Welcome to Evaluating Online Sources: Checking Facts and Identifying Misinformation! This ever-evolving topic is on our minds a lot these days. You may be here because your students are struggling to find reliable sources while researching. Or maybe they are debating issues in class using misinformation, or discussing outlandish conspiracy theories in the halls. The good news is, this course will give you the tools to help students build vital fact-checking and misinformation-spotting skills. But in the spirit of accuracy, we have to be honest. These skills take time and practice to develop. Sure, it’s easier to restrict students to databases and sources we vet for them. But we know this won’t prepare them for life beyond our classroom. So, give yourself some props for enrolling in this course and jumping in!  

Why take this course? 

• You want to learn the tools professional fact checkers use to quickly and efficiently vet sources and find accurate information
• You are looking for concrete ways to support students in building source evaluation and research skills 
• You want to explore ways of making source evaluation and fact checking a more regular and integrated part of your classroom, library or learning environment
• You want to arm yourself with knowledge and techniques to help create a safe, welcoming environment for students to discover new viewpoints, discuss current issues and express their opinions using accurate and credible information. 

More About This Course

This course has several discussions and two assignments. If you’ve taken any of our other courses, you know we’re all about learning by doing. For the first assignment, you will practice the source evaluation skills that you want to introduce to your students. This way, you have a chance to gain valuable insights into the challenges your students might face and how to best scaffold these skills and concepts in instruction. 

In the final assignment, you’ll create a lesson plan to help students practice one or more of the skills you’ve learned. Your lesson plan should NOT cover everything in the course! Choose one aspect of source evaluation your students need support with, and that you are likely to teach. We want you to make something you will use. No busy work allowed on KQED Teach! 

The course instructors will provide you feedback on your assignments designed to help you improve your practice. ​​ Your instructors' recommendations will align with the “Analysis and Evaluation” KQED media literacy competency.  Exemplary media literacy educators demonstrate the following with regards to evaluating online sources:

1. Ability to use online tools to access valid and credible resources related to specific queries.
   1. Effectively assess the accuracy and quality of online information, including information created by generative AI tools, using lateral reading techniques. 
   2. Critically examine how the same topic is addressed online by different sources, at different times, and in different media formats and how these changes impact the way the audience interacts with media and the world.
   3. Understand how the demographics, interests, and other personal data of the user inform search engine and generative AI algorithms and impact search results. 
   4. Understand the similarities and differences between search engines such as Google and chatbots such as ChatGPT, including the way queries/prompts are constructed to achieve optimal results and the variety and quality of information returned.  

In addition, other educators may view and comment on your submission, which many course participants have found helpful. We encourage you to do the same.

You can go through the course at whatever pace makes sense for you, and review anything afterwards that you might have missed. In order to receive a certificate of completion, you will need to complete all the assignments and finish the course within four weeks of starting it. If you don’t finish in time, no worries, you can always re-enroll.

We looks forward to seeing you in the course!