Fact-checking Meets with Media Education: Evaluating A Workshop in Higher Education
Tekoniemi, Siling (2021)
Tekoniemi, Siling
2021
Master's Programme in Digital Literacy Education
Informaatioteknologian ja viestinnän tiedekunta - Faculty of Information Technology and Communication Sciences
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Hyväksymispäivämäärä
2021-06-17
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-202106075736
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-202106075736
Tiivistelmä
The information disorder phenomenon is growing significantly, and media analyzing is highly emphasized in media education. There are, however, many challenges. For example, there are not enough teaching models and examples for different target groups around the world. In addition, fact-checking, as an effective practice to achieve digital literacy, is seldom studied under the framework of media education.
The objectives of this study are to develop a fact-checking concept in media education and to participate in the discussion of media education teaching practices for the target group of international students in higher education. Due to the lack of media education training for university students, this study further confirms the need to develop teaching practices related to fact-checking for university students.
This case-based action research using a fact-checking workshop is conducted online in Finland in 2020. The workshop includes 10 international students. There are two sets of qualitative methods designed for the research to collect and analyze data. Group 1 includes the data from participants’ assignments (i.e., participants’ fact-checking reports, participants’ production designs of a fact-checking curriculum, and their learning diaries). Group 2 includes the data tailored for the evaluation of this research (i.e., Learning Surveys 1 and 2, the researcher’s diaries, and the interviews with participants). The thematic method was adopted to interpret and analyze the data.
The results show that the workshop helps participants expand their knowledge of fact-checking and the media ecosystem, strengthen their critical thinking, enhance their media analysis competence, experience digital fact-checking tools, and solve problems through creation and production. The outcomes demonstrate that the teaching practices enable participants to enhance their digital literacy effectively.
This study shows that fact-checking can be integrated into media education through effective teaching activities. It meets university students’ learning expectations, and it also suggests further studies.
The objectives of this study are to develop a fact-checking concept in media education and to participate in the discussion of media education teaching practices for the target group of international students in higher education. Due to the lack of media education training for university students, this study further confirms the need to develop teaching practices related to fact-checking for university students.
This case-based action research using a fact-checking workshop is conducted online in Finland in 2020. The workshop includes 10 international students. There are two sets of qualitative methods designed for the research to collect and analyze data. Group 1 includes the data from participants’ assignments (i.e., participants’ fact-checking reports, participants’ production designs of a fact-checking curriculum, and their learning diaries). Group 2 includes the data tailored for the evaluation of this research (i.e., Learning Surveys 1 and 2, the researcher’s diaries, and the interviews with participants). The thematic method was adopted to interpret and analyze the data.
The results show that the workshop helps participants expand their knowledge of fact-checking and the media ecosystem, strengthen their critical thinking, enhance their media analysis competence, experience digital fact-checking tools, and solve problems through creation and production. The outcomes demonstrate that the teaching practices enable participants to enhance their digital literacy effectively.
This study shows that fact-checking can be integrated into media education through effective teaching activities. It meets university students’ learning expectations, and it also suggests further studies.