Bridging the Digital Divide Enhancing Media and Information Literacy

  

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

This is the last  installment of the State of the Media and Information Literacy in the Philippines series. This article explains how the digital divide in the Philippines, especially in rural areas, hampers Media and Information Literacy (MIL). It will discuss how unequal internet access and digital literacy disparities exacerbate this issue and the steps needed to bridge the gap.

As stated in the previous article, the income disparities of Filipino households also lead to a stark contrast of digital disparities. This divide does not only limit access to information but also hinders the development of critical MIL skills, essential for the utilization of today's media-rich environment. Below, we explore the factors contributing to this divide and how they impact MIL in the country.

Unequal Internet Access

In the Philippines, the disparity in internet access between urban and rural areas is a significant contributor to the digital divide. Urban centers boast more extensive internet infrastructure and connectivity. For example, Metro Manila enjoys the highest internet access rate at 32.3%. This reflects a concentrated investment in urban areas. In contrast, many rural regions struggle with limited or unreliable internet access which leaves large populations disconnected from the digital world.

Furthermore, income inequality exacerbates the digital divide. More affluent households are more likely to afford high-speed internet and modern digital devices. Meanwhile, poorer households face challenges in accessing even the most basic digital services.

Sadly, access to fixed broadband surged only among the wealthiest 40% of the population, while marginal improvements are seen among the poorest, illustrating the widening gap in digital access.

This stems from the inaccessibility and the expensive infrastructure set up in the Philippines. It is cheaper for internet companies to focus on urban areas rather than rural areas. In this case, the government should invest heavily in infrastructure in far-flung places to improve the said conditions

Negative Impacts on Education

The failure to resolve this digital infrastructure leads to the repercussions of this digital divide. It negatively impacts the educational sector. Students from rural and poor areas face significant barriers in adopting digital learning tools since they either cannot afford digital devices or internet connectivity is also inaccessible. These tools could have improved the ability of students to critically analyze media content and use information effectively. Without reliable internet, these students are often left out of online education opportunities.

A good example of said discrepancies was greatly seen during the COVID–19 pandemic. The more well-off students rely on online classes while the poorer students have to rely on paper modules to get by. The difference? The former gets proper instruction while the latter fends for himself.

Exacerbating MIL Disparities

If this trend continues, the digital divide will significantly restrict access to diverse sources of information. Students from poorer communities have limited access to the internet and they often rely on fewer and sometimes biased sources of information. This situation limits their ability to critically evaluate media content.

On the other hand, the disparities in internet access and digital literacy directly contribute to unequal educational outcomes. Wealthier students, with better access to digital tools and resources, are more likely to develop strong MIL skills. Unlike their economically challenged counterparts, they may fall behind. As a result, a perpetuates a cycle of inequality that affects their ability to engage critically with media and information.

If these groups have different sources of information, they may have polarized views on what is right and what is wrong since they cannot agree on the correctness of the facts they have learned.

Policy and Infrastructure: Bridging the Gap

To address these disparities, it requires a comprehensive approach. It starts with significant investments in digital infrastructure. The Philippine government must prioritize expanding broadband coverage to rural areas so that every Filipino has access to the Internet. Additionally, targeted educational policies that promote digital literacy across all regions are essential. This includes comprehensive teacher training programs that equip educators with the skills necessary to teach MIL effectively. The teachers should also be well compensated and well-subsidized for said digital technologies.

Meanwhile, community-based initiatives are also encouraged to step in to overcome cultural barriers. By engaging local communities and raising awareness about the importance of digital literacy, these programs can foster a more inclusive approach to technology adoption.

Conclusion

The digital divide in the Philippines presents a significant challenge to achieving widespread Media and Information Literacy (MIL), particularly in the rural and poor areas. Unequal access to the internet and varying levels of digital literacy exacerbate these disparities, impacting educational outcomes and limiting opportunities for critical engagement with media and information. Addressing these challenges requires a multi-faceted approach, including investments in digital infrastructure, targeted educational policies, and community engagement. Bridging this gap can ensure that the Philippines has equitable access to MIL resources, empowering all its citizens to thrive in the digital age.

𝐏anawagan para sa mga Kalahok sa ika-2 Pandaigdigang Kumperensiya sa Nanganganib na Wika

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

Inaanyayahan ng Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF) ang publiko na lumahok sa Ikalawang Pandaigdigang Kumperensiya sa Nanganganib na Wika (2nd International Conference on Language Endangerment) na may temang Pagbibigay-lakas sa mga Katutubong Mamamayan tungo sa Pagpapasigla ng mga Wika (Empowering Indigenous Peoples towards Revitalizing the Languages). Gaganapin ito sa 9-11 Oktubre 2024, 8:00nu–5:00nh sa Pamantasang Normal ng Pilipinas, Maynila.

Layunin ng Kumperensiya na mabigyang-lakas at kakayahan ang mga katutubong mamamayan o indigenous peoples (IP) sa pamamagitan ng kanilang pakikisangkot sa pagbuo ng mga patakaran, programa, at pananaliksik para sa pangangalaga ng kanilang wika.  Kinikilala ng ICLE 2024 ang angking kakayahan at kakanyahan ng mga IP sa pangangalaga ng kanilang sariling wika at kultura.  Sa International Decade of Indigenous Languages (IDIL) 2022-2032 Global Action Plan (GAP), tinukoy ang mga IP bilang isa mga key targets na pangkat na mahalagang maisangkot sa mga gawaing pangwika.

