Module 3: Finding and creating content

1. Begin your search for information online. Using reputable sources, find a number of resources which support your topic. You will begin this process with an idea, but often the information you find will lead you in a particular direction. Don't try to find everything about a topic. Instead, find a variety of sources which build the idea. Use the information on credible sources to help you choose which ones to focus on.

2. Consider creating an outline based on the information that you have found. This will help you gather your material based on what you will be creating.

3. Create a handout with the information that you have found. Keep track of the sources. A bibliography can be created easily in many word processing programs. At the very least, include links to pertinent articles which you used in your handout.

4. Use this handout to create an interactive lesson on the course website and/or a PowerPoint presentation for face to face or Zoom. Our training will help you design an interactive lesson based on your handout. (Module 3, Creating an Interactive Lesson)

5. Support your handout with resources such as videos, graphics, images and more. Use the information on copyright materials to guide your usage. (Included below)

Since most of us are not working out of a traditional text, our choice of content is very important. Some of the things to consider when choosing content:

• Copyright: Is this material copyrighted (most is)? Are you following copyright guidelines for education?

• Appropriate for our audience: Depending on your class, your content needs to be matched to their abilities. We need to remember that our students come from a variety of backgrounds. Our students are taking our classes for enrichment, so our content should be that way

• Accurate: There is a skill that comes from picking material that is accurate and true. There are certain websites which are better than others. Once you find a few that are pertinent to your class, you may find yourself using them time and again.

• Bias: We all have a bias of some sort. Instead of denying this bias, make sure your students are aware that you are presenting information that you believe to be accurate and true. Make sure that your sources are not heavily biased, and to remind your students that some topics are not as black and white as others.

Copyright for Educators:

Let's face it, this is not an easy and quick topic. I would like to write a short paragraph on copyright, but it is more detailed than that. SDCCD has created a document which outlines what is required as far as copyright and the district. You can read it in its entirety here.

Instructor Tara Gilboy has created a document to walk you through the copyright process for our purposes.

Instructor Wade Smith has also created a document/tutorial to explain more about copyright and images.

Fair use is an exemption to the copyright law. To see if your use qualifies as fair use, you might consider an interactive online tool. One of these tools is: http://librarycopyright.net/resources/fairuse/index.php . When you have completed your evaluation, you have a PDF document that awards an average "fairness level".

For a simplified explanation of copyright laws and education, the publication Education World has a nice 5 part series. You can access it here.

Do you want to cite images (as in Google images) for your handout? This site offers you some clear directions.

Copyrighting your material:

You will be creating materials for your class. Will you want to copyright this material? If so, this document describes the entire process of registering for the copyright. It includes information which will be useful if your copyright is infringed. It was created by Instructor Helena Wei Chi.

Website accuracy and personal bias:

Fake news or fake websites, there are examples of both out there! It is important for us to use resources that are credible. Here are some of the things you might want to consider when evaluating your resources:

• The source: Is the website credible? What is the mission of the website? What other stories do you find on the website? Who is in charge, and what are their qualifications?

• The headlines: Often, a headline is used to get clicks, but when you begin to read the article, you have to scour it to find something remotely like the headline. Look at the whole story. Does it support the headline?

• The author: Who is the author? Are they credible? Are they even real?

• Supporting sources: Click on the links in the article. See if the information supports the story.

• Check the dates: An old new story may not be relevant to the facts.

• Site design: A well designed website is probably more reliable than one with poor design. Also, improper spelling and grammar can also be a tip-off.

• Is it satire: There are some sites which are actually satire sites. An example is The Onion (https://www.theonion.com/)

• Are you biased: It may be you and not the article. If you have a personal bias, you may tend to use resources which support your bias, and do not challenge your own beliefs. It is important as instructors to show both sides in our instruction.

• Ask an expert: There are websites which may help you decide whether something is real. They include:

  • FactCheck.org (politics)

  • PolitiFact.com (politics)

  • OpenSecrets.org (money in politics)

  • Snopes.com (religion, email and hoaxes)

  • TruthORFiction.com (email)

  • HoaxSlayer.com (email, Internet scammers, spam)

Once you have identified your topic, and have an idea of what you want to include, you can construct your handout. Your handout should include a strong introduction (what will we learn this week), an introduction to the topic (what is this topic anyway), several sections which address that topic, and a conclusion.

How long is your handout? That depends on your class and your students. For a health online class, you might restrict your handout to 2 pages so that it can easily be distributed to participants in the class if it is presented to a face to face class. For a fully online class, you might have a longer handout (4+ pages) but that can include images and graphs.

Create your handout in a word processing program such as Microsoft Word. Check spelling and grammar, and make use of tools that notify you of spelling or grammar mistakes.

Make use of bold headings . Provide information in small chunks (no really long paragraphs). Break up ideas with bullets, images and photos.

Remember to cite your references. Some instructors use the built in references option in Word. With this tool, you include the specifics of our source as well as the website address. When your document is completed, you can then embed your bibliography into your document. Other instructors include the website address only, either within the document or at the end. Your choice will depend on the intricacy of your handout as well as your audience. At any rate, make sure and adhere to copyright rules as best as you can.

Don't forget to create PDF version: When your document is complete, make sure to save it on your computer. If you used a word processing program like word, your document will be saved as a word document (.docx). However, when you send it to your students, you should have it in the PDF format. The reason is that many students do not have Word installed on their device, and could not read the document in that format. However, most people have a PDF reader installed (such as Adobe), so they will be able to read the document. With Microsoft Word, this means that you would save it once (.docs.) and then click "save again as a PDF". Keep both versions on your device, but only share the PDF with students.

In our next lesson, we will learn how to attach this PDF to your webpage as well as how to create a nice interactive reading using your handout.

Examples:

• Here is an example of a 2 page Health handout designed for all students.

• Here is an example of a longer handout designed for a fully online class.

Complete a handout (at least 2 pages) on one of your topics. Pay attention to:

• copyright issues

• sources used

• tone of the handout (Is it appropriate for your students? Is it unbiased?)

• saved as PDF and word document

If you like, you can send the handout to me as an attachment in an email. Include both the .doc version and the .pdf version. My email: maryburns@sdceonline.com