Dear all,
This week much of my inbox appears to have been filled with political outbursts against what is happening in the United States and Donald Trump's interpretation of events, facts and language. Following Brexit and the US Presidential election last year I believe it has become increasingly important to ensure that our students moving through ISHCMC are empowered to be able to determine what is true and what is not when spoken by politicians and the media. We have a duty to ensure that our students question what is being said and look beyond facile single line statements for deeper information and evidence.
Hence, this week's Food for Thought is going to share a few pieces of information that have fallen into my mailbox this week that might help us develop approaches to learning in our classrooms that counteract soundbite news, misinformation and the lies that seem to be prevalent in politics these days.
The first is an eight minute TED, by Lara Setrakian, that focuses on how journalist can fix the broken news industry. At the end of the talk she gives strategies that could be used in the news industry to rebuild trust. I feel that you can build upon her ideas in your classrooms to encourage students to develop steps by which they determine the validity of information they are being fed by the news and social media.
One of the strategies that you have just heard from the TED was going deeply into information. Here is the link to the website that allows a greater understanding of news and would be a good resource for our students when investigating certain topics.
"News Deeply is an award-winning new media company dedicated to covering the world’s most important and under reported stories. Our journalists and technologists create in-depth digital platforms that serve as a hub of news, information and analysis. By fusing rigorous reporting and cutting-edge information design, we make a complex world easier for our readers to understand.
At News Deeply, we’ve pioneered a model we call “Impact Publishing” – a combination of high-quality content and proactive community management. Our platforms unite an audience of policymakers and domain specialists, connecting those who are most intimately involved in the topic at hand. Through interactive dialogues, virtual events and live convenings, we advance the conversation, leading to a more engaged public and better-informed policy decisions.
We believe that even the toughest issues can be made accessible in a clear and compelling format. In a crowded and complicated world, our platforms separate the signal from the noise, surfacing vital information and key trends on issues that matter, deeply, to the state of our world today."
Finally, this article suggests ways that teachers can address fake news which came to prominence in the US elections and through social media may become a bigger political tool for Generation Y and Z.
" Since a recent Stanford study showed that students at practically all grade levels can't determine fake news from the real stuff, the push to teach media literacy has gained new momentum. The study showed that while students absorb media constantly, they often lack the critical thinking skills needed to tell fake news from the real stuff."
Wishing you a relaxing Sunday,
Yours
Adrian
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