Abstract
This course will address a rotating series of topics. Students can take this course up to 3 times.
The topics are subject to change but are chosen on the criteria of:
1. effect on large number of people
2. relevance in a broad context, both locally to the affected area and internationally
3. a topic subject to little information OR to a significant amount of information, some of which is fallacious.
4. a topic which will reinforce the relevance of general education courses such as history, psychology, communication, political science
History will provide context for the issue
Psychology will suggest motivations for the players
Communication will suggest how media and rhetoric in general affected those involved including attitudes, votes and legislation
Political science to analyze the dynamics of the situation, the motivations of the “players’
Other academic fields as necessary to elucidate the issues.
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This course will address a series of topics that have been misunderstood, mischaracterized or censored due to partisan offense. These issues will be addressed offering analysis of common beliefs along with sources of mis/disinformation. Analysis of how to determine credible media sources will be followed by applying research from credible sources to each topic to determine credible information and understandings of the issues from various perspectives.
This course will cover the following explanations for misunderstandings, misinformation and mischaracterization
1. Define misinformation/disinformation.
2. Discuss barriers to being truly informed:
a. Media literacy equates with transparency—so our investigations can include all variables including the government which is the arbiter of what is possible.
b. Logic fallacies that govern our thought
c. Information silos that govern our thought
d. The illusion of being informed: social media posts without citation, hourly news updates, biased and mis/disinformation news sources or reliance on short news summaries.
3. Discuss common tools of persuasion and how they can be applied in such knowledge including framing theory.