Information Literacy: Separating Fact from Fiction

Book excerpt: People today live in a world of information overload. Each day, information is shared from countless sources through numerous devices. Learning how to handle this onslaught of information has become a vital task for everyone. By the time they reach upper elementary school, most students are using smart phones, tablets and computers to access social media, video websites, online forums, wikis, blogs, and interactive digital games. Students need guidance on how to analyze online information sources, critically think about the content, and apply it to their decision-making. This essential professional resource includes everything that teachers need to help students achieve digital literacy, and includes activities and easy-to-use templates to support teachers as they teach the key skills of analyzing and understanding online information. This book consists of three sections: Finding Information, Analyzing Information, and Using Information. The topics covered include: an introduction to information literacy; search techniques and strategies; asking and answering good questions; thinking visually; organizing information; online civic reasoning; analyzing online sources; using technology to teach; project-based learning with technology. With the amount of online information sources increasing exponentially, this book will equip teachers with the tools they need to help their students become global citizens and 21st century thinkers.