Open dialogue about media literacy can create conflict because people can be very strong in their thoughts and opinions. When they find sources or facts on the internet that make sense to them they just want to take it at face value. Media literacy is designed to help make people stop and do some research in order to weed through to find the actual truth. It is important for people to learn the concept of media and why they should incorporate it into their PLN. Some common questions that people have when the discussion of media literacy comes up are, what is media literacy?, Why is it important?, Why is it dismissed?, Why should you aim for varied views but factual consensus in your PLN? 

  1. What is media literacy?

Media Literacy is the ability to identify different types of media you create or consume and the messages that they are trying to convey. There are different aspects that are involved in the concept of Media Literacy. Such as who is the message for, what it conveys and why is the message being sent? Media literacy is designed to help people discover push their knowledge and learn to challenge what is being put out there. 

2. Why is it important?

Media literacy is important because it allows people to be more informed and positive about the content that is being put out there. Teaching people media literacy allows them to become wiser consumers and responsible producers in the media that they engage in. It also gives people the ability to gain the skills of working together, collaboration and how to be respectful while interacting with each other. 

3. Why is it dismissed?

Media literacy can sometimes be dismissed or put to the side because people don’t think that it is important. Some people have the view that most things that they read on the internet are true. Media literacy is about determining the difference between what we want to believe versus what is true. Some people have a hard time with that because they find an article or post that supports their thinking and they just want to believe it to be the truth. People also dismiss media literacy because they do not have a full grasp or understanding of what it is. 

4. Why should you aim for varied views but factual consensus in your PLN?

It is important to aim to connect with people who have varied views from yourself because you can share your experiences and they can give you different insight. By diversifying your PLN, you have the opportunity to talk to people from all around the world that might be in the same profession as you, but approach it in different ways. They might have experienced a similar situation that you are going through and be able to offer you advice. They can give you rational guidance in a situation where you might be worked up. By having a large PLN with varied views you will be able to bounce off each other, see things from different points of views and learn to challenge yourself.