In this article written by Alina Tugend about the problems of Fake News, it talks about a particular group of students in Brooklyn, New York that are learning news literacy and legitimacy.
An issue that our society has, is that no one is taught to tell if the news is fake or real. This brings about a lot of fake news and people believing whatever they see on social media, especially with a rise in people looking at their screens constantly.
A recent report from a nonprofit group called Media Literacy Now says, “Media literacy is the literacy of the 21st century.” This meaning that media literacy is going to be a very important tool in our current generations and is going to be something that must be taught to everyone.
The author of this article talks about a solution to require media literacy as a class in schools. She says that there is no long term evidence for teaching news literacy, but there has been a strong correlation of students that take the class are able to spot false content and judge misinformation and they like to keep up to date on current events and the news.
I believe that Alina is right. I think that in the upcoming years, media literacy will be a very common class in schools and students will be more aware of fake news and more engaged in current events.
I invite you to read and comment on this article with me on NowComment:
These Students Are Learning About Fake News and How to Spot It
Dear Sam,
I think this is a fascinating subject that is really relevant these days. With so much knowledge being available online, how does one find accurate and reliable news and information. The quote “Media literacy is the literacy of the 21st century,” rings true. I have had some experience with this myself in AP Seminar and Research, where it is vital to be able to tell whether or not a source can be trusted. Do you have any ideas about how we would teach media literacy? I feel like there are a myriad of ways to approach this topic depending on the age and audience. Is it better to start young and make kids aware that there are sources we shouldn’t trust or should that wait until middle or high school?
I quite enjoyed the topic and I think you brought up some valid points about the importance of making people aware of what fake news is.
-Lisa
Dear, Sam
I’m interested in the topic of media literacy in your post, “Learning About Fake News and How to Spot It” because it shows how we are surrounded by fake news, so it is important to know how to identify it. One sentence that stands out to me is, “This meaning that media literacy is going to be a very important tool in our current generations and is going to be something that must be taught to everyone.” It stands out to me because I know how our generation uses the internet and sees media news every day. That is mostly how we learn about what’s going on in the world. With misleading information, many people could go the wrong way understanding news. I look forward to seeing what you write next because I find your points valid.