Module 3 Answer Key

Module 3 Lesson 1 - Virology

Fact or Fiction? Review the following examples of viral content and indicate whether you think each one is FACT or FICTION.

  1. Flu vaccine - Fiction
  2. Islam banned - Fiction
  3. Pastafarian - Fact
  4. Starbucks - Fiction

Which of the following reactions do you think this viral rumor is designed to provoke?

  1. Flu vaccine - Fear
  2. Islam banned - Anger
  3. Pastafarian - Curiosity
  4. Starbucks - Hope

What do you think is the primary reason this rumor was propagated?

  1. Flu vaccine - Altruism
  2. Islam banned - Malice
  3. Pastafarian - Personal interest
  4. Starbucks - Group interest

In your opinion, if a rumor is debunked (proven to be untrue), can it still be dangerous? Explain your answer.

This will be a reflective answer from students for you to evaluate and critique.

Module 3 Lesson 2 - Role of Algorithms

This lesson has a series of reflective writing prompts.

  • Describe a recent online experience where you noticed personalization. If this is the first time you’ve heard of personalization, write about what you think algorithms might have already learned about you through your online activity.

Students will interact with a simulated smartphone screen that displays information with and without personalization. Following each examples, students will have this prompt to answer three times;

  • Solo Sentence! Was the personalization in the last example helpful, or was it hiding important or useful information?

They will complete the lesson with a final reflective writing prompt;

  • What do you consider to be the biggest advantage and the biggest challenge that the personalization of information presents? Why?

Module 3 Lesson 3 - Branded Content

Try to spot the ads

You will now review eight examples of information. Try to determine which ones are advertisements. Then Emily will rejoin you and reveal the answers. You do not need to take notes or provide any answers at this stage in the lesson. Just consider the examples and do your best to spot the ads. All 8 of the initial examples are ads.

Following several of the videos with the subject matter expert, students will be prompted to complete reflective writing questions;

  • Can you explain the simile that Emily just used? How is the relationship between advertising revenue at a news organization like the gas in a car?
  • Why would advertisers want their ads to look like a news report? How do you feel about this practice?

Students will then examine four new examples. They will have a series of questions.

Why do you think the Southland/NBC ad on the front page of the Los Angeles Times was controversial?

  • Because it was on the front page... (2nd option)

Most to Least! Drag the four examples Emily just introduced so they appear in order from most transparent to least transparent, then drag the "Line of Acceptability" to separate those you think have sufficient transparency from those you think do not. If you think none of the examples are transparent enough, put the line first. If you think all of the examples are transparent enough as they are, put the line last. Teachers may evaluate student choices for rankings.

Check Out These Ads The following four ads are public service or political advertisements. Two of them are "hoax ads" which are designed to be mistaken for real events. Evaluate each one, and be prepared to order them from most to least ethical in the next section.

Most to Least! Drag the four examples you just reviewed so they appear in order from most ethical to least ethical in your opinion, then drag the "Line of Acceptability" to separate those you think are acceptably ethical from those you find unacceptable or problematic. If you think none of the examples are ethical, put the line first. If you think all of the examples are ethical, put the line last. Teachers may evaluate student choices for rankings.