Starting in January, a new law will require K-12 schools to add media literacy to their curriculum. Among the lessons will be recognizing fake news.

Pushing back against the surge of misinformation online, California will now require all K-12 students to learn media literacy skills — such as recognizing fake news and thinking critically about what they encounter on the internet.

Gov. Gavin Newsom last month signed Assembly Bill 873, which requires the state to add media literacy to curriculum frameworks for English language arts, science, math and history-social studies, rolling out gradually beginning next year. Instead of a stand-alone class, the topic will be woven into existing classes and lessons throughout the school year.

  • @library_napper
    17•8 months ago

    During remote learning, he gave students two articles on the origins of the coronavirus. One was an opinion piece from the New York Post, a tabloid, and the other was from a scientific journal. He asked students which they thought was accurate. More than 90% chose the Post piece.

    Fuuuk how could you possibly make that choice when presented with both?!?

    • @creamed_eels@toast.ooo
      9•8 months ago

      Because tabloid trash is written specifically to appeal to casual readers with buzzwords, colourful pictures, and manufactured outrage. Scientific journals are dry and use big words and academic terms. They probably didn’t read past the first two sentences.

    • @CurlyMoustache@lemmy.world
      6•8 months ago

      I’m not a teacher, but I’ve worked with 14-15 years olds to learn them critical thinking, the scientific principles and about humanism. Not one of them could distinguish between a opnion piece and reporting

    • @Jax@sh.itjust.works
      3•8 months ago

      Well, considering most of the U.S. reads below a 6th grade level and California has the highest population amongst the states… it makes sense these kids chose the source that tells them what to think.

      Scientific journals have fun jargon words that make parsing certain sentences impossible without either knowledge of that field, or taking the time to look them up. That step right there is too much for many people, I think.

      • @library_napper
        3•8 months ago

        But wouldn’t the reasonable conclusion at least be “wow these are big words and it says scientists wrote it; must be more trustworthy”

        • @Jax@sh.itjust.works
          1•8 months ago

          Correct.

          Counter-question: how does one develop the ability to reason through information they don’t understand if they don’t read? Where would that skill develop?

    • @Daft_ish@lemmy.world
      2•8 months ago

      New York my boy. New York knows all the things. Unlike science, which cant even do god just a little bit.