Recent graduate, Communication professor co-author media literacy article published in journal

An article exploring media literacy, co-written by 2023 SUNY Fredonia graduate Grace Quinlivan and Department of Communication Associate Professor Angela McGowan-Kirsch, has been published in a leading communication pedagogy journal.

“Educating emerging citizens: Media literacy as a tool for combating the spread of image-based misinformation,” which was the culmination of Ms. Quinlivan’s Honors Advanced Learning Project at SUNY Fredonia, appears in Communication Teacher.

In the manuscript, Dr. McGowan-Kirsch and Quinlivan argue that the proliferation of deepfakes and visual misinformation, coupled with the fast-paced nature of social media, has prompted an increased need for media literacy skills among emerging citizens. The article presents an overview of a media literacy framework for engaged citizenship and presents media literacy strategies that emerging citizens can use when confronted with mis/disinformation on social media.

“Researching and writing this article with Dr. McGowan-Kirsch was an extremely informative and rewarding experience,” said Quinlivan, of West Seneca, NY. “Through Dr. McGowan-Kirsch’s guidance and mentorship I learned a great deal about the research process and synthesizing scholarship.”

The approaches they examine included the SIFT Method – a series of actions to determine the validity and reliability of claims and sources on the web – and a four-step process for debunking misinformation.

By conducting an on-campus workshop, McGowan-Kirsch and Quinlivan found that as students participate in a media literacy unit activity, which is focused on debunking deepfakes and halting the spread of mis/disinformation, they acquire tools for discerning truth and learning how to think critically before responding to and advancing the spread of misinformation.

To read the article, visit online.

“This experience made me a much more effective researcher and writer which has allowed me to flourish in my current pursuit of a master’s degree in Strategic Communication at SUNY Oswego,” Quinlivan noted. “This unique opportunity will continue to guide me through my degree and on to my future professional career as a communications, PR or marketing specialist/manager.”

At SUNY Fredonia, Quinlivan earned a bachelor’s degree in International Studies and was enrolled in the Honors Program, which serves academically motivated students in their pursuit for meaningful opportunities for in-depth, interdisciplinary learning, as well as for leadership and professional development.

Communication Teacher, a Taylor & Francis Online journal, publishes original scholarship that considers the practice and assessment of the teaching of communication across K-12 and in higher education and other educational contexts.