Kabilang sa mga magiging plenaryong tagapanayam sina Dr. Anna Belew, Endangered Languages Project; Dr. Siripen Ungsitipoonporn, Mahidol University; Jesus Federico C. Hernandez, University of the Philippines; Dr.  John Amtalao, De La Salle University; Dr. Voltaire M. Villanueva, Philippine Normal University; Rande C. Bayate, SILDAP; Frederick Barcelo, Bugkalot Old Testament Translator; Dr. Felipe P. Jocano Jr, University of the Philippines; at Tagapangulong Arthur P. Casanova, Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino.

Bukás ang rehistrasyon sa publiko para sa isandaan at limampung (150) kalahok lamang.  Narito ang halaga ng rehistrasyon:

■ PHP1,500 – mga magbabasa ng papel-pananaliksik

■ PHP2,000 – di-gradwadong mag-aaral

■ PHP2,000 – Direktor ng mga KWF Sentro ng Wika at Kultura 

■ PHP2,400 – PWD/Senior Citizen

■ PHP2,500 – early bird rate

■ PHP3,000 – regular rate (local at foreigner)

Para sa detalye ng rehistrasyon at pagbabayad, i-click ang link na nasa ibaba, https://sites.google.com/view/icle2024/rehistrasyon

Maaari ding i-fill-out ang form ng aplikasyon sa link na nasa ibaba, https://bit.ly/ICLE-rehistrasyon_kalahok 

Mahigpit na ipinagbabawal ang walk-in at tanging rehistradong kalahok lang ang tatanggapin. Ang deadline ng pagbabayad ay hanggang sa 30 Setyembre 2024 lamang. Makukuha ang Opisyal na Resibo sa mismong araw ng Kumperensiya.

Para sa mga katanungan at iba pang detalye ay mangyaring makipag-ugnayan sa icle2024.ph@gmail.com o numerong +63976-4820514.

Encouraging Teachers for Media and Information Literacy in the Philippines

  

In the second installment of the four-part series of Media and Information Literacy Education in the Philippine Classrooms. This article delves into how the Philippines is preparing teachers for Media and Information Literacy (MIL). This also tackles about current challenges, innovative training programs, and strategies to empower educators.

For nations to succeed in the global digital revolution, media and information literacy (MIL) is the educational bedrock that we need right now. The Philippines recognizes this opportunity. They integrated MIL education into its K-12 curriculum. However, in the previous article, we know for a fact that there is a digital divide and infrastructure issues to make MIL accessible.

In this article, we’ll dive into the human resource part of the equation – the teachers. The success of this initiative rests in their hands. Sadly, the government is not making enough effort to ensure that every teacher is well-equipped and well-prepared in the digital golden age.

In the following section, we will discuss the importance of teacher empowerment, and the solutions to make our teachers proficient in MIL.

The Need for Teacher Empowerment

It is the first step that the Philippines integrated MIL into its curriculum. Nonetheless, there are still significant gaps in teacher readiness. Many teachers feel ill-equipped to teach MIL effectively primarily due to insufficient training and resources.

We have to understand that MIL is a new subject that has been introduced to meet the demands of the digital world. Hence, the information is relatively new and not yet effectively democratized. This explains why teachers are ill-prepared. Aside from the content component problem, they also need to be trained on the execution component.

What exacerbates this problem is that they also lack the resources to avail technologies that will train them to be MIL proficient. It is not reasonable for them to shoulder all the burden of this initiative where in fact they are not being paid enough in their current role. It is clear that our educators need more support.

A Two-Pronged Approach to Teacher Training

To empower our teachers, we need a robust approach to their training. This means comprehensive initial preparation. This covers teaching them the basics of MIL and effective strategies. Furthermore, we must also provide ongoing professional development, keeping them up-to-date with the latest teaching methods and technology trends.

Continuous Learning for Educators

Think of it like a continuous learning journey for our teachers. Workshops, seminars, and peer learning groups can all help them hone their skills and stay ahead of the curve. This constant engagement ensures that oureducators remain confident and capable in this ever-changing digital landscape.

Understand that the digital landscape is also continuously evolving. Hence, there are new trends that teachers must learn in order to keep up. So, failure to finance their ongoing training for MIL will make Filipino students further left behind compared to their international counterparts who are investing in MIL.

In addition, teachers are the main actors in making the whole system effective. Contents of the MIL instruction could be obsolete down the line but the pattern recognition and the skills that these teachers will develop over time will not. So, we must invest in teacher education in MIL instruction.

Engaging Pedagogy for MIL

Effective MIL training isn't just about lectures. It's about fostering critical thinking and real-world problem-solving. We need to use a variety of teaching methods like inquiry-based learning, case studies, and even simulations. This makes MIL more engaging and relatable for students.

Now, this is a challenge for the whole educational system in the Philippines where rote memorization is the key component of instruction and assessment. For years, students have demanded to memorize rather than scrutinize the facts that they dealt with. For example, history lessons make you memorize dates and the persons involved. What they should be teaching is why the event took place, whether should it have taken place and what are wegoing to do to prevent it from happening again.

This should be the norm in teaching MIL. Students must be taught how to scrutinize the credibility and accuracy of the medium they are going to consume. Then, they must use critical thinking skills like inference and drawing conclusions based on their context and other perspective.

What we’re saying is the pedagogy for MIL should not be rote memorization but analytical thinking.

Investing in Teachers, Investing in the Future

The key message here is if we invest in our teachers, we invest in our students. They should be given support through comprehensive training and ongoing development. The end result is that the next generation has the critical thinking skills to withstand our complex media environment. The future of MIL education in the Philippines is bright, and it all starts with empowering our teachers.