In the digital age, any conception of literacy should include being able to effectively find and evaluate online information. Without these skills, people are more likely to trust disinformation and put themselves — and their communities — at risk. How can we promote media literacy and quell the spread of health-related digital disinformation in our personal and professional lives? In this workshop, we will frame media literacy as a component of civic literacy and argue that, by focusing on media literacy, we can lower divides in access to high-quality information and promote greater health equity. We will introduce practical, research-based strategies for evaluating the veracity of digital information and review both short- and long-term approaches to promoting media literacy and discouraging the spread of digital disinformation.
Sarah McGrew, PhD
Department of Teaching and Learning, Policy and Leadership, University of Maryland
Janet Ohene-Frempong, MS
Institute for Healthcare Advancement
Objectives
- Explain the connection between health literacy, civic literacy, media literacy, and health equity.
- Describe 3 strategies for evaluating the veracity of digital information.
- Describe 3 strategies to discourage the spread of disinformation, as one main goal of digital literacy.