I agree with Kim, this is a great example of collaboration among educators.
One of the benefits of the wild-west landscape of the web is that it forces us and our students to become savvy consumers of information. It causes us to think about the information we gather and disseminate and to question formerly unassailed authorities (text books, newspapers, teachers, etc.).
The importance of helping children and their teachers develop their capacities to discern what to accept and what to discount cannot be overstated. Our students at all levels can apply their newly acquired media literacy even to mine valuable information from what we might consider less-than-optimally reliable sources, because they will use them…but maybe more thoughtfully and effectively.
For example, no matter what the content of a Wikipedia article, there are usually references and external links way down at the bottom. Rather than the usual practice of skimming for the information they need (or have been required to find), then cutting and pasting it, students can find sources to begin their evaluation of information and fact checking right there on the same page.
I agree with Kim, this is a great example of collaboration among educators.
One of the benefits of the wild-west landscape of the web is that it forces us and our students to become savvy consumers of information. It causes us to think about the information we gather and disseminate and to question formerly unassailed authorities (text books, newspapers, teachers, etc.).
The importance of helping children and their teachers develop their capacities to discern what to accept and what to discount cannot be overstated. Our students at all levels can apply their newly acquired media literacy even to mine valuable information from what we might consider less-than-optimally reliable sources, because they will use them…but maybe more thoughtfully and effectively.
For example, no matter what the content of a Wikipedia article, there are usually references and external links way down at the bottom. Rather than the usual practice of skimming for the information they need (or have been required to find), then cutting and pasting it, students can find sources to begin their evaluation of information and fact checking right there on the same page.