August 8, 2024

Social media: Disinformation expert offers 3 safety tips in a time of fake news and dodgy influencers

Fabrice Lollia, Université Gustave Eiffel

Users must learn to understand and navigate digital environments critically.

July 3, 2024

Banning social media for under-16s won’t help – teaching digital media literacy will

Melissa Gould, Auckland University of Technology

New Zealand is among many countries debating a ban on under-16s having social media accounts. But making digital media literacy education a priority would be a better first step.

June 25, 2024

We know social media bans are unlikely to work. So how can we keep young people safe online?

Joanne Orlando, Western Sydney University

A social media ban only delays young people’s exposure to these platforms. It does not help them learn how to deal with them.

April 19, 2024

Many prisoners go years without touching a smartphone. It means they struggle to navigate life on the outside

Ye In (Jane) Hwang, UNSW Sydney

So much of day to day life is not powered by technology, but what happens if you’ve been behind bars for years? It’s time prisoners better prepared inmates for life once they’ve served their time.

April 15, 2024

Digital textbooks expand learning for engineering students - South African study

Ekaterina Rzyankina, Cape Peninsula University of Technology

E-textbooks have potential to enhance inclusivity and engagement in engineering education.

April 7, 2024

Embracing digital spaces: How older immigrants are navigating the infodemic

Natalia Balyasnikova, York University, Canada and Claire Ahn, Queen's University, Ontario

Contrary to assumptions that seniors are technologically averse, many older adults now show remarkable agility in navigating digital media.

January 30, 2024

60% of Australian English teachers think video games are a ‘legitimate’ text to study. But only 15% have used one

Amanda Gutierrez, Australian Catholic University; Kathy Mills, Australian Catholic University; Laura Scholes, Australian Catholic University, and Luke Rowe, Australian Catholic University

Many English teachers are thinking seriously about how gaming applies in their classrooms. But opinions are divided about how to approach it.

January 28, 2024

Deepfakes: How to empower youth to fight the threat of misinformation and disinformation

Nadia Naffi, Université Laval

Youth in a study went from being passive deepfake bystanders to developing a sense of responsibility and readiness to help prevent deepfakes’ spread.

December 6, 2023

Wikipedia’s volunteer editors are fleeing online abuse. Here’s what that could mean for the internet (and you)

Ivan Smirnov, University of Technology Sydney

It’s the fourth most popular website in the world, but our new study shows toxic commentary can still thrive on Wikipedia. There’s a lot at stake if too many editors are driven away.

July 27, 2023

Banning cellphones in classrooms is not a quick fix for student well-being

Lana Parker, University of Windsor

A new report from UNESCO analyzes the many challenges of the growing presence of technology in education and notes 14 per cent of countries have policies that ban mobile phones.

May 24, 2023

ChatGPT and other generative AI could foster science denial and misunderstanding – here’s how you can be on alert

Gale Sinatra, University of Southern California and Barbara K. Hofer, Middlebury

Generative AIs may make up information they serve you, meaning they may potentially spread science misinformation. Here’s how to check the accuracy of what you read in an AI-enhanced media landscape.

Young port workers in the maritime city of Makassar lack digital skills. Vocational schools can be the solution

Sherah Kurnia, The University of Melbourne; Achmad Nizar Hidayanto, Universitas Indonesia; Agus Wicaksana, The University of Melbourne; Armin Lawi, Universitas Hasanuddin; Dr Rod Dilnutt, The University of Melbourne; Hafizh Rafizal Adnan, National University of Singapore; Rizky Utami, Universitas Hasanuddin, and Sri Astuti Thamrin, Universitas Hasanuddin

Our research in the port city of Makassar, Indonesia has found vocational schools can be the key to training young workers’ digital skills.

October 5, 2022

What is ‘blended learning’ and how can it benefit post-secondary students?

Siobhán McPhee, University of British Columbia and Micheal Jerowsky, University of British Columbia

Teaching approaches should be rooted in learning objectives or students’ experiences, and these considerations aren’t the same as whether course components are online or in-person.

August 11, 2022

Another school has banned mobile phones but research shows bans don’t stop bullying or improve student grades

Joanne Orlando, Western Sydney University

Classrooms should not be a free-for-all TikTok fest. But we need to support children to learn how to concentrate and function in a digitally-saturated world.

June 24, 2022

Relax, it’s just a ringlight for kids. Toys like the ‘vlogger set’ prepare them for a digital world

Amanda Levido, Queensland University of Technology and Aleesha Rodriguez, Queensland University of Technology

Some finds toys for toddlers based on digital devices a bit confronting. But really they’re just updated versions of traditional toys for make-believe play such as doctor and tradie tool sets.

June 24, 2022

We asked the public about being lonely during lockdowns. For many, Zoom calls weren’t enough – and some still haven’t recovered

Roger Patulny, University of Wollongong and Marlee Bower, University of Sydney

We found men managed to bounce back quicker after lockdowns ended, in part due to their involvement in sporting and recreational activities.

March 28, 2022

There is, in fact, a ‘wrong’ way to use Google. Here are 5 tips to set you on the right path

Muneera Bano, Deakin University

There are around 201 known factors on which a website is analysed and ranked by Google’s algorithms.

October 11, 2021

Don’t know how your data is used, or how to protect it? You’re not alone – but you can improve your data literacy

Simeon Yates, University of Liverpool and Elinor Carmi, City St George's, University of London

If you don’t understand how your data is being used, and how to manage this, you’re not alone.

September 9, 2021

Technology is key for refugees starting new lives in Australia. But women and children don’t have equal access

Tadgh McMahon, Flinders University and Shanthi Robertson, Western Sydney University

Refugee women reported less internet use than men across all online activities, including banking, education, health services and social services.