Fostering Media Literate Global Citizens: Tools for Understanding
Matthew S. Hollstein, Kent State University - Stark
Jennifer K. Hinkle, Ohio University
Frans H. Doppen, Ohio University
Theodore E.A. Guedel, Kent State University
Abstract
Presently, our students are inundated with media through a variety of resources. Now more
than ever it is vital for students to be able to consume information, which is credible, reliable,
and verifiable. All of this is being compounded by a shrinking world and a level of access which
is almost instant and a media landscape where traditional gateways of editorship may not
always be present. In order to address the need for media literate and global oriented
citizenship we lay out a path for social studies teachers to foster media literate consumers of
information and who view their citizenship through a global lens. Natural disasters provide
wonderful examples of events which have both local and global impacts, and which are relevant
to social studies.
Introduction
Natural disasters, media literacy, and global citizenship are more intertwined than one might realize.
Becoming a media literate global citizen requires that students learn how to examine major events from
multiple global perspectives. Consequently, students must learn how to reframe current events in the context
of global issues as “the realities of global interdependence require [they develop] an understanding of the
increasingly important and diverse connections among world societies” (National Council for the Social Studies
[NCSS], 2010). Social studies teachers have the unique opportunity to help their students make informed and
reasoned decisions for the public good as global citizens of an interdependent world (NCSS, 2013). Examining
current events fosters discussions of ongoing world issues in order to develop a deeper understanding of the
nature of citizenship, but sometimes a depth of understanding is sacrificed when news changes fast. Natural
disasters such as the recurring California wildfires, Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines, and the Australian
bushfires often make headline news only to soon dissipate as public amnesia sets in. An essential part of
developing informed global citizens is helping students acquire a sustained understanding of current events
and their impact; understanding the media’s function in democracy; and learning to make personal and political
decisions that are socially and civically responsible.
Although many social studies teachers make time for current events in their classroom repertoire,
typical instruction often involves students selecting random articles about sensational news items from a
newspaper, magazine, or website (Lipscomb & Doppen, 2013), a mode of instruction that fails to empower
students as learners (Freire, 1970) and minimizes the opportunity to teach a deeper understanding or caring for
people impacted by current events (Doppen & Tesar, 2012; Noddings, 2005). Teaching current events this way
reflects a one-hit, distant historical perspective, which is particularly problematic within a school curriculum
that is shallow and reflects a Western bias (Willinsky, 2000; Zhou, 2009, 2012). Furthermore, current events
instruction often falls by the wayside in academic settings because of high-stakes testing, the need to adhere to
a narrow, rigorous curriculum, and teachers’ own fears about teaching controversial issues (Hollstein & Hawley,
2019; Lipscomb & Doppen, 2013). Even topics that are generally agreed upon as important for current events in
the social studies classroom can be controversial, and therefore neglected, due to a potential lack of teachers’
understanding of and ability to field student questions, or fear of scrutiny from members of the community
about their instructional and curricular decisions (Hollstein, 2016).
More than ever, today’s students can use digital tools to engage a broad spectrum of ongoing global
issues and their impact to learn about unfolding news events while they unfold and play out, discuss the
impacts with others in forums or affinity blogs, and respond with empathy. Yet, many teachers are unsure of
how to help students stay informed of ongoing issues, make reasoned decisions for the global public good, and
respond with empathy. Engaging students in this essential process while helping them move beyond a shallow,
cursory knowledge of world issues in order to “recognize their connections to people around the world who
may share similar situations or have different reactions” (Merryfield & Wilson, 2005, p. 123) seems impossible.
Yet, students can achieve all of this while learning about digital media and social networking sites in which
many people retrieve news and information that can guide earnest seekers of information to truth or
misinformation. It is essential in a social studies classroom that students be able to effectively navigate the
many forms of digital information they may encounter as they study current events. Media literacy provides a
roadmap that will guide students in a broad array of interactions. This is particularly challenging considering
how problematic news information and discussion can be, especially when coupled with global environmental
issues such as the Australian fires, which to many students, seem far away and irrelevant to their lives. It is
important to note that what we are presenting here are materials and examples that we have all used in our
classrooms effectively.
