While not a new phenomenon, the proliferation of mis-/dis-/malinformation (aka "fake news") has gained dangerous traction in the past decade, particularly in the arena of social media platforms such as X (Twitter), Facebook and TikTok, to name a few. This has created a vast, new set of daunting challenges, both for the news consumer and those whose passion it is to educate the future news consumer.
The influences on one's political stances are vast and complex; those influences certainly encompass more than what is or can be experienced in a classroom. This guide is intended for both students and faculty to use as a multi-faceted tool in their exploration of critical thinking as it relates to media literacy - an aspect of our information-rich society that, arguably, is an essential part of navigating today's polarizing media landscape, which has recently been described as an "infodemic."
Click here for an exploration of the word "infodemic."
First of all, what is media literacy?
According to the National Association of Media Literacy Education (NAMLE), media literacy is:
"...the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, create and act using all forms of communication. In its simplest terms, media literacy builds upon traditional literacy and offers new forms of reading and writing. Media literacy empowers people to be critical thinkers and makers, effective communicators and active citizens."
Curious to know what various research centers and think tanks have to say and report on misinformation and media literacy? Click here to find out!
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