Do you want to know...
Remember, all I'm offering is the truth... nothing more.
The Matrix could be an excellent allegory for finding truth in the chaos of disinformation. It could be about breaking an information bubble we may live in and choosing the right path. Unfortunately, we cannot load the skills like Neo could. Fortunately, our information and fake news Matrix is not as grim as the one in the movie...or is it?
“You take the blue pill, the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill, you stay in Wonderland, and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes.”
I hope you choose the knowledge, aka the red pill. So, here it goes:
Information literacy is more than possessing information. Information literacy is the ability "to recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate and use effectively the needed information." (ACRL, 2000)
Developing information literacy skills requires a combination of tools, educational resources, and critical thinking practice.
Developing information literacy skills requires a combination of tools, educational resources, and critical thinking practice.
What practical steps can you and your students take to critically evaluate information found on the Internet? How can we protect them and ourselves from fake news, scams, and phishing?
- Read about those Facebook 'Like' Scam Posts - by Better Business Bureau
- Watch the short video from Commonsensemedia.org about 5 ways to spot fake news. Look around the Common Sense website. Notice organizational tabs for Parents, Educators, and Advocates. Add useful links to your bookmarks or pins collection.
- Read Stephen Downe's post about Principles for Evaluating Website
- What is a Filter Bubble? How does it isolate you? - watch this short video (2.37min ) explaining just that!
- Browse and bookmark (pin?) for later - Fake news and misinformation advice hub from internetmatters.org where you can learn about fake news, how to spot it, and how to empower children to recognize what fake news is and how to stop the spread of it.
- How to check the credibility of controversial information?
- Browse and bookmark snopes.com - a reference source for urban legends, folklore, myths, rumors, and misinformation.
- Browse AllSides.com: Balanced News from the Left, Center, and Right
Look for resources about media bias, and check the incredibly well-developed resources for schools!
Learning (and teaching) today is much different than it used to be. So, it is logical to look for new learning theories!
Connectivism is a relatively new but mighty theoretical framework for understanding learning in a digital age.
- It is a theory that argues that learning is not just about memorizing facts but about how you connect those facts together. It's like building a network of information in your mind, where each piece of knowledge is a node, and the connections between them are what help you understand and navigate the world. So, instead of just storing information, you're actively creating a web of understanding. It will be important to keep in mind when building your Personal Learning Network (PLN)
- Connectivism acknowledges that learning is a social process and individuals bring unique perspectives and experiences to the learning process. Interacting with diverse viewpoints enriches understanding and fosters creativity and innovation.
Watch this short video explaining the theory of Connectivism (3 min). This will be further discussed in the lecture.
What strategies could students adopt to make decisions or solve an information problem?
- Analyze the Big6 and Super3 process models of how people should solve information strategies
the youngest - Connect it to the ISTE Student Standard #5: Computational Thinker: Students develop and employ strategies for understanding and solving problems that leverage technological methods' power to develop and test solutions.
- 5b Students collect data or identify relevant data sets, use digital tools to analyze them, and represent data in various ways to facilitate problem-solving and decision-making.
- 5 c Students break problems into component parts, extract key information, and develop descriptive models to understand complex systems or facilitate problem-solving.
Consider pinning or bookmarking the resources for future use (build that PLN!
- Browse classroom resources for media literacy at newseumed.org (you can access resources with a free sign-up)
- Browse K-12 teaching and learning resources about Digital Citizenship from Commonsense.org
- Browse and bookmark Kathy Schrock's Guide to Critical Evaluation of Information - TONES of resources for your classroom.
- Not sure about the safety of a website? Check Safe Browsing Site Status with Google
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Additional resources (not required; to use, bookmark, or pin for later):
Chat GPT for media literacy -an interesting article about why using AI could be a great media literacy instruction tool.
Ground.news: See every side of every news story. Similar to AllSides.com
Siemens and Downes theory ofConnectivism
Siemens and Downes theory of
Battling Fake News in a classroom
How to spot a fake online store
Poynter.org - The International Fact-Checking Network is a unit of the Poynter Institute dedicated to bringing together fact-checkers worldwide.
opensecrets.org - Follows the money. D ta on campaign finance, Super PACs, Industries ect.
opensecrets.org - Follows the money. D ta on campaign finance, Super PACs, Industries ect.
factcheck.org - nonpartisan, nonprofit "consumer advocate" for voters that aims to reduce the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics. A dress public policy issues at the local, state and federal levels.
truthorfiction.com - Get the truth about rumors, inspirational stories, virus warnings, hoaxes, scams, humorous tales, pleas for help, urban legends, prayer requests, calls to action, and other forwarded emails.
hoax-slayer.com - dedicated to" debunking email hoaxes, thwarting Internet scammers, combating spam, and educating web users about email and Internet security issues"
sourcewatch.org - a collaborative resource for
domaintools.com - a collection of domain name ownership records in the world (also look easywhois.com)
News Paper clipping generator
ISTE Standards for Students
Standard # 3: Knowledge Constructor: Students critically curate a variety of resources using digital tools to construct knowledge, produce creative artifacts and make meaningful learning experiences for themselves and others.
ISTE Standards for S
Standard # 3: Knowledge Constructor: Students critically curate a variety of resources using digital tools to construct knowledge, produce creative artifacts and make meaningful learning experiences for themselves and others.
- 3a. S udents plan and employ effective research strategies to locate information and other resources for their intellectual or creative pursuits.
- 3b. S udents evaluate the accuracy, perspective, credibility, and relevance of information, media, data or other resources.
Standard #2 Digital Citizen: Students recognize the rights, responsibilities and opportunities of living, learning and working in an interconnected digital world, and they act and model in ways that are safe, legal and ethical
Standards #5: Computational Thinker: Students develop and employ strategies for understanding and solving problems in ways that leverage the power of technological methods to develop and test solutions.
- 5b Students collect data or identify relevant data sets, use digital tools to analyze them, and represent data in various ways to facilitate problem-solving and decision-making.
- 5 c Students break problems into component parts, extract key information, and develop descriptive models to understand complex systems or facilitate problem-solving.
ISTE Standards for Educators connection:
Standard #2: Leader: Educators seek out opportunities for leadership to support student empowerment and success and to improve teaching and learning
Standard #3: Citizen: Educators inspire students to positively contribute to and responsibly participate in the digital world.
Standard #2: Leader: Educators seek out opportunities for leadership to support student empowerment and success and to improve teaching and learning
- 2c. Educator model for colleagues the identification, exploration, evaluation, curation, and adoption of new digital resources and tools for learning.
- 3b. E ucators establish a learning culture that promotes curiosity and critical examination of online resources and fosters digital literacy and media fluency.
- 3 c mentor students in safe, legal and ethical practices with digital tools and the protection of intellectual rights and property.
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Activities during the lab (we will work on them together)
- Can you find an argument to support or discredit the legitimacy of your resource? It is not enough to use "gut feeling" or common knowledge.
- How can you prove it?
- Can you see the purpose of the resource?
- Could you use it in your classroom?
Exhibit A: (elementary):
http://zapatopi.net/treeoctopus/
Exhibit B:
https://mousetrapnews.com/breaking-marvel-theme-park-coming-to-disney-world/
Exhibit C:
https://insttech.uni.edu/240-031/images/infliteracy-vaccinate.jpg
Exhibit D:
https://insttech.uni.edu/240-031/documents/mail_SlowDance.pdf