In this paper, we conceptualize a model for media literacy instruction that extends to include a
sustained understanding of current world issues, empowers students to be globally-civically aware, and
promotes media literacy skills. Through this instructional model, students will use media literacy-based
activities in a social studies classroom to uncover information about events, deliberate viewpoints, and begin to
develop a critical awareness based on guiding questions such as:
▪ What are credible sources for information on global current events?
▪ What civic obligations do global citizens have to be informed through accurate sources of information?
▪ What actions can we take to care for people who live far away?
These questions exemplify the overarching knowledge gains for planning student inquiry. As complex
guiding questions, not rooted in one time or place, the questions are intended to promote students’ deeper
thinking about their actions and roles in a civic global society. Such questions ideally emerge as students use
digital media to investigate environmental disasters and the disasters’ basis in human decision-making.
Teachers may encourage students to discuss responses representing multiple perspectives. Further discussions
may center on patterns of whom natural disasters affect, the underlying causes, and the possibilities for
showing empathy and civic engagement during natural disasters. As students grapple with such topics, they
develop a deeper understanding of natural disasters, global citizenship, and use of digital media.
For more explicit essential questions, we draw from Wiggins and McTighe’s (1998) Understanding by
Design Model, which shapes student inquiry in order to elicit knowledge through multiple research pathways.
The UBD Model, also referred to as “backwards design” focuses first on the desired learning outcomes, followed
by steps students take to achieve the outcomes. Teachers may use these essential questions explicitly or
implicitly during the lesson.
Ohio Social Studies Review, Volume 56, Issue 2
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
How can we use the Internet to find accurate information about natural disasters?
How does the Internet spread misinformation about natural disasters?
Who is responsible for natural disasters?
Why have some regions suffered environmental degradation while others have not?
What is the responsibility of citizens outside of the natural disaster area?
How can individuals use the Internet to act civically in the aftermath of a natural disaster?
Citizenship and Current Events
Many digital literacy lesson plans, such as those from T
eaching Tolerance, Newsela, or the Looksharp
Institute, benefit student understanding of current events (political or otherwise), civic actions and obligations,
or promote empathy through shared understanding. This model is unique in its merging of current events,
global understanding, and digital media literacy. Because it is deeply rooted in the philosophy of good
citizenship, this model is most appropriate for social studies coursework. Social studies education has always
included examining the social aspect of citizenship (Beard, 1929; Thornton, 2008). The study of current events
in social studies has been a constant ever since before its formal inception (Camicia & Dobson, 2009; Evans,
2004; Hess, 2008; Oliver & Shaver, 1966). Almost a century ago, John Dewey in D
emocracy and Education
argued that it is the duty of citizens to be informed and participatory in their democracy to ensure that it serves
the best interest of all its members. As the father of democratic education, he advocated an informed and
participatory civic collective through the study of current events (Dewey, 2012; Pass, 2007). This requires social
studies education to ensure students become aware and active citizens by examining events outside of the
classroom (Deveci, 2007; NCSS, 2013). The most recent articulation of this responsibility can be found in NCSS’
College, Career and Civic Life Framework (C3) (2013) which requires students to be knowledgeable about
current events and possess the ability to affect change.
The study of current events in social studies can foster the development of democratic citizens who are
able to effectively navigate the many diverse requirements that are placed upon them (Deveci, 2007). Countries
with schooling that promotes students’ questioning and discussions in classrooms as well as civic participation
correlate with a deeper student knowledge of and support for democratic values (Torney-Purta et al., 2001).
Studying contemporary and sometimes controversial events allows students to enact the reality of citizenship
(Camicia, 2008; Hess, 2002; 2005; 2008; King, 2009) and understand its dynamic nature because it requires
them to evaluate alternative perspectives on public issues (Camicia & Dobson, 2009). Conversely, the study of
citizenship from only one perspective delivered as “truth” without regard for multiple perspectives or possible
inaccuracy amounts to indoctrination – “banal nationalism” (Billig, 1996), whereas effective education is “the
opening of possibilities” (Sears & Hughes, 2006, p. 4).
