5 Tips For Teaching Media Literacy — Fact-Checking in the Classroom

Now more than ever, media literacy is a must. Although technology is increasingly part of the learning experience, it’s still important to cultivate strong media literacy.

Developing core skills to differentiate between misinformation and fact is crucial. Media literacy gives students the skills to think critically and become informed citizens, creating a generation of discerning media consumers. 

If you’re asking yourself, “What is media literacy?” or you’re struggling to find a way to make the topic interesting and engaging to your students, read on to explore five different ways to teach critical thinking and fact-checking in the classroom. 

1. Define the Basics — What Is Media Literacy? 

For detailed topics like media literacy, it’s best to take a step back and start from the beginning. Today’s students are surrounded by media and are already aware of its reach and potential.

Beyond reach, engagement, and potential, it’s important for students to learn about the potential issues in the media like misinformation, bias, and even AI hallucinations.

That’s why it’s a good idea to begin with the basics. The question, “What is media literacy?” doesn’t come with an easy answer. 

• Explain why media literacy is important and the differences between types of media.
• Share how news articles differ from opinion pieces.
• Discuss how media operates in society, from a historical and modern viewpoint.
• Define fundamental issues media literacy aims to identify, such as differentiating between fact and misinformation.

Once students have a solid grasp of the basics, it’s time to show them how interwoven these facets are within the media today. 

2. Share Real-World Examples

Students can truly see the effect of media literacy firsthand through the use of real-world examples. Bring in current news stories from a variety of sources and analyze them together with your class. 

• Discuss the story’s talking points.
• Review the cited sources.
• Analyze the purpose of the article.
• Check for any potential bias in the coverage. 

When talking about real-world examples, it’s also a good idea to introduce the concept of fake news and misinformation. 

Fewer than 40% fact-check possible misinformation

With the rise and rapid adoption of AI to create everything from realistic-looking images to deep fake videos, students need to be well-equipped to discern fake from factual. Especially considering that the Poynter Institute found that, “less than 40% of people conduct basic fact-checking when they come across potential misinformation.” 

3. Teach Core Fact-Checking Skills

Becoming a savvy media consumer means knowing why fact-checking is important and how to do it correctly. This means teaching students to check multiple sources and cross-reference facts with the best fact-checking websites, such as PolitiFact or FactCheck.org.

Beyond fact-checking the content itself, it’s also beneficial to teach how to evaluate sources. 

Some examples include:

• Looking to see if sources are provided.
• Reviewing author credentials and citations.
• Examining the reputation of the publication itself.

It’s also a good idea to consider how media production shapes audience perceptions. The way the story is framed, and the way the camera is angled can all subtly influence our thoughts, emotions and reactions by controlling the narrative. 

4. Involve Students in Critical Thinking Exercises

With the meteoric rise of AI, the plethora of advertising, and increasing digital presence, it’s more important than ever to get students involved in critical thinking exercises. Teach them to question information, sources, and the potential purpose of that information. 

To that end, you can also help cultivate critical thinking habits by creating an environment where healthy debates and questions are encouraged and respected. 

Some engaging exercises to encourage critical thinking include:

• Organizing debates or discussions on current events.
• Incorporate research with well-vetted source lists into the assignment guidelines. 
• Create exercises to break down the information in advertisements.
  • Identify the underlying persuasive techniques.
  • Make a note of potential biases in the ad.
  • Request examples of ads that students see, such as clothing, makeup, sports drinks, or cell phone ads to compare real-world examples. 

Developing media literacy exercises around critical thinking encourages students to take an active role in the verification process. 

Further, incorporate fact-checking tools to review how the fact-checking process itself is changing with new innovations. For instance, Originality.ai’s Automated Fact-Checker uses an internally built AI to review text and create a detailed report complete with context and sources.

Interested in learning more about AI, particularly AI detection and education? Learn about Originality.ai for educators and the benefits of AI detection in the classroom.

5. Help Students Develop Digital Literacy

Digital literacy goes beyond taking a critical look at the news and advertisements. It also means understanding a ‘digital footprint.’ Digital footprints can be both active and passive and refer to the ‘trail’ of data and other information that people leave behind when they use their devices and browse the internet in general.

Active digital footprints include: 

• Social media posts
• Social media comments
• Publishing blog articles
• Leaving comments on other blog articles
• Leaving comments on YouTube, Facebook, or other social media

Passive digital footprints include data collected through the use of cookies, such as:

• Your IP address
• Browsing history
• Device details
• Location data
• Search history

Teaching media literacy means not just being aware of one’s own digital footprint but also the impact of sharing information that isn’t verified, such as videos, memes, and more. 

Final Thoughts — Media Literacy is an Important Skill

The bottom line is that teaching media literacy and fact-checking is becoming ever more critical as each subsequent generation of students becomes more entwined with technology. 

Understanding how the media and brands operate, what messages they’re trying to convey, and how persuasion and critical thinking play a decisive role in the process is key to turning students into active consumers of media rather than passive participants.