Media & Learning Conference 2014 The UNESCO Global Media and Information Literacy Assessment Framework By Georges Boade g.boade@unesco.org 19-21 November- Brussels (Belgium)

Content: The Information Knowledge Societies and the role of UNESCO 21st century skills and challenges: Work place Education Citizen’s daily functioning Technological transformations UNESCO global MIL assessment framework: What is it about? Why is it important? How to assess? Current status of the UNESCO’s role with regard to MIL assessment 59 GPE countries out of which 27 are in Arica 4 in Latin America X in Asia and Pacific 1 Arab States X in other

Building inclusive Knowledge and Information Societies: Role of UNESCO UNESCO works to create inclusive knowledge societies and empower local communities by increasing: access to, preservation of, and sharing of Information and knowledge in all of UNESCO’s domains of competence (Communication, Education, Science and Culture). To build Knowledge societies, the work of UNESCO is built on four pillars : freedom of expression universal access to information and knowledge respect for cultural and linguistic diversity and quality education for all.

IFAP and IPDC, two UNESCO international programmes established in 2001. International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC): A multilateral forum in the UN system designed to mobilize the international community to discuss and promote media development in developing countries. Priorities: Promotion of freedom of expression and media pluralism: work to promote a safe environment for journalists and media workers, and on creating a pluralistic media environment through the development of community-based media, due to its capacity to give a voice to marginalized sectors of society, and encourage transparency of administration at local level. Capacity development for journalists, media managers and journalism educators/trainers Innovation in convergence and integration of legacy (traditional) news media and new trends in communication: IPDC has a key role to play in assisting the transition from stand-alone analogue media platforms to the new networked and more pluralistic communications era. IPDC promotes Knowledge-driven Media Development, through supporting innovative projects and drawing lessons from each experience to create a continuous learning cycle.

IFAP and IPDC, two UNESCO international programmes established in 2001. Information for All Programme (IFAP) IFAP was created to provide a platform for international policy discussions and the development of guidelines for action in the area of access to information and knowledge; for the participation of all in the information knowledge societies. Under the IFAP Strategic Plan (2008 – 2013), priority is being given to supporting the needs of Member States in 6 inter-disciplinary areas, namely: Information Access Information for Development Information Ethics Information (and Media) Literacy Information Preservation Multilingualism. Creation of the Information Society Observatory in 2009 which provides access to a range of up-to-date policy papers and strategies, book reviews, trends and other resources in the IFAP priority areas. It is managed and maintained by Budapest University of Technology and Economics Information Society and Trend Research Institute (ITTK)

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Some UNESCO publications in the area of media and information literacy Media Development Indicators: A framework for assessing media development, 2008 Assessments based on qualitative approach finalized in more than 40 countries Media statistics data collection instruments tested in 55 countries in 2012 by UIS A guidebook of media indicators published in 2013 by UIS Combination of both qualitative and quantitative tools in future MDI assessments Global Media and Information Literacy Assessment Framework, 2013 Ongoing work in collaboration between UNESCO HQ, UIS and UNESCO Santiago to develop a bank of items Plan to integrate some items in the future regional students assessment in LAC countries Other publications: Media and Information Literacy policy and strategy guidelines, 2013 Media and Information literacy curriculum for teachers, 2011 UNESCO ICT competency framework for teachers, 2011

Emerging new skills

Emerging new skills At work place Familiarity with ICTs Collaboration skills MIL

Emerging new skills In education Teachers: techno pedagogical competencies and MIL Students: MIL (including ICT/digital literacy, a transversal competence Linkage of educational products to the job market requirements Global shift in the educational paradigms, from teacher centered to learner centered Priority on lifelong learning, collaboration skills, pedagogical integration of ICTs, etc, command the transformation of the traditional teaching-learning process, hence what to assess and the way learners should be assessed Post‐2015 agenda presents two new issues: learning outcomes and equity.

Emerging new skills In daily functioning Any citizen should be able to perform basic operations through a diverse range of media: communication (explosion of mobile phone in dev. Countries), banking, shopping online or on site with a credit card, filtering information received in the mailbox by reading and evaluating, communicate with other members by creating messages and information that can be sent through a given platform, dealing with big data, accessing and transforming data received from print and broadcast media, internet and other media platforms to take an informed decision, etc.

