ADAPT will be offering a free online workshop on misinformation for parents and teachers supported by Webwise; the Irish internet safety awareness centre. This workshop will help people identify misleading or misrepresented information and provide some simple techniques to separate fact from fiction.

Misleading information can be intentional (think fake news) or unintentional (by not following accepted conventions). In turn, we share the information we encounter on WhatsApp or Facebook, believing it to be true only to realize later that it was wrong. Let’s be honest, it has happened to most of us.

Developments in technology led to a surge of information, including a change in how we present data, think graphs that fit on smart watches or phones. It takes us milliseconds to digest these graphs. But do we really know if we’re taking in the correct information? Even more critically, can we be sure that these infographics have been designed to present the information in a non-biased way. Our 1.5 hour long Debunked workshop gives people some practical skills to use when they encounter information online, in particular images and graphs.

Data literacy skills are the tools we can use to correctly interpret information and recognise misleading information when we see it. In today’s ever more data and visual-driven worlds, these skills are crucial. However, they are rarely taught to most of us.

In an effort to tackle this universal problem ADAPT and Trinity College are running an informative, fun, and engaging public event to help people uncover these incidents of “fake news”. This event is supported by Webwise; the Irish internet safety awareness centre. Participants will get the opportunity to explore a range of teaching resources and training available to schools in the area of digital media literacy.