The varied and diverse composition of the global community requires an in-depth understanding of
cultural, social, and political underpinnings that drive global interactions and citizenship. Global citizens should
be informed, aware, and participatory in their local, national a
nd global communities. However, as the concept
of global citizenship continues to evolve (Banks, 2004; Leduc, 2013; Martin et al., 2012; Myers, 2006) we view
teaching students to understand and respond to the media as a moral imperative for schools.
A Changing Landscape of Civic Notions
Because school experiences serve as predictors of civic knowledge and engagement (IEA, 2001),
studying current issues can serve to help students develop a deeper understanding of the purpose, process,
and problems of becoming a global citizen. Explicitly, students need to understand the media because, to echo
the classic quote by Marshall McLuhan (1964), “The medium is the message.” Each innovation in
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communication technology and media changes what we know and how we learn (Fang, 1997; Carr, 2011;
Campbell, Martin, & Fabos, 2012), therefore, changing our notions of citizenship.
Historically, each innovation in communication technology and media has provided human beings with
a greater awareness of, and ability to act on, issues beginning with the invention of papyrus and the
development of the alphabet all the way to Web 2.0 technologies, the most recent and pervasive of which are
Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, and Instagram. However, much of what looks like “information” on the surface is
inaccurate and biased, related to a person, group, or institution’s quest for political or financial gain or
notoriety, or the author’s failure to adequately research and ask important questions before publishing his or
her opinion or status update. Misunderstandings on the part of Internet users also lead to inaccuracies: a lack
of understanding on how to conduct a good Internet search for information using Google or other search
engines (Carr, 2011) or not being able to distinguish between fact and opinion in digital information. Such
problems highlight the truth that all forms of the media are tools that can either be reliable or untrustworthy
depending on how people use these tools (Debatin, 2008).
Global Issues
In the aftermath of a natural disaster, public attention (and the attention of students as well), typically
fades quickly as new events take its place in the headlines, hearts, and minds of the global community. News
articles, blogs, and government-issued press releases present facts and opinions that can be researched and
evaluated to uncover content information related to the several key areas of the social studies such as history,
geography, economics and civics. In keeping with the democratic, student-centered nature of media literacy,
instructional methods may vary widely from classroom to classroom but must always include a broad variety of
sources, opportunities for students to reflect on what they have learned through discussions and journals, and
student-created media products that empower student voices (CML, 2007; Hobbs, 2005; Hobbs & Jensen, 2009).
Such products should be creative and represent students’ own perspectives; they can take almost any number
of forms, including letters, blogs, editorials, podcasts, videos, photo collections, or news articles. These
strategies represent generally agreed-upon key practices in media literacy instruction (CML, 2007; Hobbs, 2005;
Hobbs & Jensen, 2009).
When selecting a natural disaster for study it is important to consider student interest. Unfortunately,
major world events, including disasters such as the British Petroleum oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010, too
often receive little sustained attention in the classroom, let alone in news. Already, one of the most devastating
fire seasons ripped through Australia and yet, it disappeared from coverage on mainstream media in the United
States. Yet it is important to recognize the global context in which this seemingly localized event took place
(Martin et al., 2012). Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines and the fracking spill on the Opossum Creek in rural
Ohio are examples of local events that are embedded within larger global issues. Controversial in nature, both
events, as well as the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, foster numerous questions of social justice, civic
responsibility, and environmental destruction. Typhoon Haiyan was a natural disaster, though one could argue
that the severity of this event was impacted by human action that has led to warmer ocean waters (McKibben,
2011). Hydraulic fracturing is an energy phenomenon that through accessing natural gas and petroleum
deposits in shale basins causes both direct and indirect environmental degradation. Fracking has become a
global issue evidenced by a rapid increase in fracking operations worldwide (Spross, 2014).
