EDMO Ireland coordinator Dr Eileen Culloty was invited to deliver a keynote address at a training day hosted by Dunboyne College of Further Education. The event, titled Connected Classrooms: A Cross-Sector Approach to Media and Digital Literacy, brought together educators to explore how media and digital literacy can be embedded across teaching and learning.
As media and digital literacy are now included in the QQI Level 5 Communications module, teachers and students are expected to engage with topics such as misinformation, digital responsibility, and fact-checking. Recognising that many educators may have limited experience in these areas, Dunboyne College is developing a community of practice to support the sharing of ideas and the development of best practice.
To support this initiative, Dr Culloty delivered a training session on misinformation and disinformation, highlighting why even researchers and professional fact-checkers can struggle to determine whether information is false. The session drew on research evidence to explain why people believe and share misleading content, pointing to factors such as gaps in background knowledge, repeated exposure, and the limits of attention in everyday life.
Using real-world examples, the session demonstrated how media literacy is grounded in a set of core critical questions that can be adapted across different contexts, age groups, and learning levels. This approach offers educators a flexible and practical way to help learners navigate today’s complex information landscape. Dr Culloty also led a hands-on exploration of misinformation aligned with the QQI Level 5 Communications module.
The training day also featured a session by Glen Mulcahy, who examined the rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence and its impact on how information is created, communicated, and understood. Drawing on his work with global media organisations such as Al Jazeera and CNN, the session explored both the opportunities and disruptions posed by AI, as well as the emerging risks it presents for society.
