Chapter 2 - Teaching the Ethical Use of Information as an MIL Skill

Abstract

This chapter examines teaching the ethical use of information as a media and information literacy (MIL) skill. To be able to use information ethically, educators and students must equip themselves with principles that can be applied as information literacy skills to our information landscape. The chapter traces the evolution of the concepts of ethics and of MIL as they became more closely integrated in standards and guidelines. Four principles of ethical behavior are presented: respect for intellectual property, respect for privacy, fair representation, and nonmaleficence (doing no harm). The connection between the learning environment and the adoption of ethical information literacy skills is presented, and the use of an informed learning approach to teaching and the guided inquiry model are explored. Scenarios and resources are included as examples for inclusion in an integrated curricular approach to teaching the ethical use of information.