Predating the digital and internet age, the library is the first go-to source of information. You only need to have a library card to borrow books that you can take home or read within the library’s spaces for free. You will only incur a fine in case you fail to return the books on time. Libraries of published books are often considered highly reliable, accurate, and valuable. Books and documents from dominant sources are often peer reviewed. ISSN or or ISBN registration ensures that standards were followed in producing these materials.

Libraries (digital or physical) are often classified into 4 groups, namely: academic, public, school, and special 

(Cornell University Library, 2021): 

So, which one is a superior source of information? Older generations might say that libraries are better information sources, but the younger generation might contend that the internet is miles ahead. Well, although the quality of information from the media sources you’ll find in the library is indeed high quality, there are both pros and cons to the information you’ll find in each information source. Here’s an infographic comparing both. 

As discussed in the first module, mass media such as radio, TV, and newspaper were the traditional sources of information prior to the Internet age.  Nevertheless, people still turn to mass media for information today, especially the news. Information is fact-checked and verified by a research team and then delivered by authoritative figures such as radio announcers, broadcasters, celebrities,  and TV stand-uppers. Unlike information on the internet in which everyone can be a producer, delivering information on mass media requires a certain degree of authority. This comes with a relatively high operating cost as well. Franchised media corporations are the only ones with the power to disseminate information via the airwaves. 

In general, information from the mass media is considered high-quality. However, every broadcasting company adheres to specific values. Thus, bias, logical fallacies, and framing are also present in these information sources although in a very subtle way (Module 4 will elaborate on these). In the media, shooting and framing from a specific angle might easily distort the viewers’ perception of the truth, as depicted by these images: 

Infographics, from the word itself, are images composed of graphics and textual information. They are particularly great for visualizing data and summarizing key facts about a topic without overwhelming the users with data and information.  Not everyone can easily absorb information from reading blocks of text, especially visual learners. Furthermore, according to the Multimedia Learning principle by Mayer from his Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning (1947), people learn more effectively from the combination of words and pictures than with words alone. The modules in the course strictly follow this principle, which is why you’ll come across infographics every now and then. 

The credibility, reliability, and accuracy of the information you’ll find from an infographics depend on its source. Although they are the creators, graphic designers should not be mistaken as the information source of the infographics. Instead, it should be the company/figure they represent. Moreover, each infographic should have a references section at the bottom, and you should double-check these sources to be sure. 

With user-friendly infographic applications on the web, such as Canva and Easel.ly, everyone can assume the role of a graphic designer and content creator. Prior to the suitability of the layout and design of the infographics, the first thing you have to ensure is informational honesty. 

According to UNESCO (2019), Open Educational Resources (OERs) are learning, teaching, and research resources in any format or medium that are in the public domain or are protected by copyright and that have been made available under an open license that allows unrestricted use, re-use, re-purposing, adaptation, and redistribution by others.  OERs can take multiple forms, such as website, module, video, podcast, or infographic. They are not exclusive to learners but for educators as well through lesson plans, sample exams, and sample assessments for learners. 

Openness of OERs

Openness is a principle of Open Educational Resources (OERs), such as this module you are reading.  Openness does not necessarily mean free of charge. Some OERs require payment before you can incorporate them with your work.

With the principle of being open, OERs permit the users to do more with the material and content beyond what mere access can provide. An "open license" preserves the owner's intellectual property rights while allowing the general public to access, utilize, repurpose, adapt, and redistribute educational resources (CHED & PNU, 2016). Module 5 elaborates on different types of open licenses. 

Since the information on OERs are developed and authored by academic institutions, educators, and students, you can trust them in general. OERs can be relied upon to a certain extent, but it's still crucial to assess their reliability and accuracy before using them as teaching tools. OERs are developed and maintained by a wide range of people and organizations, and their level of quality might differ significantly. Before utilizing OERs in a learning environment, it is a wise move to verify its authorship and source as well as look for reviews or assessments from other professionals in the field.

The same article by Purdy states three benefits of using Wikipedia for research work or merely satisfying your curiosity: 

1. It can be a good starting place to have a bigger picture or general sense of your topic/s.

2. By having a bigger picture of your topic, you will be able to craft more insightful search terms.

3. By visiting the references provided at the bottom of the webpage, you will have a set of hyperlinks that might be credible sources of information for your topic.