Verifying Information Online

I learned (again) this morning the importance of teaching kids the skills they need to verify information they find online. I am beginning a science unit on ecosystems and environmental issues and was doing a few simple Google searches, trying to think ahead for what keywords they may be using. I did two simple searches:

"global warming is good"

and

"global warming is bad."

I found a lot of interesting links that the kids in my class will probably be searching through in the days ahead. Headlines ranged from:

"Why Global Warming is Good for Business"

"Global Warming is Good for You"

"Global Warming is Twice as Bad as Previously Thought"

to the very interesting

"The Bad News is That Global Warming is Real! The Worst Possible News is That Scientists are Creating Warming, Storms, and Natural Disasters"

This article then goes on to explain how a secret UN treaty shows that scientists have been able to control the weather since the 1970's......

Now if you are 14 years old and trying to understand a complex issue like global warming, how could you possibly have any idea what to believe? The gatekeepers are gone. Kids need skills to separate truth from fiction online.

Here is a worksheet that I use with the kids in my classroom to have them practice verifying truth or fiction on websites.

Update: One of my kids found a speech made by Michael Crichton blaming global warming on aliens.... This is a new one and I'm disappointed that I hadn't found it the other day. She didn't believe it though... (whew!)

technorati tags:information, verification

Comments

[Jeff Utecht]

Thanks for sharing Clarence. You know someday I will have to return the favor for all the good stuff you have provided me with this year. One thing though, I noticed that you did not put your name or a date on the form, so how do I know I can trust the information on it? I guess I can trust the source of where I got it from....or can I. ;)

I will make sure that I put your name on the form and I will make sure that I point it out to my students. After all we need to model giving credit to others if we want students to do the same.

[Clarence Fisher]

I guess as teachers we are not used to resources that are produced in Northern Manitoba finding their way to Shanghai so we don't often think of putting our name on things. Consider it a Creative Commons gift!