News Sixth Form Bolton at BBC Verify at University of Lancashire

B6 Students Explore World of Artificial Intelligence at the BBC Verify Tour

Image of B6 students on media trip — B6 Students with Caroline Hawtin

Earlier this month, a group of The Sixth Form Bolton’s second-year Film and Media students visited the University of Lancashire for the BBC’s Live Verify Tour. They worked alongside students from six other colleges to question what they read, watch, and hear, with help from industry experts.

Students learned how social media news feeds are shaped by algorithms, how to spot bias or misleading content, and how to use social media more thoughtfully. They examined how technology is used to fake being in a location, how they can identify the physical location of a computing device (known as geolocating), and how to verify AI.

The group also discovered what it’s really like to work in news and media by trying their hands at producing and presenting TV and radio bulletins, and by hearing first-hand from a panel of industry professionals.

Image of student on media trip — Taylor Griffiths at BBC’s Live Verify Tour

The students found the day to be hugely beneficial.

“The trip to the University of Lancashire to see BBC Academy Live on Tour was an exciting opportunity to see behind the scenes of the digital world. Some other students and I were given the opportunity to read the headlines on the university’s radio station, which was both exciting and enlightening. The trip allowed me to explore roles within the BBC, which strengthened my interest in pursuing a Film/Media career.”

Taylor Griffiths, second-year Media student, commented:

“I thought that the day was amazing. I learned a lot about AI and disinformation. My favourite quote of the day was that ‘AI is an innovative tool that could lead to less innovation.’”

Sakina Salam, second-year Media student, commented:

“I found the masterclass on the making of the Tommy Fury documentary very inspiring. The talk with his manager and CEO gave me an insight into what I will experience in the industry when I work in it.”

Erin Simpson, second-year Media student, commented:

“As someone hoping to pursue a career in journalism, this experience was incredibly insightful, informative, and beneficial.”

Corey Gornall, second-year Media student, commented:

“I loved learning about the use of sound effects in radio. This was a very informative trip. I loved it.”

Chris Hepworth, Course Leader of Film and Media, was really impressed with the day, saying:

“The BBC Verify Tour was brilliant, and our day at the University of Lancashire in Preston was outstanding! The focus was all about the positives and negatives of AI in a digital world and its potential implications for creative and digital industries, as well as wider society. We also did an interactive masterclass on how to spot deepfakes, which the students loved, and they got to record their own radio bulletin using the amazing facilities at the University of Lancashire. We also explored the growing culture of disinformation and misinformation. The entire day was really empowering in terms of preparing our students for their future careers and lives in a digital world, and it was also really fun and hands-on. I hope they do it again!”

A huge thank you to the University of Lancashire for hosting and BBC Verify for running this fantastic event.

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B6 Students Explore World of Artificial Intelligence at the BBC Verify Tour