The article investigates how digital technologies interact with “post-truth” dynamics (where subjective belief can outweigh verifiable fact) within rural higher education in Tamil Nadu, India. It aims to understand how students and faculty use digital tools, their perceptions of truth and misinformation in academic contexts, and what challenges and opportunities arise in digital pedagogy.
Research Design:
The study follows a mixed-methods approach, combining:
• A survey of 284 participants (240 students and 44 faculty) from multiple rural and semi-urban colleges.
• Six focus group discussions to gather deeper qualitative insights.
• Content analysis of institutional digital resources (such as learning management systems, WhatsApp academic groups, and YouTube lectures).
Key Findings:
• High usage of smartphones for learning: 85 % of students reported using smartphones for academic activity, but access to computers and smart classrooms was unequal.
• Low verification of information: Only 20 % of respondents routinely checked information before using it academically, while a majority (60 %) encountered inaccurate or unverified academic content.
• Digital confidence can improve with training: Participants in a supplementary digital literacy certificate course showed improved confidence in using digital tools, although verification skills remained a challenge.
• Technology both helps and complicates learning: While digital tools increase access to content and pedagogical options, lack of infrastructure, training, and curriculum integration can exacerbate the spread of unsubstantiated material and post-truth effects in academic settings.
Conclusions and Implications:
The article concludes that digital literacy is critically needed in rural academic ecosystems to mitigate the risks of misinformation and “post-truth” influences. It recommends institutional supports, such as structured digital literacy training, fact-checking procedures, and localized digital curriculum strategies, to strengthen the quality and credibility of academic engagement with digital tools.
Why This Research Matters:
• The study provides empirical data from rural India, a context that is underrepresented in digital literacy research.
• It bridges education, media studies, and technology use, offering insights of broad interdisciplinary relevance.
• Its findings can inform policy, faculty development and curriculum design in similar rural higher education settings globally.