VANCOUVER -- Researchers from a Vancouver Island university are part of a team that has been awarded almost $500,000 to study misinformation, stigma and fear related to the novel coronavirus known as COVID-19.
The joint project between researchers from Royal Roads and Ryerson universities will receive approximately $478,000 in funding from the federal government, part of a $27 million initiative for research related to the virus.
The funds will be used to combat misinformation and develop "online learning interventions that improve people's knowledge, skills, beliefs, and behaviours related to COVID-19," according to the Government of Canada's description of the project.
In a news release, Royal Roads University said the nationwide research team will "develop bite-size education initiatives, such as infographics and other digital media." Researchers will also "study online social networks to improve people's understanding, knowledge and beliefs about the novel coronavirus," the university said.
“We hope to help people learn about COVID-19 in effective and efficient ways," said Royal Roads professor George Veletsianos in the school's release. "Specifically, we want to improve the public's understanding of the virus and limit the spread of misinformation.”
The resources the team develops will be "available for others to use freely," according to the university.
The two-year study will also investigate the spread of COVID-19-related misinformation across social media platforms. That part of the study will be led by Ryerson University researchers, and will include a "real-time information dashboard" to help the public track misinformation debunking efforts, Royal Roads said.
“We’re eager to collaborate with other researchers studying closely-related topics and rapidly share findings, resources, and materials,” Veletsianos said.
