Twitter. Snapchat. Instagram. TikTok. Facebook. The ongoing parade of social media platforms seems endless, and each one offers our students ways to connect to the larger world … and receive inaccurate information about it.
Students are certainly familiar with the buzzworthy term “fake news” by now. But we can raise their awareness and empower them further by showing them the many forms of misinformation beyond the typical “news” piece. As part of its ongoing Information Literacy series, this month’s School Library Connection shines a spotlight on social media’s role in perpetuating false information, and how we can help student both identify that information and respond accordingly.
First, in her article “Future Ready Librarian: Instructional Leader in an Age of Misinformation,” columnist and techno-librarian Carolyn Foote draws from a range of resources to describe how instructional leaders can help students recognize and avoid the pitfalls of fake news. Then, information experts Michelle Luhtala and Jacquelyn Whiting offer an easy-to-implement lesson plan designed to help students identify how rhetorical tools of persuasion are used in social media.
Sneak Peek at What’s Next in the Series: Learn how to apply these insights and grab a spot in our upcoming exclusive webinar on teaching information literacy with ABC-CLIO databases on June 8th!
These resources are featured as part of School Library Connection’s Information Literacy Series, a multipart exploration of innovative tools and strategies to help you teach students to spot misinformation online. Click here to learn more about School Library Connection!
