A Well Rounded Informational Diet is the New(ish) Frontier
Welcome back, readers! Our information in Week 3 of SLIS 761 (Informational Technology in School Library Programming) focused heavily on the relationship between information consumers and the world of information literacy, technology, and media. As access to the internet and social media has grown, consumers of information find themselves spammed with everyone from news outlets to their great-aunt Barb sharing their opinions and interpretations of events as though they are absolute, indisputable facts. As a result, consumers who are cognizant of this shift are finding it more and more necessary to vet sources of information in order to avoid "fake news." Though the term fake news has been around for years, it was brought to light and discussed more openly during the presidency of Donald Trump. As a current library media specialist, I am charged with helping elementary-aged students understand that "we were guaranteed a free press, we were not guaranteed a true press," (Valenza, 2016). This is a difficult job under normal circumstances. However, as we are in the midst of a time where any and all decisions and stances are politically charged, it is a daunting task.
As an elementary school librarian, I believe one of the most effective methods of encouraging awareness when it comes to digitally accessed information is to model the process of vetting or thinking through a post or article. This is not a practice that I have previously engaged in, and I am currently struggling to figure out where it fits into our class routine. My hesitation may very well be due to my own inexperience in engaging with digital media for the purpose of determining its validity. I like to be up-to-date with current events and news, but I get incredibly frustrated when topics of interest or importance are glossed over in favor of a potentially less weighted story that will trigger a larger response. I believe in honesty and transparency; two things that I have a hard time finding in mainstream media. As a result, I have a hard time bonding with any particular news outlet or method of receiving information. I know this is an area that requires personal improvement and this week's material might be the motivation to do just that.
With the P21 Framework (Battelle for Kids, 2015) guidelines, I think it would be a beneficial endeavor to engage in lessons surrounding the skills outlined. For example, under "Information, Media and Technology Skills," the framework lists accessing and evaluating information in an appropriate manner as a necessary life skill. This could be as simple as challenging students to answer a question about a current event and brainstorming ways to find that information. After a completed brainstorm period, students could actually attempt to find information and then report on the validity and consistency, or lack thereof, that they find from their different resources. A conversation about the purpose behind media messages could easily tie in with author's purpose standards that are in most elementary grade-level standards. Another idea could be to create a Venn Diagram or T-Chart comparing and contrasting different articles reporting the same occurrence. In short, finding ways to encourage learners to be aware of the hidden strategies that news outlets use to sell stories could be a simple integration that supports student growth as well as state standards. Now, the only thing to do is begin challenging myself to broaden my digital literacy horizons and use that fuel to create lesson plans!
Resources
Gungor, M. (Host). (2017, March 7). Fake news and media literacy. [Audio podcast]. The
Liturgists. https://theliturgists.com/podcast/2017/3/7/fake-news-media-literacy
Battelle for Kids. (2015, May). Framework for 21st century learning.
https://www.battelleforkids.org/networks/p21/frameworks-resources
I thoroughly enjoyed reading your blog post. I can totally relate to your frustrations about current events and news. It makes one so distrustful when you can easily see the misinformation in every direction. I am extremely skeptical about any news that I see on tv, social media, and magazines. This is also something that I need to work on. I need to really investigate alternative news outlets to find a few that I are more trust worthy and not out to sensationalize every news story. Do you sometimes feel like people think you are crazy for questioning EVERYTHING? I sure do!
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ReplyDeleteCrystal Smoak
I enjoyed your assessment of "fake news" and the ideas you shared regarding students and classroom activities. At first I was somewhat skeptical of the concepts that were being addressed in regard to this subject, but as you began to explain the tasks that you would incorporate in the classroom to determine the validity of information, I found the blog to be helpful. I would consider using some of these in my classroom. Thank you for sharing these practical classroom strategies.
ReplyDeleteJosie, I think you the hit the nail on the head about modeling for the students the vetting process. I think it is a habit that we have to almost over emphasize at every opportunity to ingrain those habits. I love to really annoy my kids when they tell me facts abut something by asking to provide details to their sources. I want them to think about not just where they are getting information in class setting but from all information sources in their lives. Even older textbooks or magazines in class come with hidden bias that we should encourage questioning. Cultivating that endless questioning may rub up against some of that old just learn what we are telling you mentality. but that is absolutely what it takes to create spark critical thinking in different areas.
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