Format
Workshop
First Presenter's Institution
Clemson University
First Presenter’s Email Address
sdurham@clemson.edu
First Presenter's Brief Biography
Dr. Durham's research interests include Global Citizenship Education, Social Justice, as well as Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Prior to taking a lecturer position at Clemson University, she was an Associate Professor and Coordinator of Secondary Education at Anderson University. Dr. Durham's research is informed by her experience of working and living abroad for over 12 years.
Second Presenter's Institution
Clemson University
Second Presenter’s Email Address
nedmist@clemson.edu
Second Presenter's Brief Biography
Mr. Edmiston was a Secondary Social Studies teacher prior to entering the doctoral program at Clemson University. He received his undergraduate degree at Anderson University and his Masters from Baylor University. His research interests include Social Justice and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Education.
Location
Session Seven Breakouts (Vernon)
Strand #1
Head: Academic Achievement & Leadership
Strand #2
Head: Academic Achievement & Leadership
Relevance
Academic Achievement and Leadership Closing achievement gaps and promoting learning for all children and youth.
This presentation aligns with the Head strand of the NYAR conference. In order to close the achievement gap as well as promote learning for all, students require 21st century skills to utilize critical inquiry to evaluate sources, information and digital media. This presentation will provide an overview of the tools and skills necessary for students to analyze current and historical events from multiple perspectives using primary resources, multiple peer reviewed journals, and first-person narratives. The focus will be on providing students with the tools and skills to make informed opinions and decisions. Providing a healthy and safe environment to explore topics concerning Black Lives Matter (BLM), LGTBQ issues and concerns, political ideologies, social justice, and ethics especially empowers marginalized students to explore topics with skill-based inquiry and to engage in a local or national dialogue so that their voices are heard. Whether it is in the science classroom, the history classroom or the art classroom, students require skills to navigate the minefield of bias and propaganda techniques used across digital media platforms to sway and persuade.
Brief Program Description
The presenters will provide a brief overview of Information Literacy and the challenge of navigating media bias and propaganda. Hands on presentation will include sample lesson plans and step-by-step suggestions for facilitating students’ critical inquiry skills to evaluate sources and various forms of digital media as they navigate controversial issues.
Summary
In our current media/digital/online environment, individuals are surrounded more than ever by constant exposure to advertising, 24-hour news cycles, and an ever-expanding array of information and entertainment media (Paul & Elder, 2019; Lunsford, 2016, p.428). Misinformation, disinformation, partisanship, and conspiracy theories are part of the mainstream media. The emotional content as well as the volume of messages in daily lives makes it difficult to recognize propaganda over truth (Head et al., 2018). As research indicates, “…when you take information from a given source, it will almost inevitably carry with it at least some of the preferences, assumptions, and biases –conscious or not– of the people who produce and disseminate it” (Lunsford, 2016, p.428). Today’s K-12 student population require the skills to navigate material about controversial topics in order to be a better-informed citizen and decision maker (Jacobson, 2017). Without the skills, racial and political divides widen as students (and adults) respond to the emotional pull of social and digital media thereby making uninformed decisions resulting in personal and societal consequences (Farmer, 2019). Working across curriculum and integrating skills to guide students to uncover and face bias and prejudice can empower all students to make personal changes, as well as engage in activism that encourages community and national change (Eberhardt, 2020).
Evidence
Barclay, D. A. (2018). Fake news, propaganda, and plain old lies: how to find trustworthy information in the digital age. Rowman & Littlefield.
Farmer, L. (2019). News literacy and fake news curriculum: School librarians’ perceptions of pedagogical practices. Journal of Media Literacy Education, 11(3), 1- 11. doi:10.23860/JMLE-2019-11-3-1
Eberhardt, Jennifer L. (2020). Biased: Uncovering the hidden prejudice that shapes what we see, think, and do. Penguin Books.
Head, A. J., Wihbey J., Metaxas, P.T. MacMillan, M., & Cohen, D. (2018, October
16). How students engage with news: Five takeaways for educators, journalists,
and librarians, Project Information Literacy Research
Institute, https://projectinfolit.org/publications/news-study/
Jacobson, L. (2017). Assessing news literacy in the 21st century. Literacy Today, 35(3), 19-22.
Paul, R., & Elder, L. (2019). The Thinker's Guide for Conscientious Citizens on How to Detect Media Bias and Propaganda in National and World News: Based on Critical Thinking Concepts and Tools. Rowman & Littlefield.
Reynolds, J., Kendi, I.X. (2020). Stamped: Racism, antiracism, and you. Little Brown and Company.
Woolley, R. (2020). Tackling Controversial Issues in Primary Education: Perceptions and Experiences of Student Teachers. Religions, 11(4), 184.
Learning Objective 1
Attendees will recognize, identify, and explore media bias and propaganda using critical thinking and inquiry.
Learning Objective 2
Attendees will explore skills of civil discourse, as well as the concept of equity when engaging others in controversial issues
Learning Objective 3
Attendees will participate in skill-based activities that facilitate students’ critical inquiry and evaluation of sources and digital media content.
Keyword Descriptors
Media bias, Propaganda, Digital Literacy, Critical inquiry, Critical inquiry skills, Social Justice, Equity, Civil Discourse, Controversial topics
Presentation Year
2023
Start Date
3-7-2023 2:45 PM
End Date
3-7-2023 4:00 PM
Recommended Citation
Durham, Sheliah G. and Edmiston, Noble E., "Information Literacy: Facilitating students’ skills to navigate media bias and prejudice" (2023). National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference. 16.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/nyar_savannah/2023/2023/16
Included in
Curriculum and Instruction Commons, Curriculum and Social Inquiry Commons, Other Education Commons
Information Literacy: Facilitating students’ skills to navigate media bias and prejudice
Session Seven Breakouts (Vernon)
The presenters will provide a brief overview of Information Literacy and the challenge of navigating media bias and propaganda. Hands on presentation will include sample lesson plans and step-by-step suggestions for facilitating students’ critical inquiry skills to evaluate sources and various forms of digital media as they navigate controversial issues.
