This interactive online resource is a set of eight units to support learners in their online information ecosystem. It is a mix of text, images, video, audio and interactive tasks. The resource can be accessed directly via the link provided or embedded in any Learning Management System compatible with SCORM files.
Benefit of this resource and how to make the best use of it
The ability to identify high-quality information and use it to make informed decisions is an essential skill for university graduates, particularly in today’s digital environment. The European Parliament Youth Survey 2024 found that social media is the primary source of information on political and social issues for people aged 16–30. However, few third-level students receive dedicated media literacy education after leaving secondary school.
This OER develops the skills learners need to:
• Understand how media shapes the information we receive and how misinformation and disinformation are used to mislead.
• Understand the impact of algorithms, digital surveillance, and media ownership on the information ecosystem.
• Evaluate the credibility and reliability of media sources using critical thinking and fact checking skills.
• Make considered decisions about media engagement through awareness of digital citizenship and responsible participation in a digital community.
• Reflect on digital media habits and develop strategies for maintaining digital wellbeing.
The resource can be completed independently but will have maximum benefit when part of a taught course with opportunities to reflect and build on the content with an instructor and peers. Because the resource is self-contained, it can be used by educators from diverse backgrounds across a variety of subject areas. The content can be extended to suit different disciplines, through classroom based activities and discussions.
The units are: 1. Introduction, 2. Decoding Digital Media, 3. Critical Thinking About Media, 4. Media Ownership and Regulation, 5. Practical Skills and Useful Resources, 6. Critical Thinking About Data and Science, 7. Digital Wellbeing, 8. Shaping Our Future.
The SCORM files can be downloaded and modified, allowing other institutions to incorporate their own visuals and content and tailor the resource to suit their students.
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Munster Technological University, and Munster Technological University Digital Media Literacy Team (31/03/2026). Digital media literacy: build the skills to question what you see online. National Resource Hub (Ireland). Retrieved from: https://hub.teachingandlearning.ie/resource/digital-media-literacy-build-the-skills-to-question-what-you-see-online/ License: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial (CC BY-NC).
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In this video Ciarán O’Connor for the Institute of Strategic Dialogue guides us through a case study of how false information was used to undermine confidence in the Irish local elections in June 2024.
Project NOURISH is a campus-based nutrition and health intervention, originally designed for MTU staff. This was designed as part of a broader research study to investigate how to enable healthier dietary behaviours within university environments.
In today’s digital age, information spreads fast—yet not all of it is true or trustworthy. Knowing the differences between misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation is key to thinking critically online.
In the video below Ciarán O’Connor from the Institute of Strategic Dialogue discusses the disinformation ecosystem in Ireland.
This is an interactive multimedia open educational resource (OER), created using H5P, on the topic of Open Education. It has been developed by the Department of Technology Enhanced Learning at Munster Technological University.
The purpose of which is to give an overview of OEPs, using interactive features of H5P
