Ms Kow Kwan Yee, a public policy analyst and journalism lecturer at University of Wollongong shared an enlightening discussion on “Nurturing Media Literacy Advocates: Empowering Communication Students to Combat Misinformation” at TAR UMT as part of the Faculty of Communication and Creative Industries (FCCI) Postgraduate Lecture Series, on Thursday 25 April 2024.
In her engaging session, Ms Kow shared her rich background as a journalist and her transition to public policy, providing students with valuable insights into the importance of media literacy in today's digital landscape. She highlighted two research papers that underscored the significance of empowering students to combat misinformation effectively.
The first research paper focused on Media and Information Literacy (MIL) education, demonstrating how problem-based learning approaches can enhance students' fact-checking skills and critical thinking abilities. Despite challenges, the study suggested that similar MIL projects could be implemented across journalism programmes to cultivate a more discerning approach to media consumption.
The second research paper showcased Ms Kow’s initiative in reviving a student newsroom, ‘Voicelah!’, within the journalism department. Through experimental projects and a fact-checking taskforce, Ms Kow and her students addressed pertinent issues facing the journalism industry, fostering a culture of transparency and accountability.
The FCCI Postgraduate Lecture Series kicked off in May 2022 and is an initiative led by Dr Chang Teck Peng, Programme Leader for the Postgraduate Programmes in Communication, FCCI. The series aim to broaden knowledge and exposure for both postgraduate and undergraduate students of FCCI, while providing additional opportunities for academic staff to engage with guest speakers from various sectors.
Ms Kow (standing) sharing her experiences on empowering media literacy with the students.
Group photo after the session with Ms Kow (front row centre), Mr Wayne Ooi (front row second from left), Deputy Dean of FCCI and Dr Chang (front row, second from right).