All these events share a common thread through their impact on people, wildlife, and the environment at
large. Providing students with an ecological cosmopolitan framework will help them to better understand global
interdependence, the nature of controversy, global citizenship and social justice (Hess, 2004; Moore, 2012; King,
2009). As we begin to offer examples of teaching strategies, we strongly encourage teachers to foster deep
empathy within students through the events they examine and to train students to see humanity in all events. We
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believe that a critical examination of information through media literacy can foster this level of quality
engagement. Teachers and students might experiment together using anchor chart systems or digital notebooks
to track current events, their implications, and media attention in order to gain deeper understandings and
identify patterns that shape global actions.
Media Literacy in the School Setting
In this era of “fake news” and perception as truth, media literacy is more important than ever. Media
literacy is the foundation for fostering competent global citizens. Presently, students are inundated with
information from traditional sources, such as television news, magazines, and newspapers; and non-traditional
sources such as social media, blogs, and wikis — some of this information being credible, fact-based, and
thorough, with other information being biased, incomplete, or discreditable in other ways. Many students do not
fully understand how to navigate the information cascade but a firm understanding of media literacy will help
offset the aforementioned noise (Lazer et al., 2017).
According to the National Association of Media Literacy Education, media literacy is defined as “the ability
to access, analyze, evaluate, create, and act, using all forms of communication” (n.d., para.1). Traditionally, when
teaching any type of information literacy, the process is relatively similar. A media specialist explains the basis of
the research and then outlines procedures for finding the desired information. Once students have the required
tools, the media specialist will guide them through a round of research to operationalize a potentially abstract
process (Ragains & Wood, 2016). However, this is not the case with media literacy. Hobbs (2010) states that a
“one-size fits all” approach to this problem will not work (p. 20). Therefore, it is vital that in a K-12 setting the
process be separated and segmented to ensure students are successful.
When teaching media literacy at the K-12 level, we recommend beginning with a website called Pacific
Northwest Tree Octopus (https://zapatopi.net/treeoctopus/) The website looks typical. It describes the plight of
the Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus and where it lives. The website comes equipped with an About page and
FAQs. You can donate to the tree octopus. You can even learn its Latin name. This website is easy to use when
introducing students to what to look for in valid resources. While the site looks legitimate, we asked the students
to look for references. We teach them to find out where information comes from. Triangulation can be helpful in
this process. We teach the students to find the information in three sources. This process helps solidify the
accuracy of the resource. This coalesces in the idea that our students are only able to be active, informed, and
participatory if they have accurate information on which to base their decision and actions.
K-12 students, especially younger students, present a unique challenge due to where they are in the
range of cognitive developmental milestones. First, younger students have not yet developed the complex
intellectual and emotional skills required to determine if they are being misled. Second, they lack practical
real-world experience (Potter, 2011). In their lack of experience, children do not know what to take at face value
and what information needs further investigation. Research is an acquired skill which must be sharpened over
time with consistent and purposeful practice under the guidance of an expert. These skills will present a difficult
obstacle for students, especially in our current landscape when purportedly “correct” information sources exist.
However, starting media literacy training early can foster research skills and practices which will be fundamental
building blocks to learning to critically evaluate news and information, and the sources of such information, in a
global world with many competing political interests.
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Table 1 Classroom Strategies
Strategy
Key Components
Benefits
Evaluating Sources
Source credibility
Inquiry
Students learn how to differentiate
between expert knowledge and
opinions
Critical thinking
Research Skills
Finding credible sources
Academic databases
Confidence
Internet search engines
Efficiency
Evaluative process
Research skills
Critical thinking
Determining Bias
Nature of bias
Critical thinking
Positionality/Source
Ethical Reasoning
Critical thinking
Media Literacy Classroom Activities
Thus far, we have described current events, the importance of global citizenship, and the importance of
media literacy as a binding strategy across these ideas. We will now describe three strategies which we
encourage social studies teachers to use in their classrooms to examine current events with a media literacy
framework as the guide (Table 1). These strategies are intended to be a starting point for growing students’
media literacy through action. Aligning with NCSS’ (2013) C3 framework inquiry arc, these activities further shift
the focus of students from learning about an issue to i nquiring about an issue. These activities encourage
students to identify an issue of interest, investigate this issue, and then determine a resolution of their
choosing. More succinctly, they take the role of active learners instead of passive consumers. While this article
is focused on global citizenship and current events, we have purposefully crafted these sections in a broad way
in order to ensure that teachers can use them across a multitude of subjects and classes in social studies. All
are student-led, enhancing intrinsic motivation.
