As stated in the article ‘Developing Critical Literacies: What We Need to Know in a ‘Fake News’ World, the line between real and fake is increasingly blurred and uncertain. False stories are no longer tabloid publications but instead more mainstream and on social media. With this barrage of fake news bombarding us every day, it’s getting harder and harder to determine what is actually real. We need to teach more sophisticated techniques and strategies when assessing information.

To effectively teach digital literacy in upper-level math and science classes, using tools like SweetSearch and The Media Bias Chart could be beneficial. Both these tools can help navigate the overwhelming amounts of information that are available online, and they critically evaluate all the sources to make sure they are factual.

Using SweetSearch to guide students in conducting research for science papers or projects can filter out unreliable sources and direct students to vetted articles, research papers and journals. Sweetsearch can show students how to find proper academic references, reinforcing the importance of citations and credibility. This tool also teaches how to differentiate between primary and secondary sources. Just about any assignment could include using SweetSearch to find 3 credible sources for whatever topic chosen and summarize each article, making sure citations are done properly.

The article, ‘Why do People Fall for Fake News?’ states that Fake News is easy to fall for because there is less trust in the media and government, people can now create content without the layers of editing and fact-checking, and fake news stories appeal to our emotions. From this, biases kick into overdrive. We all have biases, but it is up to us to recognize those biases and keep them in check.

Using the Media Bias Chart is a great tool for analyzing how bias can influence the presentation of scientific data and research. Students can use the Media Bias chart to evaluate news articles about scientific developments or breakthroughs. They will be able to determine if the news source is reporting objectively or if it has some political or ideological bias. They will learn how biases might impact public understanding of math and science. Articles with heavy political bias might misrepresent scientific findings to suit a narrative. Assignments could include using the chart to assess potential influences of bias on any given article. Follow-up could include reports or discussions about how bias might be affecting the portrayal of the science or math used in the article.

And finally, as suggested in the article ‘How do we teach students to identify fake news?’,
bring real-world fake news examples of math and science that we encounter every day into the classroom. Give students the challenge to apply their skills and techniques to authentic situations, like determining the true origin of a viral image or video and examining potential bots or trolls in order to better understand fake and malicious social media.