Emerging new skills: the 21st century skills Four categories (Griffin et al., 2012; pages 18/19): Cat 1: Ways of Thinking 1. Creativity and innovation 2. Critical thinking, problem solving, decision making 3. Learning to learn, Metacognition Cat 2: Ways of Working 4. Communication 5. Collaboration (teamwork) Cat 3: Tools for Working 6. Information literacy 7. ICT literacy Cat 4: Living in the World 8. Citizenship – local and global 9. Life and career 10. Personal and social responsibility – including cultural awareness and competence

The UNESCO Global Media and Information Literacy Assessment Framework

Definition of the MIL concept MIL is defined as a set of competencies that empowers citizens to access, retrieve, understand, evaluate and use, create, as well as share: information and media content in all formats, using various tools, in a critical, ethical and effective way, in order to participate and engage in personal, professional and societal activities (P.17).

Structure of UNESCO MIL framework: A two tiers approach based on context and individuals’ levels Rationale: Data collected should be used for planning purposes: intervention and allocation of resources- data need to cover appropriate policy decision variables To understand the individuals performances according to their context and living conditions (multilevel analysis approach) The authentic assessments should be adapted to the available resources and infrastructures

A two tiers approach- Tiers 1 Tiers 1: Contextual information/country readiness Media and information in education Media and information literacy policy Media and information supply Media and information access and use Civil society These contextual data are instrumental for several reasons, e.g: to take into consideration the impact of contextual profiles on the performances of the individuals to identify equity issues across different geographic areas of a given country to provide information that can explain differences in the performances between countries for an international analytical report, etc.

A two tiers approach: Tiers 2 (Annex E, p.129-136) Tiers 2: Individuals’ competencies 3 components: Access, Evaluation and Creation 12 competencies and 113 performance criteria

Tiers 2: Access 4 competencies and 36 performance criteria : Definition and articulation of a need for information Search and location of information and media content Access to information, media content and information providers Retrieval and holding/storage/retention of information and media content

Tiers 2: Evaluation 4 competencies and 42 performance criteria : Understanding of information and media Assessment of information and media content, and media and information providers Evaluation of media content, and media and information providers Organization of media and information content

Tiers 2: Creation 4 competencies and 35 performance criteria: Creation of knowledge and creative expression Communication of information, media content and knowledge in an ethical and effective manner through the media and ICTs Participating in societal-public activities as active citizen Monitoring influence of information, media content, knowledge production and use, as well as media and other information providers

How to assess MIL competencies? A parallel set of activities as the standard process for a National Assessment of Educational Achievement. Two initial questions: What’s the national institution to initiate the project? For students assessments, in general the Ministry of education or related entities Are there national technical capacities to conduct the project? Appointment of the implementing agency.

The entity to lead the project and the implementing agency will perform the following activities 1/3 (not prescriptive, not linear!): Define the target population: students (age?, grade?) Teachers?, out-of school children? Workers? Adults? Identify the policy questions around media and information literacy issue at the country level, keeping in mind the target population What are the technical standards in this area related to statistical soundness, psychometrics, copyright, administration, processing, etc. Develop the assessment framework: National adaptation of the UNESCO Global MIL Framework

The entity owner of the project and the implementing agency will perform the following activities 2/3 (not prescriptive, not linear!): Elaborate the blue print of the assessment Decide on the delivery model (paper-pencil? Computer fixed test? Computer adaptive test?, mixed?) Organize training of item writers (MIL specialists) who should generate a bank of appropriate assessment items based on the framework and blue-print Organize a panel review to assess the items Control for linguistic quality and equivalency across languages Design the test Design the sample if not a census

The entity owner of the project and the implementing agency will perform the following activities: 3/3 (not prescriptive, not linear!): Conduct a pilot/pre-test Conduct/supervises fields operations including training of test administrators, logistics, administration of the assessments Decide on the scaling methodology (scoring of the test, data processing including editing/cleaning, recording/capturing, data adjustments, etc.) Do/supervise the data analysis (Do you have an analysis plan linked to the policy questions?): What are the policy responses? Do data reporting and dissemination (do you have plans?) Archive the data

Why UNESCO focus on teachers (in service and in training)? A favourable environment creates new opportunities and demands for information and media content, as well as for new products and services provided by media or information providers for educational purposes. Enabling environment on MIL for teachers, will enable them to provide quality education to their students that integrate new skills. MIL competent teachers is likely to use ICT for pedagogical purposes If teachers do not have competencies in the area of MIL, it should not be expected that students and future work force will have them without complementary training after schools.

Current status of UNESCO’s work on MIL assessment Framework published in Nov. 2013 Model background questionnaire included in the publication (National contextual data, teachers and individuals) Development of a bank of items for main assessment to be adapted by Member States

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