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Evaluating Sources
It is essential that students know and be able to differentiate between credible expert driven sources of
information and those which are opinions masquerading as fact. Credibility means that a source of information
has consistently presented accurate information that can be verified by other sources. Social media has created
multiple platforms through which users can post or add information, such as, Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram,
and Twitter. Between the Internet at large and the narrower scope of social media, students are bombarded by
information through, in some cases, minute to minute updates. This cascade of information makes it difficult for
students to determine what is credible information and what is misinformation. In a recent example, dated in
February 2020, Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton, speaking about the coronavirus and where it possibly originated,
suggested that the disease originated in a bio-weapons lab in Wuhan, China and stated “we don’t have evidence
that this disease originated there”… but because of China’s duplicity and dishonesty from the beginning, we need
to at least ask the question to see what the evidence says, and China right now is not giving evidence on that
question at all.” (Stevenson, 2020 n.p.). Senator Cotton is not a disease expert and many of his claims have been
proven false (CNN, 2020). Another example is President Trump’s contention that the coronavirus spread from a
biological weapon effort by China (Timm, 2020). Though the virus did originate in China, and China failed to fully
disclose the severity of the outbreak, there is still no public evidence supporting that it was manmade in a
biological weapons lab. False claims like these create problematic scenarios where students, who trust public
officials, engage the broader world with incorrect information.
In addition, students lacking experience and who trust political leaders or figureheads may perceive
them as unbiased and will believe what they are being told is credible and factual. Thus, by not possessing the
requisite media literacy skills to assess this information, a student might mistake misinformation as factual. Such
risks pose the potential for global hysteria and extreme media and political attention, and a possible threat
beginning with something people have some familiarity with (influenza), originating on the other side of the
world, can have negative effects on global understanding and empathy during disasters.
Being able to evaluate a source through media literacy is necessary for determining credible information.
We encourage students to engage in the following process as if it were a checklist in order to fully perform this
evaluation. Using Senator Cotton’s public statement on the coronavirus or President Trump’s comments, for
example, students must first ask how a source acquires this information and the extent to which this source is
qualified to speak on this issue with expertise. Sourcing information is paramount to high-level media literacy in
order to determine credibility and potential bias. Students who research Senator Cotton’s background and
unpack his credibility may realize he does not have a credible and authoritative position to comment given his
education and background, and over time and with practice, identify patterns of misinformation or propaganda
spreading from unreliable sources when assessing other information. Furthermore, while assessing credibility
students should ask questions such as, “Does this source have professionally trained journalists reporting the
news or are the stories opinions from untrained readers or fans who are simply commenting?” This is critically
important due to our ability to generate content about almost anything and parade it as fact when it may not be.
Teachers should question students frequently about sourcing, especially during discussions of current events or
controversial issues. When studying disasters and global citizenship, such questions can serve to separate rumors
(unverified information) from fact-based reporting.
Similarly, students should ask whether the information is transparent, which means articles or information are
clearly marked as editorials, opinion pieces, or investigative journalism (Caulfield, n.d.). In the case of Senator
Cotton and his misleading coronavirus comments, he was offering a belief without relevant facts to support his
argument which can be very dangerous when someone in a position of authority submits opinion as fact. We
strongly encourage students to strip bare the noise surrounding information in order to ascertain its basic
building blocks. One exercise that demonstrates the evaluative process is to have the students pick a current
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events topic such as coronavirus. Next, have students search for the topic of that news event using a preferred
search engine such as Google. Upon completion of their initial search, ask students to critically examine their
results. To do this, we suggest having students select one site from their search results and explain why their
source is credible or not credible based on the questions we have outlined above. We recommend that the
first-time teachers engage in this activity that they do so as a whole class for students to see multiple examples of
potentially credible and non-credible sources of information. Further, during this whole-class activity we
encourage students to document their results (see table 2).
