Ryan and Emily introduce the world of virtual communities that span the vast range of social media and networking platforms that so many of us frequent every day. They talk about what exactly is a virtual community, what are they all about, what helps them function, and how they have impacts that go beyond the screen. Emily and Ryan also share some personal experiences they have with virtual communities they have been a part of and what role those communities played in their lives.

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Ito, M., Arum, R., Conley, D., Guttiérez, K., Kirshner, B., Livingstone, S., Michalchik, V., Penuel, W., Peppler, K., Pinkard, N., Rhodes, J., Tekinbaş, K., Schor, J., Sefton-Green, J., Watkins, S., & Blum, A. (2020). The Connected Learning Research Network: Reflections on a decade of engaged scholarship (pp. 53–62). Connected Learning Alliance.

Jiang, J. (2018, November 28). Many teens say they’re constantly online – but they’re no less likely to socialize with their friends offline. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2018/11/28/teens-who-are-constantly-online-are-just-as-likely-to-socialize-with-their-friends-offline/

Malik, Z., & Haidar, S. (2020). Online community development through social interaction — K-Pop stan twitter as a community of practice. Interactive Learning Environments, 31(2), 733–751. https://doi.org/10.1080/10494820.2020.1805773

Lorenz, T. (2024, April 12). Is social media destroying kids mental health? [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TS1wax3KjnA

Ünlüsoy, A., Leander, K. M., & de Haan, M. (2021). Rethinking sociocultural notions of learning in the digital era: Understanding the affordances of networked platforms. E-Learning and Digital Media, 19(1), 78–92. https://doi.org/10.1177/20427530211032302 

In this podcast episode on digital literacy, hosts Nicole, Jasmine, and Alyssa discuss about how social media has changed over the years, from Myspace to today’s AI-powered platforms. They explain how social media moved from a place to connect with friends to a main source of news, where algorithms push popular content even if it’s misleading. The hosts share personal stories to show how easily people of all ages can believe false information, especially with AI creating custom feeds that reinforce what users already think. They also discuss how these platforms create “echo chambers,” where users see more of the same ideas. In the end, they stress the need for being smart online and understanding the impact of these tools.

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Ceylan, G., Allen, S. (2023, March 31). How social media rewards misinformation. Yale Insights. 

McNeil, T. (2024, February 23). How misinformation and disinformation spread, the role of AI, and how we can guard against them. TuftsNow. 

Pew Research Center. (2024, September 17). Social media and news fact sheet.

Pfeifer, J. (2024, October 2). Research finds simple corrections can slow spread of misinformation online. Davidson College. 

Simon, F., Altay, S., Mercier, H. (2023, October 18). Misinformation reloaded? Fears about the impact of generative AI on misinformation are overblown. Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) Misinformation Review. 

This is a recap of the last episode, Disinformation and Dysfunction: What Makes It a Lie, hosted by Liberty and Lina.

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In this episode, Liberty and Lina as they explore the intricate world of disinformation, highlighting its impact during the 2020 US election and the role of social media in spreading falsehoods. They discuss the importance of media literacy, cybersecurity education in schools, and the collective responsibility of parents, students, and companies. The conversation also tackles the polarizing effects of echo chambers and the decline of neutrality in news reporting, offering insights into the broader implications and evolving landscape of media consumption.

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Mackenzie, A. & Bhatt, I. (2018). Lies, bullshit, and fake news: Some epistemological concerns. Postdigit Sci Educ, 2, 2-13. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42438-018-0025-4.

Spies, S. (2020, January 22). Producers of Disinformation. MediaWell Research Review. https://mediawell.ssrc.org/research-reviews/producers-of-disinformation/

This is a recap of the last episode, Media, Monsters, and Misinformation, hosted by Cassondra and Dani.

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In this podcast episode on digital literacy, hosts Dani and Cassondra discuss the concepts of misinformation and disinformation. They explain the difference between the two, emphasizing that misinformation is false information shared unintentionally, while disinformation is deliberately false. The discussion includes how the human brain processes information via selective perception and confirmation bias, citing Manjoo's work. They also touch on how age and social media usage influence the spread and debunking of misinformation. Examples like the depiction of Frankenstein in media illustrate how information can be altered and misconstrued over time.

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American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Misinformation and disinformation. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/topics/journalism-facts/misinformation-disinformation 

Manjoo, F. (2008). True enough: Learning to live in a post-fact society. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. 

Shelley, M. (2012). Frankenstein. London, UK: Penguin Classics. 

This is a recap of the last episode, The Power of Remix: Transforming Education and Media, hosted by Adriana, Divya, and Kat.

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In this episode of the Remix Podcast, hosts Divya, Adriana, and Kat explore the concept of remixing in education and media. They discuss how remixing original content can create fresh, engaging, and effective learning experiences. The conversation touches on the importance of adapting to technological advances, the impact of social constructivism and the politics of representation in media, and the ethical considerations of data extraction. They conclude with real-world examples and insights on how remixing can foster inclusivity and better connections in the classroom.

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The Propwatch Project. (2021b, April 14). The need for critical media literacy. [Video] Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKqvItx0Ipw

This is a recap of the last episode, Multimedia as a New Educational Buzzword, hosted by April and Courtney.

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In this episode, April and Courtney talk about what Multimedia Learning is and how they can use it in their classrooms. April is a digital media arts teacher and Courtney is a math teacher. Throughout the podcast, they were able to compare and contrast the way they use and plan on using multimedia in their classrooms, mentioning different educational buzzwords. Also, they talked about how multimedia is used in a course like the one we’re taking. April mentioned an interesting fact about SpongeBob clips that Courtney was very surprised by. Overall, April and Courtney talked about the different presentations that multimedia learning involves.

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Pappas, S. (2011, September 12). SpongeBob study: Do fast-paced cartoons impair kids’ thinking? The Christian Science Monitor.