In a World Flooded with Fake News, How Can We Cultivate Students’ Critical Thinking Skills?

 

 

Now, in this information-rich world, one of the things I’ve learned is that it’s getting harder and harder to tell whether something’s true or not. This is one of the most important challenges facing students, in particular. Accurate information serves as the foundation for shaping scientific facts, arguments and grounds, as well as our judgment. Recently, I found a tool that really solved this problem, and that was a special educational program. And I’m going to talk about that experience. Let’s talk about it together: how to properly anchor a ship in the sea of information.

 

In the age of information explosion, we are constantly exposed to vast amounts of information. While some of this is factual, many are biased or falsely fabricated fake news. In particular, the development of the Internet and social media has made the dissemination of fake news easier.

 

Such fake news can have a serious impact on society. Misinformation can distort people’s opinions and attitudes, cause social conflict, and even political instability

 

Therefore, discernment is more important for students living in the age of fake news. It is the responsibility of society as a whole to help students judge the authenticity of information, think critically, and make the right judgments.

A Stanford Graduate School of Education study found that high school students in the United States have little ability to detect false news on the Internet, or digital literacy, according to the American education magazine Ed Source on June 2.

 

Literacy has referred to literacy, but today its meaning has expanded to include evaluating, analyzing, and communicating knowledge and information to solve individual and social problems.

In the 21st century, when YouTube and social media have become commonplace, it has been pointed out that it is important to develop the technology to deal with information and data obtained through digital platforms, critical access and use of information, and ethical attitudes, that is, digital literacy.

a way to improve students’ discernment

Educate students to identify the source of information. When they encounter news articles or information, look at whether the source is reliable, who the author is, and what the intentions are.

 

Educate students to verify the accuracy of information. Have them compare the contents of news articles or information to those from other sources and check the facts without subconsciously accepting them.

Build logical-thinking skills. Build logical thinking skills so that students can judge the logical consistency of information, evaluate the basis for arguments, and detect errors.

 

Cultivate critical thinking skills. Cultivate critical thinking skills so that students can identify prejudices or intentions contained in the information, consider different perspectives, and form their own opinions.

Conduct media literacy education. Conduct media literacy education so that students can understand the characteristics of various media and learn how they communicate information and how they affect it.

 

Schools, families, and society should all work together to develop students’ sense of discernment. Sensible students will grow up to be citizens who can positively influence society and form their opinions based on correct information without being deceived by fake news.

 

Breakstone suggested that the following checklist verification when accessing information on the Internet will help you develop digital literacy.

 

What readers are you aiming for?

 

Are spelling errors found?

 

When was this document posted?

 

Does the website’s page open well?

 

 

Breakstone has also created a curriculum that trains students to have the discernment to identify false information, suggesting that teachers should also be provided with relevant training so that they can teach students more effectively about digital literacy.

 

 

From the examples I gave you in this program, I hope you can understand how important it is to find the right direction in the flood of information. It is our responsibility to help all students realize their potential, so I hope you will help spread the word. In today’s information-rich world, I have no doubt that real educational innovation begins there.

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_2CwOpt0NY