About this course

Media and news influence every aspect of our lives: where we live, what we buy, what we think, and what we believe. We encounter and consume media and news messages every day – but do we understand the meaning behind those messages?

This MOOC, targeted toward adults without a media literacy or research background, will examine the meaning and intent behind the messages found in news, media, and advertising. Students will learn how to recognize the meaning behind the message in order to make more informed decisions in our day-to-day lives.

This course offers support to English and Spanish-speaking students through bilingual discussion boards. Students may post discussion board responses in English or Spanish, but please note that other course materials (videos, assessments, and modules) are only available in English.

Este curso apoya a los estudiantes bilingües (Inglés-Español) a través de los foros de discusión. Los que así prefieran, pueden comentar en estos foros en Español. Sin embargo, tenga en cuenta que los otros materiales del curso (videos, evaluaciones y módulos) sólo están disponibles en Inglés.

Course Goals

To illustrate how media influences what we believe;
To learn about authority, and how it's derived;
To recognize how media messages can be manipulated;
To identify when fact-checking is necessary.

What to expect

Cost: This is a free course offered through Canvas Network
Time commitment: Each module, including supplementary reading materials, should take between 1 and 2 hours to complete. Forum discussions are optional, and may make take additional time.
Prerequisites: There are no prerequisites for this course.
Communication: Your instructors will be actively monitoring the discussion and help boards.
Instructors: Your instructors are:

Getting help

Canvas User Orientation

Before you jump into the course, make sure you review the Canvas User Orientation to learn more about how to navigate Canvas.

Help!

Use the Help Forum to ask questions about the course, content, or quizzes.