, ▁Australia ▁and ▁New ▁Zealand . ▁The ▁term ▁" information ▁and ▁media ▁liter acy " ▁is ▁used ▁by ▁UN ES CO ▁to ▁differenti ate ▁the ▁combined ▁study ▁from ▁the ▁existing ▁study ▁of ▁information ▁liter acy . ▁It ▁is ▁also ▁referred ▁to ▁as ▁information ▁and ▁communication ▁techn ologies ▁( I CT ) ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁Edu c ators ▁such ▁as ▁Gregory ▁Ul mer ▁have ▁also ▁defined ▁the ▁field ▁as ▁elect racy . ▁ ▁I ML ▁is ▁a ▁combination ▁of ▁information ▁liter acy ▁and ▁media ▁liter acy . ▁The ▁purpose ▁of ▁being ▁information ▁and ▁media ▁liter ate ▁is ▁to ▁eng age ▁in ▁a ▁digital ▁society ; ▁one ▁needs ▁to ▁be ▁able ▁to ▁understand , ▁in quire , ▁create , ▁communicate ▁and ▁think ▁crit ically . ▁It ▁is ▁important ▁to ▁effectively ▁access , ▁organ ize , ▁analyze , ▁evaluate , ▁and ▁create ▁messages ▁in ▁a ▁variety ▁of ▁forms . ▁The ▁transform ative ▁nature ▁of ▁I ML ▁includes ▁cre ative ▁works ▁and ▁creating ▁new ▁knowledge ; ▁to ▁publish ▁and ▁collabor ate ▁respons ibly ▁requires ▁eth ical , ▁cultural ▁and ▁social ▁understanding . ▁▁ 2 1 st - century ▁students ▁The ▁I ML ▁learning ▁capac ities ▁prepare ▁students ▁to ▁be ▁ 2 1 st ▁century ▁liter ate . ▁ ▁According ▁to ▁Jeff ▁Wilhelm ▁( 2 0 0 0 ), ▁" techn ology ▁has ▁everything ▁to ▁do ▁with ▁liter acy . ▁And ▁being ▁able ▁to ▁use ▁the ▁latest ▁electronic ▁techn ologies ▁has ▁everything ▁to ▁do ▁with ▁being ▁liter ate ." ▁He ▁supports ▁his ▁argument ▁with ▁J .