Embedded Files
Learning Target:
Learning Target:
Students will be able to identify how to navigate teaching in an age where conspiracy theories, and alternate facts are everywhere. They will be able to explain to their students, what is credible and what is a "conspiracy".
Learning Target:
Learning Target:
by the end of this lesson, students will be able to...
1. discuss with their students how to identify what is credible.
2. explain how the Covid-19 pandemic has added to the conspiracy theory craze.
3. name different alternate facts that have come about since the pandemic.
Questions to think about...
Questions to think about...
1. How can teachers keep students safe from insane and scary conspiracy theories, and keep them from feeding into them?
2. How can adding in false conspiracy theories into your lesson plan, help educate your students on them?
3. How can teachers, especially right now in a time of many conspiracy theories and online learning, correctly teach what is credible and what is not?
Introduction/description:
This year has been harder than ever on teachers and students. Especially for teachers trying to educate their students on what is a credible source and what is not. Right now we live in a era where information literacy is being put at risk, because of how easy it is to spread fake news. This is making it much harder for teachers to educate students on information literacy. Right now in a time where millions are dying from a deadly virus, people do not believe in vaccines, and people will not even listen to the CDC, spreading false information is dangerous. Science is a very tricky topic, and that is really what the pandemic is. This virus and the way it works all comes down to science. Spreading false information about science, can be very dangerous and make things very difficult. This has not stopped people from spreading hundreds of lies about the pandemic, and now teachers are having to pick them apart to show what is credible to their students.
Interview...
Interview...
For my Interview I decided to Interview my grandmother Connie Cook. My grandmother has been an English teacher, for Des Moines, Iowa public schools for over 40 years. She has gone from teaching in-person her whole life, to being one of the oldest teachers at her school learning to work zoom. She has had to completely re-do her lesson plans, to help better them over zoom. This lesson plan includes teaching students about finding credible sources, which she says right now is more important than ever.
Interview Questions...
Did the pandemic increase conspiracy theories, and did it affect students in anyway?
"Of course with everything going on right now, there will be a lot of "fake news" spreading. I believe that the pandemic has started to make many people come up with some crazy ideas. Some of these theories can be outrageous, scary, dangerous, or just stupid. This has a impact on a lot of student's, because they are still learning what our credible sources and what are not."(Connie Cook, Personal Communication, February 10th, 2021.) This statement really shows how much of an impact the pandemic has had on teaching credibility. Already living in a era where accessing conspiracy theories is so easy, makes it very hard; the pandemic, vaccine, mask, etc. all fuel the conspiracy fire.
"Of course with everything going on right now, there will be a lot of "fake news" spreading. I believe that the pandemic has started to make many people come up with some crazy ideas. Some of these theories can be outrageous, scary, dangerous, or just stupid. This has a impact on a lot of student's, because they are still learning what our credible sources and what are not."(Connie Cook, Personal Communication, February 10th, 2021.) This statement really shows how much of an impact the pandemic has had on teaching credibility. Already living in a era where accessing conspiracy theories is so easy, makes it very hard; the pandemic, vaccine, mask, etc. all fuel the conspiracy fire.
Have you introduced any of the "fake news" to your students, to use in a lesson plan?
"I find it very useful to include examples of sources that are not credible. The one good thing the pandemic has provided it many examples of non credible sources. I try to use examples that are most recent, so a lot of them have been about the pandemic. I find this helpful, because it is educating them on not only reliable or discredited sources but also keeps them up to date on what's going on" (Connie Cook, Personal Communication, February 10th, 2021). This statement shows that adding ideas that are up to date with current news or trends, can engage your students. especially right now, where everyone even students are being affected by the pandemic. All of this is new to us all, we are all still trying to figure it out, and educators have to figure it out faster. They have to find the right things to teach their students, that will keep them educated and engaged, but also safe and away from danger or scary things.
What are some of the conspiracy theories you have used?
"some examples I have used is that the vaccine is going to make us sick, that masks do not actually work, and that the Covid-19 virus was made by the government. All sources end up being not credible." (Connie Cook, Personal Communication, February 10th, 2021). Although the pandemic is scary it is always your duty as a teacher to share the facts. You as a teacher have to address some crazy ideas or theories, it is your duty to show your students what is credible, and what has no credibility. You have to teach them right from wrong because if you do not, these students will one day be taking over our positions and teaching generations to come wrong information.
"some examples I have used is that the vaccine is going to make us sick, that masks do not actually work, and that the Covid-19 virus was made by the government. All sources end up being not credible." (Connie Cook, Personal Communication, February 10th, 2021). Although the pandemic is scary it is always your duty as a teacher to share the facts. You as a teacher have to address some crazy ideas or theories, it is your duty to show your students what is credible, and what has no credibility. You have to teach them right from wrong because if you do not, these students will one day be taking over our positions and teaching generations to come wrong information.
Conclusion:
Conclusion:
In Conclusion, conspiracy theories will always be a threat to information literacy, and will always cause teachers to have to explain what is credible and what is not. It is no secret that with the pandemic, came a lot of crazy, and outrageous theories about the pandemic. Some of these theories being dangerous for many citizens lives. For educators this causes more stress on them, because they have to explain to their students that these are not credible sources. Right now in a era of online learning, and conspiracy theories that can be tricky. It is a teacher's duty to inform their students on reliable sources, and show them ways that they can easily figure it out. Right now more than ever, this lesson is crucial for our students.
Test Your Knowledge...
How many people does it take to keep a conspiracy theory alive?
A) 134
B) 10,645
C)2,521
D) 78
What is a way teachers can address false conspiracy theories?
A) Only show non credible theories.
B) Pull up a YouTube video explaining conspiracy theories about COVID-19.
C) Show credible theories, than show non credible to compare.
D) None of the above.
Answers to Questions
Answers to Questions
Both answers are C.
References:
C. Cook, Personal Communication, February 10th, 2021
Gooblar, D. (2018). How to Teach Information Literacy in an Era of Lies. The Chronicle of Higher Education,1, https://www.chronicle.com/article/how-to-teach-information-literacy-in-an-era-of-lies/?bc_nonce=faluu30wr5fvbkm20sr3v&cid=reg_wall_signup
Reed, K., Hiles’, S., & Tipton, P. (2019). Sense and Nonsense: Teaching Journalism and Science Students to Be Advocates for Science and Information Literacy. Journalism & Mass Communication Educator, Vol. 74(2),212-226, https://journals-sagepub-com.proxy.lib.odu.edu/doi/pdf/10.1177/1077695819834415
Page updated
Report abuse