Academic research articles have a structure and language that is different from our other reading materials such as textbooks. This lesson can help students new to academic research understand these differences and learn strategies for finding information in such articles.
Material Type: Activity/Lab, Assessment, Homework/Assignment, Module
This second part of the "Navigating the news" resource begins with the news of a fictional protest in a city. We live this event as if it were breaking, as we gradually pick up pieces of information (from speculative tweets to memes, opinions to out of context media) react and share. The aim is to show how typical this is of how we consume news online, whether breaking or not. We are fed superficial, incomplete, sometimes fake, often biased information on a regular basis. But not all is lost! This resource shows students that good habits can make an impact and help us navigate the news in a healthy way. The good habits are: Pausing & taking a step back Embracing the nuance Keeping an eye on the bigger picture Developing critical thinking This last one, critical thinking, is divided into the following sections: News articles Media neutrality & the left-right divide Experts & authorities Opinion pieces & commentators Algorithm Stats Studies Social media It finishes off with the Bullshit-o-meter, a framework to quantify the quality of a source. Concretely you add or reduce credit depending on how valid the information contained within a source is. -- This resource is part of the information science collection.
Material Type: Lesson
In this unit students will reflect on their own media environment, understand how cognitive bias and social media algorithms influence that environment, and learn how to investigate new sources and claims online. These activities culminate in a student-led "social science fair" MisinfoNight event where they present their new skills and knowledge to family members to help them become more savvy information consumers.
Material Type: Lesson, Unit of Study
This new publication by UNESCO is a timely resource and highly topical subject for all those who practice or teach journalism in this Digital Age. UNESCO's new handbook is an essential addition to teaching syllabi for all journalism educators, as well as practising journalists and editors who are interested in information, how we share it and how we use it. It is mission critical that those who practice journalism understand and report on the new threats to trusted information. Political parties, health professionals, business people, scientists, election monitors and others will also find the handbook useful in navigating the information disorder. Written by experts in the fight against disinformation, this handbook explores the very nature of journalism - with modules on why trust matters; thinking critically about how digital technology and social platforms are conduits of the information disorder; fighting back against disinformation and misinformation through media and information literacy; fact-checking 101; social media verification and combating online abuse. The seven individual modules are available online to download that enables readers to develop their own course relevant to their media environment. This handbook is also useful for the library and information science professionals, students, and LIS educators for understanding the different dimensions of fake news and disinformation. Table of Contents Module One | Truth, Trust and Journalism: Why it Matters | by Cherilyn Ireton Module Two | Thinking about "Information Disorder": Formats of Misinformation, Disinformation and Mal-Information | by Claire Wardle & Hossein Derakshan Module Three | News Industry Transformation: Digital Technology, Social Platforms and the Spread of Misinformation and Disinformation |by Julie Posetti Module Four | Combatting Disinformation and Misinformation Through Media and Information Literacy (MIL) | by Magda Abu-Fadil Module Five | Fact-Checking 101 | by Alexios Mantzarlis Module Six | Social Media Verification: Assessing Sources and Visual Content | by Tom Trewinnard and Fergus Bell Module Seven | Combatting Online Abuse: When Journalists and Their Sources are Targeted | by Julie Posetti Additional Resources: https://en.unesco.org/fightfakenews
Material Type: Full Course, Module, Textbook, Unit of Study
During the Fall 2017 semester, Dr. Daniel Hunt participated in the Worcester State University Library OER initiative. In CM 100 Intro to Mass Communication, a free textbook was adopted which replaced a popular textbook that costs app. $120 when purchased new. Adoption of the free textbook was compared to use of the more expensive textbook in previous semesters. The results indicate that the free resource can easily be used in place of more costly mass media textbooks. Compared to previous sections of this course, it appeared that class participation increased, the quality of written assignments improved, and exam scores were higher. The results of this initiative will be shared with other faculty that teach Intro to Mass Communication.
