About the module
As Teacher Librarians (TL’s) and classroom teachers working in a primary school context, we have created this module on evaluating information sources after noting a large gap in students’ digital literacy and fluency in this area. Even in schools where students have been participating in inquiry projects for a number of years, we have observed students experiencing difficulties in correctly identifying suitable sources. Stripling (2010) also believes that “determining the authority of sources is an essential component of digital inquiry” (p. 18). She observes that it is very easy to produce a website with appealing images and graphics, so a blog, for example, may seem just as authoritative as a website from an established institution.
In this module we have focussed on four criteria to aid students in evaluating the authority of digital information, media, data and other sources:
relevance, accuracy, credibility and perspective.
These four criteria are based on the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), Standards for Students . Within these standards is the Knowledge Constructor (Standard 3) which pushes students to conscientiously and critically make meaning for themselves and others from a variety of digital sources. Standard 3b focuses specifically on our four criteria.
This module is designed to be used by grades 5 and 6 (upper primary) students around the world when learning about information or digital literacy. It could also be used by extension students in younger grades at the teacher's discretion. It aligns with the Australian Curriculum Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability through the ‘Investigating with ICT’ Element:
Students use ICT to define and plan information searches of a range of primary and secondary sources. They locate, access, generate, organise and/or analyse data and information and apply criteria to verify the integrity and value of the digital data, information and sources using ICT. In developing and acting with ICT capability, students:
- * define and plan information searches
- * locate, generate and access data and information
- * select and evaluate data and information.” (ACARA, n.d.)
How to use this module
This module, aimed at grade 5-6 students, is designed to help busy teachers and TL’s provide their students with lessons to develop the skills needed to conduct and compile research in a world with new digital tools and vast, seemingly authoritative, easily-accessible information. It supports students as they become savvy, capable evaluators of the information they find.
It is recommended that this module is used as a maximum of one page per lesson (i.e. over 4 sessions) in library time (or in class) as preparation for an inquiry project (IBL) or during the initial phases (ask/explore) of the inquiry. This will give students time to absorb and consolidate knowledge at their own pace before moving onto the next topic.
On the What’s Next? page we have provided students with activities where they need to construct their own knowledge through such examples as a checklist for evaluating information sources, and their own curated list of reliable website resources. While we could have summarised the four criteria and created a checklist for the children ourselves, we believe it is important for students to have ownership of their learning and to put into practise the digital citizenship skills and tools they have been observing. This will help them develop not only their research skills but other digital fluencies. Such an approach is supported in the academic literature (Berman-Dry, 2013, Lindsay and Davis, 2013).
This module, aimed at grade 5-6 students, is designed to help busy teachers and TL’s provide their students with lessons to develop the skills needed to conduct and compile research in a world with new digital tools and vast, seemingly authoritative, easily-accessible information. It supports students as they become savvy, capable evaluators of the information they find.
It is recommended that this module is used as a maximum of one page per lesson (i.e. over 4 sessions) in library time (or in class) as preparation for an inquiry project (IBL) or during the initial phases (ask/explore) of the inquiry. This will give students time to absorb and consolidate knowledge at their own pace before moving onto the next topic.
On the What’s Next? page we have provided students with activities where they need to construct their own knowledge through such examples as a checklist for evaluating information sources, and their own curated list of reliable website resources. While we could have summarised the four criteria and created a checklist for the children ourselves, we believe it is important for students to have ownership of their learning and to put into practise the digital citizenship skills and tools they have been observing. This will help them develop not only their research skills but other digital fluencies. Such an approach is supported in the academic literature (Berman-Dry, 2013, Lindsay and Davis, 2013).
References
ACARA (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority). (n.d.). Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability. Australian Curriculum. Retrieved 22 April 2020, from https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/general-capabilities/information-and-communication-technology-ict-capability/
Berman-Dry, A. (2013). Making it personal: A new approach to teaching digital citizenship. Learning and Leading with Technology, 41(1). 24-26. http://www.learningandleading-digital.com/learning_leading/201308?pg=26#pg26
ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education). Standards for Students. Retrieved from https://www.iste.org/standards/for-students
Lindsay, J., & Davis, V. A. (2013). Citizenship. In Flattening classrooms, engaging minds: move to global collaboration one step at a time (pp. 97-125). Boston : Pearson/Allyn and Bacon Publishers.
Royuk, A., 2020. 3. Knowledge Constructor - ISTE Standards Fall 2017. [online] Sites.google.com. Available at: https://sites.google.com/site/istestandardsfall2017/iste-s/3-knowledge-constructor [Accessed 20 April 2020].
Stripling, B. (2010). Teaching students to think in the digital environment: Digital literacy and digital inquiry. School Library Monthly, xxvi (8 April), 16-19.
ACARA (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority). (n.d.). Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability. Australian Curriculum. Retrieved 22 April 2020, from https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/general-capabilities/information-and-communication-technology-ict-capability/
Berman-Dry, A. (2013). Making it personal: A new approach to teaching digital citizenship. Learning and Leading with Technology, 41(1). 24-26. http://www.learningandleading-digital.com/learning_leading/201308?pg=26#pg26
ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education). Standards for Students. Retrieved from https://www.iste.org/standards/for-students
Lindsay, J., & Davis, V. A. (2013). Citizenship. In Flattening classrooms, engaging minds: move to global collaboration one step at a time (pp. 97-125). Boston : Pearson/Allyn and Bacon Publishers.
Royuk, A., 2020. 3. Knowledge Constructor - ISTE Standards Fall 2017. [online] Sites.google.com. Available at: https://sites.google.com/site/istestandardsfall2017/iste-s/3-knowledge-constructor [Accessed 20 April 2020].
Stripling, B. (2010). Teaching students to think in the digital environment: Digital literacy and digital inquiry. School Library Monthly, xxvi (8 April), 16-19.
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