The Truth is Out There...

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Image result for x-files meme

As much as I love the internet and all the many things that it allows me to do, it is a bit of an understatement to note that 'some' of the information out there isn't entirely accurate.  Millions of people have been given a platform to connect with the world and share their views with anyone who will listen.  And with so many views all around us, how are we supposed to know truth from fiction?  How are we to develop the skills and insight to detect when something might be leading us a little off-side?

Being able to determine truth from fiction seemed to be an essential skill when it came to Media Literacy.  Naturally, then, we settled on having our students look a little into the rabbit hole of conspiracy theories.

I spent most of my formative years in the 90s, which meant a healthy diet of shows like 'Unsolved Mysteries' and 'The X-Files.'  In an age just before widespread internet use, there did seem to be a bit of an increased interest in examining what we didn't know or what many felt they weren't being told.  For others, these shows weren't just a form of entertainment: they raised questions that needed answers.  However, I always looked at these kinds of things a bit more critically.  Perhaps this portrayal sums up how I perceive a lot of these kinds of things.

So, why conspiracy theories?  I think that we felt that the material would have the potential to hold student interest a bit more.  And we found just the right thing to help us.

Enter the Baloney Detection Kit.  Dunh dunh dunh...


While the clip above is a great view, I'll note the suggested questions of the Baloney Detection Kit below:
  1. How reliable is the source?
  2. Does the source tend to make similar types of claims?
  3. Have the claims been verified by others?
  4. Does this information fit with the way the world works?
  5. Has anyone tried to disprove the claim?
  6. Where does the preponderance of evidence point?
  7. Is the claimant playing by the rules of science?
  8. Is the claimant providing positive evidence?
  9. Does the new theory account for as many old phenomena as the old theory?
  10. Are personal beliefs driving the claim?
Our students will be putting together brief Google presentations examining their chosen theories with the Baloney Detection Kit.  They'll also have the chance to share some of their ideas with other classes through a gallery walk.  I'll be sure to share some pics.

More to come...


How CGI Changed Storytelling

I found this video super interesting.  Enjoy!


~MrT

Comments

  1. Anonymous3 October 2017 at 12:01

    The videos were interesting and easy to comprehend. They helped me learn about learning the truth

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous3 October 2017 at 12:03

    Interesting and enjoyed the video

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous3 October 2017 at 12:04

    X-files is the best show for proving and disproving theories

    ReplyDelete

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