Organization and other relevant entities/organizations.

Assessment & Recommendations

● Written examinations
● Essays, reflection and reaction papers to lectures, case studies, audiovisual
presentations/viewings
● Participation in group learning activities
● Production of information-education-communication materials (e.g. posters,
brochures, infographics, social media cards, vlogs)
● Research paper
● Investigative story/report.

Topics for Further Consideration

● International standards for intellectual property rights laws
● Technology transfer
● Moral rights
● Understanding the balance of traditional intellectual property rights and open
access initiatives.

Resources for this Module:

Anderson, R. (2018). Scholarly Communication: What Everyone Needs to Know.
Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Arevik Avedian (2014). Survey Design, Harvard Law School, 1-34 [Link]
[Link]/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Arevik-Avedian-Survey-Design-
[Link]

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 Association of College & Research Libraries, (2016). Framework for Information Literacy,
[Link]

Badke, W. (2017). Research Strategies. Bloomington: iUniverse.

Bruce B. F. (2018). The Sage Encyclopedia of Educational Research, Measurement,

and Evaluation.

Bitange Ndemo & Tim Weiss (2017). Making Sense of Africa’s Emerging Digital
Transformation and its Many Futures, Africa Journal of Management, 3:3-4, 328-347,
DOI: 10.1080/23322373.2017.1400260

Check, J. and Schutt, R. K. (2011). Research Methods in Education, SAGE Publications,

1-27, [Link]

Dainik, S. (2019), “Questionnaire Surveys in Media Research”, [Link]

edu/40048140/QUESTIONNAIRE_SURVEYS_IN_MEDIA_RESEARCH

Gaunt, J., Morgan, N., Somers, R., Soper, R., and Swain, E. (2007). Handbook for
Teaching Information Literacy. Cardiff, Cardiff University.

Google (2020). Google Search Operators. ([Link]

operators_reference.html).

Information and Digital Literacy Tutorials: [Link] This

site discusses features for information and digital literacy. It also provides links to other
websites and various resources.

Kebede, G. (2004). The information needs of end-users of sub-Saharan Africa in the

digital information environment. International Information & Library Review, 36(3), 273-
279. doi:10.1080/10572317.2004.10762644

MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) Libraries (2020). Database Tips. https://

[Link]/[Link]?g=175963&p=1158594

Myers, G. (2017). Principles of Intellectual Property Law. USA: West Academic

Publishing.

Owens, L. (2002), Introduction to Survey Research Designer, 1-19 [Link]

[Link]/publication/253282490_INTRODUCTION_TO_SURVEY_
RESEARCH_DESIGN

The Social Dilemma (film, 2020), [Link]

srsg_0

Tayie, S. (2013), Media Research Methods. Cairo: Cairo University Press.

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Tayie, S. (2005). Research Methods and Writing Research. Center for Advancement of
Post-Graduate Studies and Research in Engineering Sciences, Faculty of Engineering,
Cairo University.(pp1-136). [Link]
courses/[Link]

UNESCO. (2008). Towards Information Literacy Indicators – conceptual framework

paper. Paris, UNESCO.

[Link] This website features a wealth of resources relating to the stages

of information literacy.

Wimmer, R.D., Dominick, J.R. (2014). Mass Media Research: An Introduction. Boston,
Mass: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.

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“… the States Parties to this Constitution, believing
in full and equal opportunities for education for all,
in the unrestricted pursuit of objective truth, and
in the free exchange of ideas and knowledge, are
agreed and determined to develop and to increase
the means of communication between their peoples
and to employ these means for the purposes of
mutual understanding and a truer and more perfect
knowledge of each other’s lives…”

– Extract from UNESCO Constitution

“Media and information literacy is an essential

dimension of moral and civic education. It is also a
fundamental right of every citizen, in any country of
the world, and thus it enables everyone to protect
their privacy and find their place in a society whose
technological environment is changing faster and
faster.”

– Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO,

at the International Consultative Meeting on
Media and Information Literacy Curricula,
on 13 September 2019, in Belgrade, Serbia

9 789231 004483