Material Type: Teaching/Learning Strategy
An event happens in the world. We go online to inform ourselves and understand it. We scour the web, websites, social media posts, videos, reels, podcasts. Notifications come up, algorithms feed us, filter bubbles appear. We listen to the radio, watch TV news bulletins, speak with friends and family. We aim for the cold facts, for objectivity and neutrality. Unconsciously meanwhile, factors out of our control are shaping the debate. We have our own biases. We are exposed and sensitive to certain point of views over others. Our senses, as much as our minds, are tricked. Thankfully, with the correct tools, we can filter the flow of information on the web, navigate current events the right way and reach a certain degree of objectivity. This resource aims to help do just that. This first part is about grasping the unconscious factors at play. Being aware of our limitations is the beginning to understanding news and the world we live in. It is also a means to open up to different point of views, as well as the colourful complexity of knowledge. In the second part, we'll look at a concrete use case and how we can use critical thinking to filter information online. -- This resource is part of the information science collection.
Material Type: Lesson
The Visual Storytelling lesson plan is a series of four learning ladder activities designed around mobile/digital technology for use by intermediate art and design students. It is a framework for concept ideation, visual design planning, and production. Activity 4: Design Matrix introduces students to production planning for multiple types of media.
Material Type: Activity/Lab
This inquiry takes students through an analysis and evaluation of the Compelling Question “Is protest important in a democracy?” using the Vietnam War as a lens to approach the topic. To accomplish this, students will become more media literate through evaluating sources, biases, perspectives, and the goals of creating media. Throughout the inquiry, students will engage in activities designed to promote and develop media literacy while analzying the Compelling Question and learning about the historical protests of the Vietnam Era.This inquiry is expected to take two weeks (10 periods) to complete: one 45-minute class period to stage the question, introduce the inquiry, and to review media literacy; two 45-minute class periods for each of the three supporting questions; and then three 45-minute class periods for students to write and research their argumentative thesis. If students are as of yet less familiar with media literacy, the instructor should add at least another class period, or more, introducing them more fully to this.The full unit, along with all materials and resources, is available as a PDF attachment.
Material Type: Activity/Lab, Assessment, Diagram/Illustration, Homework/Assignment, Lesson, Lesson Plan, Module, Primary Source, Reading, Unit of Study
Students use the 5 Ws (who, what, when, where, why, and how) to evaluate an information source and determine if they would cite it in a paper. This assignment is used as an information literacy exercise at the University of Tennessee Libraries, where students are given a New York Times column to read before completing the assignment in groups. For a copy of this resource as it was originally given to students, go to: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0vtrPDaeiV6VFJUYUNzRGlfb00/view?usp=sharing. Results of the use of this activity were shared in an article published in the journal Reference & User Services Quarterly 53, no. 4 (Summer 2014): 334-347.
Material Type: Activity/Lab, Homework/Assignment
SIFT is an evaluation strategy developed by digital literacy expert Michael Caulfield (Washington State University Vancouver) to help you judge whether or online content can be trusted for credible and reliable information. The SIFT strategy is quick, simple, and can be applied to various kinds of online content: social media posts, memes, statistics, videos, images, news articles, scholarly articles, etc. SIFT stands for: STOP INVESTIGATE THE SOURCE FIND BETTER COVERAGE TRACE CLAIMS, QUOTES, AND MEDIA BACK TO THEIR ORIGINAL CONTEXT
Material Type: Unit of Study
What is fake news? Why does it matter? How do we challenge it? This resource is as much about learning about fake news as it is about taking a step back to pause and reflect. After a warm up "Real or fake" test to engage students in the topic, we get into the crux of the matter, looking at where fake news comes from, it's often political nature and financial incentive, and who is targeted by it. If fake news is nothing new in human history, recent inventions have massively increased the range and speed at which information spreads. Smartphones and social media means we have never, potentially, been more exposed to fake news and this has negative consequences, including stigmatization of people, reinforcement of stereotypes, the closing rather than opening of discussion and debate. It can even lead to violence. Thankfully, we can challenge fake news thanks to our critical thinking. An extensive range of tips and steps we can take are taken from the Navigating the News (Part II) resource and linked in the resource before it finishes off with a "fake news" game into order to practice and stimulate thinking more. -- This resource is part of the information science collection.
