Community of Online Research Assignments

Lesson Plan October 14, 2021

#ForYou: Algorithms & the Attention Economy

Short Description

This algorithmic literacy workshop puts a new spin on media literacy by moving beyond fake news to examine the algorithms that shape our online experiences and how we encounter information in our everyday lives.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the #ForYou: Algorithms & the Attention Economy workshop, students will be able to:

  1. describe recommender system algorithms in order to examine how they shape individuals' online experiences through personalization
  2. analyze their online behaviors and subsequent ad profiles in order to reflect on how they influence how individuals encounter, perceive, & evaluate information, leading to echo chambers & political polarization
  3. assess how their data is used to personalize their online experience in order to build algorithmic awareness & make informed, intentional choices about their information consumption

Participation Type

Suggested Citation

Chisholm, Alexandria. "#ForYou: Algorithms & the Attention Economy." CORA (Community of Online Research Assignments). 2021. https://projectcora.org/lesson/foryou-algorithms-attention-economy