In today's digital age, where misinformation spreads faster than wildfire, it's crucial to equip ourselves with the tools to discern fact from fiction. Vince Filak, an award-winning multimedia journalism professor and author from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, unravels the complex web of fake news, misinformation, and disinformation in social and news media. In a lively discussion with Sage Faculty Partner and Mass Communications Professor Tim Molina, Vince explores the challenges posed by misinformation in the digital age and shares ways in which all instructors can help their students navigate the news landscape and determine the truth among the falsehoods.

Dr. Wind Goodfriend, a professor of Experimental Psychology at Buena Vista University, recently sat down with PsychSessions' Garth Neufeld to discuss her career and journey from a challenging childhood in Ames, Iowa, to becoming who she is today. Wind recounts her experiences with undiagnosed Tourette's Syndrome and autism, her expulsion from a religious school for protesting sexist policies, financial hardship, and cultural barriers. Despite these obstacles, she persevered, fueled by a lifelong passion for understanding human behavior. She emphasizes the importance of critical thinking and inclusivity in education and discusses her research on the psychology of cults. Most notably, Wind reveals how her upcoming intro psych textbook, "Psychology and Our Curious World," aims to make psychology relevant and engaging for students of all backgrounds by exploring real-world examples and thought-provoking questions.

Steven Fein, a professor of psychology at Williams College, recently sat down with Garth Neufeld of PsychSessions to discuss his career, research, and teaching. He highlights his 32-year tenure at the elite liberal arts college, noting its small class sizes and focus on undergraduate education. Steve also discusses his work with co-authors Saul Kassin and Hazel Rose Markus on the widely-used textbook, "Social Psychology," now in its 12th edition. His research has focused on stereotyping, prejudice, and social norms, with notable studies examining the influence of audience reactions on presidential debates. In one study, he found that audience applause can significantly alter viewers' perceptions of a candidate's performance. He reflects on his educational and career paths, emphasizing the importance of storytelling and making psychology relevant for students.

In this episode, Sage Faculty Partner Dr. Ryan Button, a sociology professor at Tyler Junior College, discusses the importance of values and ethics in education. He highlights the shift from values-based learning to a belief-based system driven by standardized tests and performance metrics. Additionally, Ryan emphasizes the need for a growth mindset, where effort and perseverance are praised over innate abilities. Ryan also shares examples of integrating tools like ChatGPT and Sage Vantage to foster personalized, structured, and collaborative learning environments while stressing the importance of nurturing curiosity and ethical awareness in students.

Tim Molina, a Sage Faculty Partner and Communications Professor at Northwest Vista College in San Antonio, Texas, sat down with Sage authors Susan Beauchamp and Stanley Baran to discuss the crucial role of media literacy and critical thinking in today's digital age. Susan and Stanley are the authors of Introduction to Human Communication: Perception, Meaning, and Identity, now in its 3rd edition.

Social media platforms often exploit algorithms and addictive features to reinforce biases and hinder critical thinking. To combat this, Susan and Stanley advocate for promoting cultural and educational initiatives that foster media literacy, self-awareness, curiosity, and empathy. By teaching students media literacy, journalism skills, and encouraging the seeking of diverse perspectives, they can become more discerning consumers of information and take personal responsibility for their digital experiences.

The first Generation Z students have arrived, and with them comes a host of unique challenges that stretch our well-used and applied pedagogical strategies. These digital natives are more independent-minded than collaborative team players. Join one of our Sage Faculty Partners, Regina Durante, Ph.D., who will share fresh insights on what makes Gen Z so different, creative, and unique from students you have taught in the past, as well as strategies for reaching these students in your classrooms today.

Regina Durante, Ph.D., is a passionate political science educator with over 35 years of experience, including advocating online learning since 1998. At Galveston College in Texas, she ignites student interest in American Government, Texas Politics, and a wide range of topics on local, state, and national levels. Dr. Durante is a strong advocate for engaging teaching methods, utilizing online platforms to foster independent learning and connect students with critical concepts.

Sage author and Political Science Professor Lisa Baglione, Ph.D., shares strategies for engaging today's diverse students in Introduction to Comparative Politics. Drawing from real-world examples, using sports analogies, incorporating film clips, and other scenarios, she is able to capture the interest of both majors and non-majors in her political science courses.

Dr. Baglione also discusses the importance of ensuring students can see themselves in politics, explaining how gender, ethnicity, and other identities intersect with power structures. She notes that small changes like using inclusive language and real-world examples can make political science more accessible in the classroom without a complete overhaul.

In part 2 of a 2-part podcast on trends in Mass Communication (listen to part 1 here, part of the Sage College Publishing Podcast channel), best-selling author and educator Vincent F. Filak emphasizes the value of DEI in broadening perspectives and fostering student engagement and growth. He highlights more inclusive teaching strategies and integrative approaches to representing diverse experiences.