PhD Oral Exam - Scott DeJong, Communication

When studying for a doctoral degree (PhD), candidates submit a thesis that provides a critical review of the current state of knowledge of the thesis subject as well as the student’s own contributions to the subject. The distinguishing criterion of doctoral graduate research is a significant and original contribution to knowledge.

Once accepted, the candidate presents the thesis orally. This oral exam is open to the public.

Abstract

This research creation dissertation examines the relationship between play and disinformation by comparing play acts found on social media with an analysis and creation of information literacy games. Problematic information and information literacy are positioned as problem and educational solution, where the proliferation of manipulated content can seemingly be managed through pedagogy focused on skills and critical thinking. This dissertation offers a critical perspective towards disinformation and information literacy studies by applying a play-based theory and method to its analysis. It argues that play, as a conceptual model, can help us understand the nuanced, ambivalent, and subversive nature of disinformation. It applies this to an analysis of Canadian right wing partisan social media to challenge traditional definitions of disinformation to consider the nudges and tactics behind disinformation practices. It then compares this to 32 information literacy games by analyzing their conceptualization of problematic information. This analysis demonstrates how many information literacy games feed into binaries of truth and fallacy and struggle to engage audiences in the nuance of manipulated content. The dissertation applies research creation design to build a speculative game modeling the gathered data on right win communities, a prototype exploring the problem of dominant game models, and a final game co-built with high school teachers to show the nuance of digital systems. Together, this work offers a critique of dominant definitions of disinformation, a failure in existing information literacy approaches, and shines light on the challenges and emerging directions of information literacy education design.