Information Literacy

All information is definitely NOT equal.  In today’s technology driven world it is difficult at times to discourage students from using sources that are not credible.  Students are exposed to sources that deliver less than credible information all the time.  Social media is full of stories from lalalala.com and other ridiculous sources. 

But, since we live in the world of technology students take those sources as valid. 

In my classroom, I make a conscious effort to go through some ridiculous sites and I compare the information with the information from credible sites.  After the comparison, my students usually stay away from less than credible sites.   I also use nie.com/ajc/; it is an excellent resource.  This site allows me to set up a username and password for my students to view the Atlanta Journal Constitution online.  For research projects, I send them to this site first for current situations on the legal issue.  I also use our librarian.  She conducts sessions with my students on how to use the school’s resources to find credible information.  She instructs them on how to find information from Galileo, nieonline, library books, etc. 

I teach information literacy constantly.  It is not one lesson; I infuse it into all of my lessons that require the use of online resources.