Table 2 Assessment of Credibility Chart
Topic
Source
Credibility
Notes
Technology is creating more and more platforms for information. While it is hard to keep up with each
new emerging technology, the criteria to assess credible sources does not change. We have found this activity
successful in assessing information credibility across a variety of platforms.
Finding Credible Sources
Now that students understand how to determine the credibility of sources. The next step is to show
students how to search utilizing academic databases or search engines, if academic databases are not readily
available. Academic databases are a powerful tool for students to conduct searches in an academic setting.
Academic databases are wonderful tools for the classroom, especially given that they have been created and
curated for the sole purpose of allowing teachers and students to find academic material. Academic databases
have been designed with students and teachers in mind through their user interface and searchability. Academic
databases can be difficult to use when doing research on current events because their very nature is predicated
upon taking time to properly determine sourcing authority and credibility. Thus, academic databases are useful
as a tool but may not always be helpful when examining current events. However, we recognize that some
schools may not have access to an academic database, such as INFOhio which is a database designed specifically
for K-12 students. If academic databases are not available, then we advocate using a broader Internet search
using a popular search engine as this may be the only accessible tool for students. It is important for students to
understand that search engines are neither good nor bad, rather, search engines are simply an algorithmic
platform to find information. However, students must understand that, as is the case with any search, the quality
of results will always be equal to the quality of the search. This distinction is important because while we prefer
an academic database like INFOhio, search engines can yield fruitful results but only if the students understand
how to search for and determine credible sources. Simply put, a better search will yield better results.
When searching, either an academic database or a search engine, we encourage students to attempt to
find books or journal articles due to the intense scrutiny required for publication, which ensures they are
accessing information that is accurate. However, other sources like news outlets must be evaluated for bias and
credibility. When conducting an internet search, we encourage students to use sites ending in .edu or .gov, as
these sites are educational institutions and government backed sites. However, students will often encounter
sites ending in .org and while most non-profit .org sites are credible, we strongly encourage students to
thoroughly evaluate these sources for bias and potential misinformation. Historically .org sites have been
non-profit organizations. In the case of the American Red Cross this is a strong, reliable source. Some
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organizations, however, do have an agenda and their information could be considered bias (University System of
Georgia, n.d.[W3] ). We encourage students to maintain a high level of scrutiny, even when using .org sites. In this
age of information, students must be taught to review the “About,” tabs, mission statements, and lists of
contributing authors, funders, and groups that support the websites, particularly .org sites. Even though
propaganda and misinformation can be hidden behind seemingly innocuous group names, amateur researchers
can identify glaring problems and weed out such sites from their sources. With repetition, students will acquire
triangulation and therefore, more reliable knowledge upon which to act.
We believe using INFOhio is straightforward and strongly encourage teachers to connect with their school
media literacy specialists in order to find further guidance. An additional and helpful exercise to finding credible
sources is to have students select their favorite search engine. We encourage students to utilize multiple search
engines to create a wide variety of results. Students may not be aware of how information changes depending on
where they look. Therefore, we encourage students to search for the same topic such as the Australian bushfires
but independently from each other in order to create a variety of results. The Australian bushfires are a great
example of a natural disaster which took on a life of its own due to the volume of information about the issue.
