Arizona State University has launched its first-ever free online course titled “Media LIT: Overcoming Information Overload,” designed to help students understand, analyze and create media.

The open, digitally-enabled course is the first of its kind offered by a major journalism program, and features guest speakers like New York Times public editor Margaret Sullivan, Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales, and Buzzfeed editor-in-chief Ben Smith, among others. The course is hosted on the edX platform, and includes readings, videos and activities that enable students to learn how to assess and consume news and be better informed.

“This new course makes world-class journalism and communications instruction more accessible to people around the world,” said Christopher Callahan, dean of the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication and ASU vice provost.

The course began online July 6, but students may still enroll. More information on the course is available here.

Interviews with Dan Gillmor, lead ASU professor of practice and author of multiple books, including “We the Media: Grassroots Journalism By the People, For the People”, can be scheduled by contacting Joe Giordano (contact info above). Gillmor teaches digital media literacy at ASU, and is an advisor to several technology and media-related ventures.