As I was reading the articles on critically evaluating websites, it occurred
to me that there is a strong similarity between websites of lesser value
and old-fashioned propaganda. At the fifth grade level, we teach
several of the propaganda techniques that are commonly used in advertising
so that students can develop the ability to view commercials in both the
electronic and print media with a critical eye. These same skills
can be applied to evaluation of websites.
With the help of one of the many checklists available on the web or a teacher created checklist that is tailored to meet the needs of fifth graders, students can begin to think about the value of various websites as sources of information. More than anything else, students need to be aware that the author's credentials and/or purpose for writing can greatly effect the validity of the information given. They also need to understand that different sources might give contradictory information, therefore the accuracy of the information should be verified using more than one source. Finally, they need to know that information that is current may be more accurate than older information. These concepts apply not only to the internet, but to every kind of information source including all types of print materials, other electronic media, and oral interviews.
Students in the 5th grade are just beginning to reach a maturity level where they will be able to apply critical thinking skills. At the beginning of the year, students would be completely overwhelmed by the task of searching the internet for a single topic and evaluating the sources found. The various skills will need to be presented one at a time and reinforced many times before students will be able to use them independently, but by the end of the year these students should be able to apply these concepts when conducting research and obtain satisfying results.
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