June 2020

Reads for the Summer!

  • Posted on: 15 June 2020
  • By: Adrienne Bone

The year 2020 has presented a lot to us. Between Netflix's documentary hit Tiger King, a pandemic, quarantining due to the pandemic, talk of murder hornets, postponement of the Olympics, racial justice movements (please and thank you), sky-rocketed unemployment, AHHHHH! we have endured and still dealing with quite a bit. However, I am a glass half full kind of person, so I believe we will get through this and be stronger because of it.

In the meantime, I have to read to help me cope. So, I'm sharing my list of "next reads" and recommended reads. Hope you enjoy!

By the way, my taste is all over the place-- so don't judge me :-)

Recommendations
Summer Reading

Critical thinking in the age of social media: a reading list

  • Posted on: 9 June 2020
  • By: Michelle Brightwell

Hello. My name is Michelle, and if you know me at all, you know that media, digital, and information literacy is passion of mine. I would love to teach the world how to critically consume the media they choose, and to recognize bias and unfairness in what they consume. If just a small percentage of people who use social media would take the time to vet that tweet before it’s re-tweeted, or think twice before sharing a scathing image or meme on Facebook that vilifies someone they don’t agree with, we could fight back against the spread of misinformation. This is the epitome of “love your neighbor”. It is not helpful to spread conspiracy theories or random text-posts just because it’s “interesting to think about” or “food for thought”.

Media Literacy

What actually is research?

  • Posted on: 5 June 2020
  • By: Michelle Brightwell

One of the many pitfalls in knowledge as result of the Internet is the watering down of the term “research”.

You can look at the comments of any Facebook post regarding COVID-19, protestors, vaccines, sunscreen, and it’s littered with calls to “do your own research!”

Research has a very specific meaning, and that does not mean “here’s information that backs up what I already believe”.

Media Literacy