A new educational resource on digital media literacy has been developed by Munster Technological University. The course, Digital Media Literacy: Build the Skills to Question What You See Online, provides essential skills for students navigating today’s digital information landscape.
Developed by a cross-disciplinary team of academic staff, library professionals, and students from Munster Technological University, with guidance from EDMO Ireland, the resource addresses the growing need for media literacy skills in higher education. Funding for the project was provided by the National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education.
EDMO Ireland provided guidance on the content and wrote on digital media, critical thinking, and media regulation. The educational resource focuses on developing five key skill areas:
- Understanding how media shapes information and how misinformation and disinformation are used to mislead.
- Recognising the impact of algorithms, digital surveillance, and media ownership on information ecosystems.
- Evaluating source credibility through critical thinking and fact-checking skills.
- Making informed decisions about media engagement through digital citizenship awareness.
- Reflecting on digital media habits and developing strategies for digital wellbeing.
The resource is designed to accommodate different learning styles and institutional needs. While learners can complete the course independently, it delivers maximum benefit when integrated into taught courses with opportunities for reflection and peer discussion.
Because the resource is self-contained, it can be used by educators from diverse backgrounds across a variety of subject areas. The content can be extended to suit different disciplines through classroom-based activities and discussions.
An Open Education Resource
An external version of the course is hosted on Canvas. Any individual can access the course on Canvas, but no data will be saved other than viewing numbers. If educators would like to embed the course in their own LMS, then they can email edtech@mtu.ie to request the SCORM files that can be adapted for their own context.
All the resources have been published on the HEA National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning, including the following videos:
- Recommender Algorithms and Social Media – Dr. Catherine Baker from Dublin City University explains how social media algorithms deliver content.
- The Disinformation Ecosystem in Ireland – Ciarán O’Connor from the Institute of Strategic Dialogue examines misinformation, disinformation and malinformation.
- False Information and Elections – Ciarán O’Connor analyses how false information impacted Irish local elections in June 2024.
- Big Tech, Gen AI and Challenges to Wellbeing – Oonagh O’Brien from Munster Technological University explores digital technology’s impact on children and young people.
- AI and Regulation – Ciarán O’Connor discusses AI’s role in the creation and spread of disinformation, referencing Ireland’s Online Safety and Media Regulation Act and EU’s Digital Services Act.
