#alternativefacts
Teaching Students How to Evaluate News and Information
"It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it." Aristotle
Purpose
Why do students need this skill?
Teaching news literacy skills does not apply to just news from social media. It is a great opportunity for cross disciplinary collaborations. English language arts can integrate news literacy skills while teaching close reading, annotating, comprehension and writing. Social studies can integrate news literacy skills while teaching DBQs, inquiry skills, close examination of history, world perspectives, government and cultures. Math, science and arts can integrate news literacy skills while understanding and creating data, charts, infographics and sharing that knowledge with the stakeholders.
What are the definitions?
News Literacy: The ability to access, analyze and evaluate news information in a variety of formats
Propaganda (noun): Information that is often exaggerated or false and spread for the purpose of benefiting or promoting a specific individual or cause.
Fake news is, quite simply, news (“material reported in a newspaper or news periodical or on a newscast”) that is fake (“false, counterfeit”) - #alternativefacts
Spin Journalism (noun): News and information that is manipulated or slanted to affect its interpretation and influence public opinion.
Media Bias/Lean: A political bias in journalistic reporting, in programming selection, or otherwise in mass communications media.
Satire: the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues.
Confirmation Bias: the tendency to interpret new evidence as confirmation of one's existing beliefs or theories.
What are the resources available to teach this important critical thinking skill?
Together we will explore some of the linked resources below.
Christine Clark
Charlotte-Mecklenburg School District
Email: christinek.clark@cms.k12.nc.us
Location: Charlotte, NC, United States
Twitter: @christinekclark