After students search their topic, in our example the bushfires, have them compare their search results with one
another (see table 2). We conducted a search and the third site listed was Wikipedia which may contain a large
amount of accurate information, but which is still editable at any time, by anyone. We also recommend that
teachers document some of the results, perhaps through screenshots, to display to the entire class for later
analysis. As an extension of this activity and to further highlight how information is disseminated, ask students to
search for Australian bushfires using a different search engine. Additionally, changing the order of a multi-word
search will, in most cases, change the search results significantly. We used Bing.com and found that Wikipedia
was now the second page but that three of the first five sites were .org sites. Students need ample time searching
so that they can feel comfortable navigating the Internet effectively. Searching a term and simply adding .edu to
the search bar will greatly enhance the credible sources. Teachers can conduct guided practices with various
keywords in whole-class or small-group settings depending on the schools’ available technology and student
abilities.
We have found in our own classes that when students understand how to find and evaluate credible
sources, they become more confident in their abilities and begin to search out more varied sources due to their
increased skill at determining credible sources. We have also found that this process and subsequent increased
confidence helps to make students more efficient researchers. Over time and through purposeful practice,
students will, hopefully, stop using search engines and go directly to a variety of different sites and sources they
know are reputable. This also addresses NCSS (2013) Standards, Dimension 3 requiring students to practice
evaluating sources and using evidence by having students “gather relevant information from multiple sources
representing a wide range of views while using the origin, authority, structure, context, and corroborative value of
the sources to guide the selection” (p.54).
Determining Bias
All information comes from sources which have been created by people who are themselves biased
which means all material has bias (Ryan, 2019). Therefore, it is the researcher’s job to evaluate bias. A primary
question that students should ask is whether the bias is intentional. For example, when looking for information
on drugs used in medicine, students are not encouraged to use a pharmaceutical company’s website due to its
vested interest in creating a favorable view of their product rather than providing all relevant information. A
better alternative would be the Physician’s Desk Reference.
Bias is much more widespread today than in the past due to our far-reaching ability to introduce and
disseminate information. Ryan (2019) notes that outside of ethical journalism and academics, most individuals
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are not overly concerned with controlling the bias of their material. When students better understand and can
assess a source’s agenda, this can help greatly with determining bias. Shearer and Matsa (2018) reported that
about two-thirds of Americans get their news from social media. While news sources are supposed to inform
their audience and not promote one agenda over another or encourage you to think a certain way on a topic, it
has become much more widespread to attempt to do both (Caulfield, n.d.). We strongly encourage teachers to
have students choose sources from different mediums and then ask them to determine potential bias. This
exercise will help students to become familiar with different mediums and their possible bias.
Students need to be exposed to all types of sources, to face them head on. Interestingly, a recently
published study by the Pew Research Center for Journalism and Media identified deep partisan divisions among
U.S. consumers regarding trust of different well-known news organizations (Pew, 2020). Schools can help bridge
this divide by teaching students to rely on multiple, reliable sources for news and information. Technology is only
going to become more advanced. Teaching students how to determine bias in an article or news source will
prepare them for a lifetime of research. The fight against bias will never end but teaching students to recognize it
will lessen its persuasive power over them (Ryan, 2019).
Conclusion
Global citizenship and media literacy have become intertwined with one another due to the expanding
notion of what each represents. Empathy is a powerfully simple idea that, when applied, can foster true
connections between students and ideas. This is especially significant when one considers the implications of
expanding students’ sense of global citizenship through media literacy. It is paramount that students not see
these events and those whom they impact as abstract. Rather, students must see these events as empathetic,
thoughtful, responsive, and inclusive members of a greater global world.
We have argued the essential role media literacy plays in students’ participation in the world community
due to their need to navigate a complex landscape of information and misinformation. Furthermore, this
landscape is quickly changing and what we have presented are a series of skills which will help students be able
to find their way, regardless of the source of the information. We have used these activities successfully in
classrooms and can attest to how powerfully beneficial they can be. However, these activities and growing
students’ media literacy are not something to be engaged in lightly due to the high stakes. At the present, the
United States is engaged in a presidential election which will require students to navigate and unpack a multitude
of sources and ideas. However, through this framework, we believe students can and will be successful, not only
now, but in the future as well.
Ohio Social Studies Review, Volume 56, Issue 2
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