PROPAGANDA, MEDIA LITERACY AND CRITICAL THINKING

PROPAGANDA, MEDIA LITERACY AND CRITICAL THINKING is a modular unit designed for approximately three to four weeks of class work. It is designed for high – level student engagement with the history and techniques of propaganda, the psychology of media manipulation and specific strategies to apply critical thinking to digital communication, with a range of techniques and activities for analyzing on-line propaganda and digital manipulation.

It is based on three extended power-points, each a complete unit in itself (see full content below). Each slide has questions and other tasks to test for understanding – these are a range of activities, including prior knowledge tests, crossword, short answer quizzes, research tasks, discussion topics and visual interpretation analysis. The teacher copy of the power-points contains the answers to all the questions asked in the unit. All slides are numbered to ensure ease of use in whole class teaching. An extension activity analyzing romanticized representations of war is included.

It is a modular unit which can be used as a whole or each of the sections can function as a self contained program of instruction, depending on teaching time and course focus – English, media literacy, life skills, digital persuasion.
The unit is in three sections

PROPAGANDA AND MEDIA LITERACY

1. What is propaganda – a definition
2. Prior Knowledge test of persuasive techniques
3. The propaganda spectrum/ Use of propaganda for good and bad ends
4. Stereotypes
5. Symbols
6. Emotive Language – Connotations and Associations
7. Framing the issue
8. Sound devices in propaganda
9. ROLES - R epition O missions L ies E xaggeration S implification

FIVE ENQUIRY QUESTIONS – Media Manipulation and Digital Deception
(i) Advertising and Propaganda
(ii) Propaganda and pre-exisiting prejudices
(iii) The Big Lie – The Success of Massive Deceptions
(iv) The Goals of Propaganda – Case Study Research
(v) News Reporting as Propaganda- Case Study

DEVELOPING CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS IN AN AGE OF DISINFORMATION

1. Technology and the Future of Propaganda (i) Quantity of Information
2. Technology and the Future of Propaganda (i) Quality and targeting
3. Online Propaganda Campaigns – Case Study
4. Summary of key points - technology and propaganda
5. Questions for research and discussion
6. Five Step to Deal with Online Disinformation
7. Applying Critical Thinking to Digital Propaganda
8. Online Propaganda’s Greatest Tricks
   (a) Correlation and Causation
   (b) The Slippery Slope
   © Bandwagon Appeal
   (d) False Dichotomy

Additional Resources
(1) Crossword of Key Terms (with answers)
(ii) Extension activity (ppt) - Romanticized Images of War - Wartime Posters