Educational Responses to Digital Mis- and Disinformation

3 Credits

"Can I trust this?" When we're online, we often find ourselves asking this question. As both the amount of time we spend online and the sheer amount of information available expand, answering it grows more critical--and more complex. In this class, we'll focus on the problems of online mis- and disinformation and the possibilities for effective educational responses. Over the course of the semester, we will explore the histories of mis- and disinformation and examine the costs for individuals and societies; analyze reasons for the production and rapid spread of online mis- and disinformation, including technological systems, power and racism, political partisanship, and our evaluation skills; and critique a range of potential educational responses, explore formal and informal educational contexts in which students might learn to evaluate online information, consider the strengths and weaknesses of existing approaches, and map possibilities for the future.