Module Code and Title:        ACM101 Media and Information Literacy

Programme:                          BA in Communication Arts and Creative media

Credit:                                    12

Module Tutor:                       Pallavi Majumdar (Coordinator), Damber Kumar Ghimiray

General objective: This module provides students with a conceptual as well as practice- based understanding of Media and Information Literacy. The module will discuss the history of media literacy, the importance of critical thinking while dealing with digital media, and will encourage students to reflect on their role as media creators. The module will outline strategies to better recognize reliability of online sources and explore issues connected to online privacy. It will explore the global disinformation trends, media scenario and disinformation trends in Bhutan and ways of combating it. The module will also equip the students with the skills to fact check and evaluate the credibility and quality of the media content. 

Learning outcomes – On completion of this module, students will be able to:

1. Analyse the power of information and the changing information landscape
2. Interpret media messages encountered across media platforms
3. Effectively evaluate global disinformation trends, with specific reference to digital disinformation and emerging technologies
4. Appraise reliability of online sources with respect to online privacy 
5. Assess the media landscape and digital citizenship in Bhutan
6. Trace the disinformation trends in Bhutan
7. Disprove deceptive media messages and practices using fact checking tools.

Learning and Teaching Approach:

Assessment Approach:

Each student will generate a comprehensive report of 750-800 words on the role of media in society, and how they can become responsible consumers and producers of news and information in the digital age. The report should be generated keeping in mind how confirmation bias, stereotyping, and other cognitive biases impact how people interpret events, news, and information.

4    Ability to connect the theme to the article 

7    Quality of analysis

4    Structure and Language 

Students will analyse a case study related to disinformation trends in Bhutan. They will analyse the source of disinformation, how and why did the false information spread, what were the perceptions of truth, what role did the legacy media play and the role of social media platforms in spreading and/or combating it. In groups of 4, they will then prepare and present an oral multi-media presentation for 15 minutes. They will be assessed on the following criteria:

2    Identification of case 

4    Research and data collection 

8    Approach and analysis

6    Structure and Delivery of Presentation 

Students will be required to sit for a written midterm examination of 1.5 hr duration proving their theoretical grasp of the concepts, as well as their ability to apply the concepts using practical examples.

Students will be divided into pairs for conducting advocacy campaign related to media literacy and fact checking. This should be geared towards a primary or middle school audience and should be visual driven (rather than text driven). Students will identify the concept and type of project they want to do in a short meeting with their instructor. They will host a run-through similar to what they expect to do off campus, before operationalizing it.

Students can create a photo montage, video presentation, mini exhibition or other visual project that can be presented to a primary school, middle school or in a public area to discuss with young learners. Students must arrange a visit/location off campus to host their visual media literacy project. Students must record their presentation and take pictures with the young learners.

They will write a reflection paper of not more than 500 words explaining the ease or difficulty of the project, the awareness young learners had about media literacy, what they gained from the experience, and what they would do differently should they do this project again.

Practice run of Media Literacy Campaign: 5%

1    Concept      

3    Content       

1    Visuals        

Conduct of Media Literacy Campaign: 15%

3    Creativity 

3    Organisation 

4    Content

5    Quality of reflection paper

Students will take a written exam of 2.5 hr duration encompassing all the subject matter covered in the semester. The assessment is comprehensive and summative in nature, and will comprise structured questions from all levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy.

Overview of assessment approaches and weighting

Pre-requisites: None

Subject matter:

1. Unit I: Media Literacy
   1. Media Literacy: Concept and Definition
      1. Need for Media Literacy
      2. Functions of Media Literacy
   2. Process of Media Literacy
   3. Core concepts of Media Literacy
      1. Messages are constructed 
      2. Messages are constructed using creative language 
      3. Different people experience same media message differently 
      4. Media have embedded values 
      5. Messages are organised to gain power
2. Unit II: Understanding Information
   1. Definition and power of information 
   2. Changing information landscape 
   3. Types of false information: Definition and differences
      1. Disinformation
      2. Misinformation
      3. Mal-information
      4. Fake News
      5. Deep Fakes   
   4. Consequences of bad information: Understanding and case studies
   5. Information Neighbourhoods: Definition and importance
   6. Difference in News and Opinion
   7. Source Analysis
   8. Types of misleading content online
   9. Why is online content prone to misinformation
3. Unit III: Interpreting media messages
   1. Importance of critical thinking 
   2. Exercising critical thinking: Process, tools and techniques
   3. Understanding bias and its types 
   4. Confirmation bias: Definition, signs, types, how to avoid it
   5. Motivated reasoning: Definition and process
   6. Lies and belief: Understanding the relationship 
4. Unit IV: Global Disinformation Trends
   1. Global societal trends
      1. High levels of societal polarization
      2. Low levels of trust in news media
      3. Societies with highly distributed media landscapes
      4. Large media markets
      5. A high rate of social media use
   2. Evolving trends in digital disinformation
      1. Hard-to-verify content
      2. Top-down disinformation
      3. Groups and online communities
      4. Cross-platform coordination
      5. Algorithmic amplification
      6. Encrypted platforms
   3. Future Technologies: Artificial Intelligence, Deep Fakes
   4. Global disinformation case studies 
5. Unit V: Disinformation trends in Bhutan
   1. Sources of false-information
   2. Spread of false information: Factors and Mechanics
   3. Trust in media and perceptions of truth
   4. The role of social media platforms in spreading disinformation
   5. Spread of disinformation: Case studies 
      1. Covid 19 pandemic
      2. Politics and elections
      3. Gender and other issues
6. Unit VI: Fact Checking and Verification
   1. History and semantics of fact checking
   2. Types of fact checking
   3. Fact checking: Method, tools, examples
   4. Source verification: Process and technique
   5. Common types of misinformation online
   6. Verification of photos, videos: Process and tools
   7. Social Media Verification: Techniques
   8. Verification Tools and techniques for Websites

Reading List 

Essential reading

Department of Information and Media. (2017). Social Media Policy for the Royal Government of Bhutan 2017. Ministry of Information and Communications. http://www.gnhc.gov.bt/en/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Social-Media-Policy-for-the-Royal-Govt.-of-Bhutan- Approved-Version.pdf

Journalism, 'Fake News' and Disinformation: A Handbook for Journalism Education and Training. https://en.unesco.org/sites/default/files/journalism_fake_news_disinformation_print_friendly_0.pdf

Pek-Dorji, S.S. (2010). Media matters in Bhutan. Bhutan Centre for Media and Democracy.

Potter, W. J. (2018). Media literacy. Sage Publications.

Silverblatt, A., Miller, D. C., Smith, J., & Brown, N. (2014). Media literacy: Keys to interpreting media messages: Keys to interpreting media messages. ABC-CLIO.

Additional reading          

Powdyel, T.S. (2007). Media and the maverick mind: Need for media literacy: A layman’s view. http://www.bhutanstudies.org.bt/publicationFiles/ConferenceProceedings/MediaA ndPublicCulture/M-14.pdf

Spot and fight disinformation. (n.d.). https://learning-corner.learning.europa.eu/spot-and-fight-disinformation_en.

Date: March 2023