Who Stands Between Fake News and Students? Educators Every week, Dave Stuart hands out a current news article to his world history students so they can digest and evaluate the credibility of the information and its sources. One day this fall, Stuart, now in his tenth year at Cedar Springs High School in Michigan, distributed a couple of stories about the 2016 presidential candidates. In the middle of a uniquely controversial and divisive campaign, it was perhaps inevitable that during the discussion some students would dredge up information that didn’t appear in the articles their teacher had provided. It was quickly apparent, says Stuart, that much of it was untrue and probably gleaned from dubious sources – or peddlers of what has now been famously dubbed “fake news.” Source: Buzzfeed News The conversation in Dave Stuart’s class, however, was focused more on larger questions of how students as news consumers reach conclusions and how they can and should use evidence to support these conclusions. When Information Becomes Polluted
How Photos Fuel the Spread of Fake News Even rudimentary skills aren't required to create, say, a meme of Seddique Mateen, whose son Omar Mateen fatally shot 48 people at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, that allegedly shows him visiting Hillary Clinton’s office at the State Department this year. Never mind that Clinton resigned from the job three years before. Photos play a key role in making fake news stories go viral by bolstering the emotional tenor of the lie. They elicit an emotional response, which makes it far more likely that someone will click the link, then share it. “That emotion may be anger, outrage or joy,” says Mandy Jenkins, the head of news at social content provider Storyful. “It triggers something in the readers that says, ‘I have to share this with everyone I know who likes the things I like.’” Such images can reinforce existing prejudices. These dirty tricks work because most people believe a photograph represents reality.
Save The Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus Help Save The ENDANGERED From EXTINCTION! The Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus Rare photo of the elusive tree octopus The Pacific Northwest tree octopus (Octopus paxarbolis) can be found in the temperate rainforests of the Olympic Peninsula on the west coast of North America. An intelligent and inquisitive being (it has the largest brain-to-body ratio for any mollusk), the tree octopus explores its arboreal world by both touch and sight. Reaching out with one of her eight arms, each covered in sensitive suckers, a tree octopus might grab a branch to pull herself along in a form of locomotion called tentaculation; or she might be preparing to strike at an insect or small vertebrate, such as a frog or rodent, or steal an egg from a bird's nest; or she might even be examining some object that caught her fancy, instinctively desiring to manipulate it with her dexterous limbs (really deserving the title "sensory organs" more than mere "limbs",) in order to better know it. Why It's Endangered
How to identify fake news | Rubber Duck Media The illustration above, which shows reporters carrying various forms of fake news, was published way back in 1894 by pioneering cartoonist Frederick Burr Opper. He would have been blissfully unaware at the time of its creation, but he had just uncovered a powerful phrase that, 123 years later, would become word of the year for 2017 and which would define the credibility and legitimacy of the news, mass media and journalism throughout the 21st century. Rubber Duck Media explains below how to identify fake news and what can be done to prevent it spreading further and doing more damage. The dissemination of fabricated information designed to mislead, push a narrative or agenda, or to simply attract attention for its own sake, is not a new concept by any means. In the form of propaganda, it has been the weapon of choice for a succession of governments and powerful demagogues throughout history to obtain and hold onto power, whilst simultaneously suppressing any dissent.
How to Spot Fake News - FactCheck.org Fake news is nothing new. But bogus stories can reach more people more quickly via social media than what good old-fashioned viral emails could accomplish in years past. Concern about the phenomenon led Facebook and Google to announce that they’ll crack down on fake news sites, restricting their ability to garner ad revenue. Not all of the misinformation being passed along online is complete fiction, though some of it is. A lot of these viral claims aren’t “news” at all, but fiction, satire and efforts to fool readers into thinking they’re for real. We’ve long encouraged readers to be skeptical of viral claims, and make good use of the delete key when a chain email hits their inboxes. In 2008, we tried to get readers to rid their inboxes of this kind of garbage. Those all still hold true, but fake stories — as in, completely made-up “news” — has grown more sophisticated, often presented on a site designed to look (sort of) like a legitimate news organization. Consider the source.
What these teens learned about the Internet may shock you! When the AP United States history students at Aragon High School in San Mateo California, scanned the professionally designed pages of www.minimumwage.com, most concluded that it was a solid, unbiased source of facts and analysis. They noted the menu of research reports, graphics and videos, and the “About” page describing the site as a project of a “nonprofit research organization” called the Employment Policies Institute. But then their teacher, Will Colglazier, demonstrated how a couple more exploratory clicks—critically, beyond the site itself—revealed that the Employment Policies Institute is considered by the Center for Media and Democracy to be a front group created by lobbyists for the restaurant and hotel industries. “I have some bright students, and a lot of them felt chagrined that they weren’t able to deduce this,” said Colglazier, who videotaped the episode last January. “They got duped.” Or, as one student put it, loudly, “fudge nuggets!”
Swiss university launches country's first ever degree in yodelling Swiss yodeller Nadja Räss will teach the course. Photo: andibrunner.com From the 2018/19 academic year it will be possible to study yodelling to degree level in Switzerland for the first time. The Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts is adding yodelling to its Folk Music programme from the autumn, offering both a three-year bachelor’s and a two-year master’s degree in the alpine vocal technique, it said on its website. The university has offered folk music degrees since 2012, and it now becomes the first in the country to offer the traditional Swiss art of yodelling at degree level. Students will not only learn yodelling skills but will also take modules in theory, history and business. Speaking to the Tribune de Genève, Michael Kaufmann, head of the university’s music department, said he had long wanted to offer yodelling but couldn’t find a sufficiently qualified teacher – until now.
Protect Yourself from Fake News - Fact v. Fiction - Fake News - Academic Guid... Here are some steps you can take to become a critical news consumer: Determine what type of article you are reading Is it an editorial or opinion piece? These articles reflect the author's personal beliefs and point of view. Untrustworthy sources can blur the line between reporting the facts and expressing opinions. Look into opposing views Look into sources that you normally do not check or that hold opposing viewpoints to your own. Understand that not all errors are intentional The media is fallible and mistakes can happen. Look into the editorial staff News sources must hold themselves accountable for the information they provide. Find the original sources Many fake or biased sites use previously published stories that have been edited and manipulated to fit their biased views. Share Responsibly This goes beyond not sharing news stories until you have determined they are genuine, but also not sharing fake news. Double-check on the internet Beware of native advertising Evaluate Resources