Communicating Trustworthy Information in the Digital World

This course consists of seven modules focused on how to more effectively communicate trustworthy information in the digital world. After a short introduction video, starting in module 1 you will be exploring the effects of the digital ecosystem on science communication and the implications on social trust. We will help you distinguish between how digitalization aids but also threatens and/or creates problems for science communication and explain how the digital ecosystem is making the general public more vulnerable to misinformation. In module 2 you will unpack challenges that (social) scientists face when developing and disseminating knowledge in the age of misinformation.

Module 3 focuses on how journalists combat the threat of ‘fake news’ and at the same time ensure responsible and reliable reporting in today’s digital ecosystem. Model 4 aims to help you gain understanding about how evidence based policy making works. It will also provide you with examples of good practices in the context of information gathering, consumption or dissemination in relation to policy making. In module 5 we focus on what misinformation is, how it comes to be, why it can be a threat and how it can be monitored and evaluated. Module 6 zooms in on the Citizen’s perspective on science communication and strategies to engage citizens with digital SciCom. In Module 7 we will share some conclusions that stem from the body of work that developed the insights of this MOOC - the TRESCA project. More information can be found at www.trescaproject.eu (This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme under Grant Agreement No 872855.)