MEDIA AND INFORMATION

LITERACY
Module 3

Evolution of Media
Most Essential Learning Competencies

What I Need to Know

Hi! This module was designed for you to explore the evolution of media. You may be able to find out some technologies used
throughout the history. You will be amazed how people communicate each other without using cellphones or any social media
accounts.

May this module bring excitement and significant learning experiences as you answer the activities. Let’s start!
The module is divided into two lessons:
• Evolution of Media: Traditional to New Media
• Indigenous Media and Other Sources of Information

After going through this module, you are expected to:

 identify traditional and new media

 identify different sources of information in various ages
 discuss the importance of evaluating information from the internet
 compare and contrast indigenous media to other sources of information
 explain how the evolution of media shaped the values and norms of people and society

 Explain how the evolution of media from traditional to new media shaped the values and norms of people and
society

Semester: 1st Semester

Quarter: 1st Quarter
Number of Hours: 4 Hours

Don’t you worry; your teacher will help you throughout your learning journey. So, have fun!
 Evolution of Media: Traditional
to New Media
Are you aware of what is happening in your community? Are you still updated with the current issues that our
country is facing today? If yes, good to hear that! I bet you have your cellphone, television or radio with you to stay updated
on what is happening around. Did you ever wonder how people in the past received and delivered information or data?

What is It
As media and information evolve throughout the history, it provided people with a better and faster access to
information that is easier to adopt and to manipulate.
Below are the different tools that were used in various eras in the history of communication.

Pre-Industrial Age
Pre-Industrial Age (Before 1700s) - People discovered fire, developed paper from plants, and forged weapons and tools with stone,
bronze, copper and iron.

Source: Ferdinand B. Pitagan, Ph.D et.al., “Teaching Guide for Senior High School Media and Information Literacy” Philippines
Quezon City: Commission on Higher Education, 2016, pp.20-21

Examples:

Cave paintings (also known as “parietal art”) are numerous paintings and engravings
found on cave walls or ceilings around 38 000 BCE.
Source: “Cave Art”, Encyclopedia Britannica, last Modified May 22, 2020,
https://www.britannica.com/art/cave-painting

Clay tablets are used as a writing medium especially for writing in cuneiform. Cuneiform is
one of the oldest forms of writing. This means of communication was used for over 3 000
years in 15 different languages

Source: “The Evolution of Traditional to New Media: Different Devices through the Ages”,
Timetoast, accessed June 11, 2020,https://www.timetoast.com/timelines/prehistoric-or-pre-
industrial-age-before-1700s

Papyrus is made from pith of papyrus plant. It is used in ancient times as writing
surface to designate documents written on its sheets, rolled up to scrolls.

Source: “The Evolution of Traditional to New Media: Different Devices through the Ages”,
Timetoast, accessed June 11, 2020,https://www.timetoast.com/timelines/prehistoric-or-pre-
industrial-age-before-1700s

Other examples:
• Acta Diurna in Rome (130 BC)
• Dibao in China (2nd Century)
• Codex in the Mayan region (5th Century)
• Printing press using wood blocks (220 AD
Industrial Age
Industrial Age (1700s-1930s) - People used the power of steam, developed machine tools, established iron production, and the
manufacturing of various products (including books through the printing press).
Source: Ferdinand B. Pitagan, Ph.D et.al., “Teaching Guide for Senior High School Media and Information Literacy” Philippines
Quezon City: Commission on Higher Education, 2016, pp.20-21

Examples:

Printing press for mass production (19th century)

A printing press is typically used for texts. It is a device that applies pressure to an
inked surface resting upon a print medium (like paper or cloth).
Source: “The evolution of Traditional to New Media”, Sutori, accessed June 11, 2020,
https://www.sutori.com/item/printing-press-for-mass-production-19th-century-a-printing-press-is-a-
device-0297

Telegraph is used for long-distance communication by transmitting electrical

signals over a wire laid between stations.

Source: “Morse Code and the Telegraph”, History, last modified June 6, 2019,
https://www.history.com/topics/inventions/telegraph

Motion picture (also known as film or movie) is series of still photos on film,
projected in rapid succession onto a screen by means of light.
Source: “Motion Picture”, Encyclopaedia Britannica, accessed June 12,
2020,https://www.britannica.com/art/motion-picture/Montage

Other Examples:
• Newspaper- The London Gazette (1640)
• Typewriter (1800)
• Telephone (1876)
• Motion picture photography/projection (1890)
• Commercial motion pictures (1913)
• Motion picture with sound (1926)
• Punch cards
Electronic Age
Electronic Age (1930s-1980s) - The invention of the transistor ushered in the electronic age. People harnessed the power
of transistors that led to the transistor radio, electronic circuits, and the early computers. In this age, long distance
communication became more efficient.

Source: Ferdinand B. Pitagan, Ph.D et.al., “Teaching Guide for Senior High School Media and Information Literacy”
Philippines Quezon City: Commission on Higher Education, 2016, pp.20-21

Examples:
 Transistor Radio Large Electronic Computers Mainframe Computers

Other Examples:
• Television (1941)
• Personal computers - i.e. Hewlett Packard 9100A (1968), Apple 1 (1976)
• OHP, LCD projectors

New Age or Information Age

Information Age (1900s-2000s) - The Internet paved the way for faster communication and the creation of the social
network. People advanced the use of microelectronics with the invention of personal computers, mobile devices, and
wearable technology. Moreover, voice, image, sound and data are digitalized. We are now living in the information age
Source: Ferdinand B. Pitagan, Ph.D et.al., “Teaching Guide for Senior High School Media and Information Literacy”
Philippines Quezon City: Commission on Higher Education, 2016, pp.20-21

Examples:

Laptop Facebook Google Meet

(Social Network) (Video Chat)

Other Examples:
• Web browsers: Mosaic (1993), Internet Explorer (1995)
• Blogs: Blogspot (1999), LiveJournal (1999), Wordpress (2003)
• Social networks: Friendster (2002), Multiply (2003), Facebook (2004)
• Microblogs: Twitter (2006), Tumblr (2007)
• Video: YouTube (2005)
• Augmented Reality / Virtual Reality
• Video chat: Skype (2003), Google Hangouts (2013)
• Search Engines: Google (1996), Yahoo (1995)
• Portable computers- laptops (1980), netbooks (2008), tablets (1993)
• Smart phones
• Wearable technology
• Cloud and Big Data
Functions of Communication of Media
1. Monitoring Function. This is to inform the citizens on what is happening around them.
2. Information Function. This is to educate the audience on the meaning and significance of the facts.
3. Opinion Function. This is to provide a platform for public political discourse. It is to facilitate public opinion and
expression of dissent.
4. Watchdog Role of Journalism. It denounces the wrongdoing of the government and the private which leads to
increasing of accountability and spearheading positive changes.
5. Channel for Advocacy of Political viewpoints
Source: “Functions of Communication and Media”, LinkedIn, last modified January 26, 2017,
https://www.slideshare.net/DaveGeraldBooc/b-05-functions-of-communication-and-media