Material Type: Lesson
Students are asked, as individuals in a team, to critically review the draft of a multimedia web site authored by another team in my course. Student must follow a template with 5 review criteria, and submit their review to each member of the web site author team and to me. Please see the handout below for instructions I give to students for this activity.
Material Type: Activity/Lab, Homework/Assignment
TED Studies, created in collaboration with Wiley, are curated video collections supplemented by rich educational materials for students, educators and self-guided learners. In Visualizing Data, TED speakers shake up statistics with elegant, dynamic representations that make mountains of data comprehensible and even exciting. Learn how to visualize data and present complicated statistics in elegant and captivating ways. Relevant areas of interest, study and coursework include: information design, demography, statistical literacy, economics, sociology, media studies, linguistics, meteorology and computer science.
Material Type: Lecture, Reading, Teaching/Learning Strategy
This engaging video focuses on national and global wind energy potential by specifically highlighting Texas' role as wind energy leader and energy efficiency efforts in Houston, Texas.
In this activity, student teams research and develop a proposal to decrease the carbon footprint of their city's/town's public transportation system and then prepare a report that explains why their transportation plan is the best for their community.
Material Type: Activity/Lab
Introductory document on news sources with practice exercise.
Material Type: Lesson
With this lesson the teacher will provide the students tools to find sources and recognize if those sources are reliable and useful for their discussions.
Material Type: Homework/Assignment
Introduce students to the function of news reporting and editorialzing, and what changes in the information landscape has blurred the lines between the two. Students have the opportunity to identify facts and opinions in the news, with the goal of understanding how to distinguis between objective reporting and opinion pieces. Students are invited to discuss the role news plays in civic engagement, and how, as news consumers, the sources we choose matter.
Material Type: Activity/Lab
As we get caught up in elections cycles and endless political debates, we can sometimes forget what democracy is and its institutions; how they work, their strengths and weaknesses. It's divided into 5 sections. The state of democracy The first part looks at the overall state of democracy across the world. After definining what a democracy is, we're look at how not all democracies are equal in measure, with some having more functioning democratic institutions than others. A useful recap of the other major types of government will feature. Checks and balances The separation of powers (legislative, executive and judicial) come from the premise that concentrating power in the hands of one person, party or government can have a detrimental effect on society. Hence why power and functions are distributed across separate and independent entities. Thriving political culture A democracy is more than voting once every x number of years. It's first of all making sure everyone who is elligible to vote can easily do so (obstacles are common). Political culture is also determined through the freedom to contest and protest. Transparency, accountability & corruption It is a given that a functioning democracy, with politicians elected by the people who get to decide how tax-payer money is spent, decision-making processes and accounting should be as transparant and corruption-free as possible. Unfortunately, lobbying and other forms of corruption are proven to be a hindrance on democracy as a whole. Media: the fourth power What is discussed in media outlets - from podcasts to TikTok videos, news articles to TV news bulletins - can have a significant impact on society, raising matters of public interest, forcing politicians to take position, debate and take action. Hence the importance of a free press. One that is independent, can speak openly about any issue, criticise the government if need be, without fear of reprisal. It is also crucial that information is transparent, that journalists can access information on what governments are doing without hindrance. -- Part of the political science collection.
Material Type: Lesson
This homework problem introduces students to Marcellus shale natural gas and how an unconventional reservoir rock can become an attractive hydrocarbon target. It is designed to expand students' understanding of hydrocarbon resources by introducing an unconventional natural gas play. Students explore the technological factors that make conventional source rocks attractive reservoir rocks and how this advance impacts both U.S. energy supply and the environment.
Material Type: Activity/Lab
