Module 2: Know Your Sources
The Story...
After hearing about the COVID-19 pandemic, and specifically about an outbreak of it in their New Haven community, Tash, Ray, and June begin to search for more information, worried about the symptoms Tash is displaying. However, they find many websites and news pages that offer conflicting information. Every website the three visit seems to present new information, which is often blatantly false, and almost nothing is consistent between articles. What types of web pages and news articles can be trusted, and how can you tell?
Performance Expectations
- Differentiate between different types sources (primary vs secondary, popular vs scholarly)
- Deploy strategies to effectively navigate the online information environment
- Critically evaluate information encountered online in a variety of contexts
Module 2 Challenges
- Learning Targets:
- I can explain the difference between a popular and a scholarly source.
- I can determine if information I’m reading is a primary or secondary source.
- I can use strategies like lateral reading to bring more variety and fact-checking into my information consumption habits.
Estimated Time: 30 minutes
Learning Targets:
- I understand ways to evaluate information online.
- I can recognize credible sources of information.
- I understand how to verify information accuracy.
Estimated Time: 20-30 minutes- Learning Targets:
- I can explain why the scientific publication process takes time.
- I understand the difference between peer reviewed journals and non-scholarly sources.
- I can identify preprint articles and explain their role in the pandemic information landscape.
Estimated Time: 25 minutes