4 Information Literacy and Learning on the Web
Learning to evaluate information on the internet is a core skill in any field, especially on the internet.
One of the big objections to embracing that giant, complex abundance of information is that students won’t know what is good information and what is bad information(for lack of a better distinction). This is true. But learning to find, evaluate, and synthesize information in any field is a critical skill right now. We can’t protect them from misinformation they might get on the Internet. They need to learn how to deal with it.
Our students are going to need more than information to address the challenges they are facing. They need to be creative problem solvers, and strategic thinkers. Try to situate your course in the abundance of the web as much as possible and include lots of time for guiding learners through the professional and ethical process of evaluating the things they come across.
ACTION:
Think about how you tell the difference between good and bad information in your field. Who are the trusted sources? How can you build your own information literacies into your assignments so that you can teach them to your students? Consider looking at https://webliteracy.pressbooks.com/chapter/four-strategies/ as a way to get started.
