News, misinformation and media literacy
Channel: Australian Media Literacy Alliance
Date: 2021-05-11

Much of the attention in relation to media literacy education in Australia has been focused on school-aged children. The media literacy needs of adults and disadvantaged sections of the community have only just started to generate interest in academia and policy discourse. However, educating the general public is not an easy task. This panel will discuss their experiences in media literacy education and research to consider the role of social infrastructures in educating the public in media literacy, focusing primarily on interventions in misinformation. The panel will explore how a networked approach can tackle the issue of media literacy among adults, where collaboration is encouraged, and existing networks are utilised to deliver successful community-based programs.

Opening address: Nancy Eyers, Acting CEO National Film and Sound Archives

Facilitator: Kerry McCalum, Director, News & Media Research Centre

Pulling Together – The need for an Australian Media & Information Literacy Network (Caroline Fisher, University of Canberra)
How teaching journalism skills can boost media literacy (Saffron Howden)
AAP FactCheck – Fighting fakes and misinformation (Peter Bodkin, Australian Associated Press)
Fact and fiction – trust us, we know the difference (Sue McKerracher, Australian Library and Information Association)