Critical analysis and digital literacy in learning social psychology

Abstract

[EN] This paper presents a teaching experience in social psychology learning, aimed at students’ acquisition of critical analysis and digital literacy competences at the University of Barcelona. The methodology consisted of asking each student to answer to a socially relevant question, by means of (a) identifying key underlying psychosocial processes and (b) searching for adequate keywords in scientific databases such as PsycNet and Sociological Abstracts, in order to (c) select and critically compare two relevant articles that could answer this question. The acquisition of these competences was assessed with a rubric and related questions in the final exam. Results indicated both the effectiveness of this approach to teach competences in digital literacy and critical analysis through motivating questions, and the translation of these competences in other situations. This approach also showed to be more effective in teaching these ompetences than only giving lectures. This methodology is promising, as it provides an answer to how to give future professionals competences in answering effectively and rigorously to socially relevant problems in the Information Society.