Credits: 3
Prerequisites: N/A
Corequisites: N/A
Dis- and misinformation have toxic implications for the wellbeing of individuals, groups, and societies. As interconnected producers and consumers of information we bring our own cognitive biases and beliefs, and frequently find ourselves questioning what information sources to trust. This course draws on interdisciplinary perspectives from communication, media, and information studies to explore ways to understand, navigate, and thrive in a polluted ecology of digital social systems. Through active coursework, students will learn to engage in these systems as aware, empowered, and responsible communicators and information agents.
Learning Objectives
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Explain key concepts related to misinformation, disinformation, and broader information manipulation.
- Describe the relationship between source expertise and trustworthiness of content, especially as it relates to the production of scientific knowledge.
- Apply responsible information behaviors in relation to evaluation, curation, and sharing, including strategies to curb the spread of mis- and dis-information in work and in daily life.
- Critically analyze and chart the complex dynamics and flow of mis- and dis-information across networked media and information systems
- Recognize and discuss a diverse range of scholarly perspectives on causes and consequences of misinformationand disinformation in democratic society.