Before you start with the Activity get familiar with the relevant parts of the Methodology for teachers and the overall composition and logic of the activities presented in the Activity book for teachers to have the overall idea what topics are covered in the activities.

The Activity has direct connection to the topics covered in the MODULE 0 & 1 of the Methodology

Students will learn about baits and traps of the information presented on the internet (fake-news and disinformation) and learn how to overcome them by fact-checking and lateral reading.

As this is just the first step we will concentrate mainly on the credibility of the source of information as information is always influenced by its author, so analyzing a source of information (its author and/or sponsoring organization) should be the first step when approaching information on the internet.

Students learn why the source of information is important and learn what criteria they should (not) use when assessing credibility and trustworthiness of information they find on the internet.

Let´s help students not to be manipulated and be able to make informed decisions (“not to get fooled” by evidently non-credible data sources).

People (students) are not familiar how to critically approach the information on the internet and are not able to distinguish reliable source and data over disinformation or biased information provided. Or even distinguish between opinions, facts and advertisement (PR).

• Finding relevant and reliable source and information on the internet to orient yourself in the issue concerned.

• Understand the relevance of the data and information for our objective (to better understand and by able to make informed decisions).

Step I:        Topic selection

Step II:       First impression

Step III:      Select the sources of information

Step IV:      Assessing the reliability of information (fact-checking)

Step V:       Finding the main aspects of reliable information

Step VI:      Summarizing the criteria for reliable source of information

Step VII: (optional) Show example/conduct proper fact-checking (second round)

Step VIII:     What else needs to be considered?

• Students will look up information about the topic on the internet

• Students examine the relevance and credibility of the information

• Main criteria to look for about the information on the internet will be examined

• Data, information and sources concerning the issue found on the internet (or from other sources see the materials needed below)

• Fact-checked information and sources concerning the issue

• Relevant criteria to judge credibility of information on the internet

• Students understand baits and traps of the information presented on the internet or from other sources

• Students understand basics about disinformation and fake-news

• Students understand how to responsibly approach information on the internet

• Students learn about fact-checking and lateral reading

• Students learn to assess credibility of information by relevant criteria (and not to use irrelevant criteria to judge credibility of the source)

• Students learn about reliability and credibility of data

• Students can distinguish between facts and opinion

• Students can identify obviously not credible information or source of information

• Students understand that every information might matter, even the not credible one (or one that cannot be proven)

•  Problem definition, how not to solve wrong problem (Module 0, chapter 3)

•  General concepts concerning facts, data, information and objectivity (Module 0)

•  Disinformation, misinformation and fake-news (Module 0)

•  Understand  criteria for quality of data and information (Module 1, chapter 1)

•  Understand potential data and information sources on the internet (Module 1, chapter 2)

•  Understand (not) relevant criteria to judge information on the internet (Module 1, chapter 3)

•  Understand manipulative techniques used to spread disinformation (Module 1, chapter 3)

•  How to approach information on the internet, fact-checking and lateral reading (Module 1, chapter 3)

Depends on the topic and the number of students in the class and weather students will look up the information during the class or before the class as a home work. But generally the activity is designed to be done in one class lesson (45 min).

With small or if dedicated on only one concrete data source it could be done in less time (15-20 min).

For more complicated topics, if you want/need to cover whole activity in one lesson (45 min), it would be recommended to assign the topic in advance (steps I to III) and let students find and asses the sources as preparation for the class (homework) (step IV). In the class you will than discuss about the topic (step V and further).

If the time allows you can also combine Activity 1 with Activity 2 or 3 into one lesson (so to follow the Activity 1 by activity 2 and/or 3 during one class). 

Before you start you need to pick a relevant theme/topic/issue to be explored.

How to choose the topic (problem definition) and the biases:

•  Beware of the problem definition not to limit the further research (exploration) by the students (see Module 0, chapter 1.3).

•  Be self-critical not to define the topic/problem influenced by your own biases.

•  Be self-critical and open to different views (do not mistake them for fake-news).

•  Do not worry about potentially controversial topics, there is no need to come to definitive conclusions during this activity. “Controversial topic” drive interesting discussion and then designing relevant research.

•  Topics concerning different values, norms and/or biases could be very well further (or before) explored during the Activity 2, which is directly dealing with biases and different perspectives*.

•  (if possible according the purpose of the lesson) Let students be part of the decision what topic to choose and how to define it (do not worry, if they get it wrong, they will find on the way later on and learn from it…).

*This means you can start exploring the issue selected by Activity 2 if the main concern of the issue (topic you are dealing with) are different values, norms and biases. So it is optional depending on the topic concerned whether you start with Activity 1 (focusing on the information on the internet) or start with Activity 2 (focusing on the biases, values, norms and perspectives of different actors).

You can approach the task in two ways (or combine these):

a)   You let students to explore and find the sources of information by their own.

b)  You will point out selected sources of information about the topic to the students. So the students will start with these selected sources.

To decide what approach to choose might be directed by these criteria:

i.         If you know the topic and/or know about “interesting” (example) sources that can demonstrate some also not reliable sources of information than you can assign the students to look at these sources.

ii.       If there is not enough time to spend in the class for this activity it would be better to pick some sources for the students to safe time.

iii. If students get the assignment of the activity (to find the sources and information) before the lesson as a home work, you can leave space to students to find their own sources. Then you may ask them to send you the sources before the class so you can get more familiar with the sources in advance.

This activity is primarily designed to deal with information on the internet as this is normally the primary sources of the information today. But the same concept can be easily used with any other sources of information. E.g. for topics concerning the class/school/municipality (topic “that is been talked about”) the first information could be information (or gossip) from class mate, local news or local actors. The main topic is the source and reliability of information from any source.