This free webinar for educators, presented by the News Literacy Project on edWeb.net, focuses on critical reading skills and features professor and author Jeff Wilhelm.

How can you engage and motivate students to think critically when navigating today’s complex information landscape? How can you help students develop the skills to evaluate the trustworthiness, credibility and reliability of evidence? How can cross-disciplinary connections help your students in “fighting fake news”?

Join the News Literacy Project in a free edWeb webinar for a conversation around these questions with Dr. Jeff Wilhelm, distinguished professor of English education at Boise State University and literacy teaching expert. Wilhelm’s forthcoming book is Fighting Fake News: Teaching Students to Identify and Interrogate Information Pollution.

Wilhelm will be joined by NLP’s own Brittney Smith, senior manager of education partnerships (East), and Pamela Brunskill, senior manager of education design. Shaelynn Farnsworth, NLP’s senior director of education partnership strategy, will moderate.

The webinar will include a discussion of the need for and benefits of critical reading skills, as well as a look at NLP’s Framework for Teaching News Literacy, developed using the Understanding by Design template by Wiggins and McTighe (2005). Participants will learn about a variety of resources and techniques that they can implement immediately in the classroom. All attendees will have the chance to win a copy of Fighting Fake News.

This webinar is part of National News Literacy Week (Jan. 23-27), an annual event presented by the News Literacy Project and The E.W. Scripps Company.

In this free webinar from the News Literacy Project and KQED, you’ll learn how to use editorial cartoons in news and media literacy curriculums.

Editorial cartooning, a powerful form of opinion journalism, has a long history in the United States, and draws on a rich visual vocabulary to communicate complex ideas in an accessible way.

You’ll discover how to support students as they analyze and create political cartoons to share their perspective about issues. You’ll also explore topics such as trust and credibility as they relate to opinion journalism.

In this hands-on workshop, you will:

• learn from renowned political cartoonist Lalo Alcaraz.
• explore the News Literacy Project’s Checkology®️ lesson on editorial cartooning.
• hear from educators who have done editorial cartooning assignments with students.
• get started on helping your students create their own cartoons.
• discover how your students can publish their cartoons with KQED’s Political Cartooning Youth Media Challenge Showcase.

This event is part of National News Literacy Week (Jan. 23-27), presented annually by the News Literacy Project and The E.W. Scripps Company.

Join us on Jan. 27 for NewsLitCamp®: Trust and Credibility, held as part of National News Literacy Week.

Friday, Jan. 27, 2023
9 A.M. – 6 P.M. EST

Registration is now open.

Join us for this immersive conference built exclusively for educators, presented by the News Literacy Project in partnership with the NBCUniversal News Group!

According to the Pew Research Center, teens and adults under 30 are now almost as likely to trust information from social media as they are to trust information from national news outlets. In a complex digital landscape where anyone can be an “expert,” the ability to identify signs of credibility is a vital skill. As partisan divides in media trust widen, knowing how to parse through this information is critical to a functioning democracy. How do we decide who to trust and what to believe?

This special NewsLitCamp is a unique, virtual event designed to help educators teach students to evaluate news and information with a skeptical — not cynical — eye.

Sessions will feature top journalists from NBC and elsewhere, including Ali Velshi, Brandy Zadrozny, Tom Llamas, Guad Venegas and Belén Smole.

Topics will cover:

• What it means to be “news literate.”
• Avoiding perceptions of bias when reporting on misinformation.
• How news organizations ensure fair on-air representation. 
• How the news media can repair its trust problem in marginalized communities.

In addition, a feature session at 3 p.m. ET includes the debut of “Harm & Distrust,” the latest lesson in NLP’s Checkology®️ e-learning platform. Journalists Wes Lowery and Natalie Moore, as well as NLP’s Peter Adams and EduColor’s Julia Torres, will discuss why communities of color have misgivings about mainstream news, and the progress and setbacks of today’s journalists and their coverage.

The first session starts at 9 a.m. ET with additional sessions continuing throughout the day. All sessions will be recorded and made available to everyone who registers.

What is NewsLitCamp?

NewsLitCamp is an immersive, free professional learning experience primarily for middle and high school educators. It features topical sessions led by journalists and news literacy experts, designed to develop expertise in news literacy education, share specialized teaching resources and provide a behind-the-scenes view of the news reporting process.

What can I expect?

Educators who join NewsLitCamp: Trust and Credibility will leave the day with new ideas, skills and resources to help students navigate today’s complex and challenging information landscape. They will be equipped to demystify what it means to evaluate news and information for trustworthiness and credibility.

Whether you’re a teacher, a librarian or an education professional looking to build upon your news literacy skills, we’d love for you to join. Register now.

Questions? Email us at [email protected].

Calling all educators in the Philadelphia area and those attending the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) conference! Please join us on Friday, Dec. 2 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. ET for NewsLitCamp® Philadelphia, a day of immersive, in-person professional learning built exclusively for educators and focusing on key news literacy concepts. The event will be held at WHYY’s Philadelphia newsroom.

During this NewsLitCamp, co-hosted by WHYY and The Philadelphia Inquirer, you can expect to learn directly from journalists who will share their insider expertise on how they do their work and the behind-the-scenes workings of a modern newsroom.

As you may know, NewsLitCamp is a unique opportunity for teachers, librarians and other educators across all subjects to connect directly with journalists and hone their ability to teach students how to sort fact from fiction.

Listen to what educators and journalists who have participated in NewsLitCamp have to say in this engaging and brief video.

All Philadelphia-area educators, including librarians and library media specialists, as well as educators in town for the NCSS conference, are encouraged to register for this special event.

We hope you can join us for this full day of news literacy programming!

This event is generously sponsored by the Knight Foundation.

Questions? Please reach out at [email protected].

Trying to discuss current events with someone who has been manipulated by misinformation, propaganda, or even conspiracy theories can be maddening, deeply emotional, and seemingly futile. Before you react angrily or throw your hands up in frustration, take a step back.

Join us at 5 p.m. ET Thursday, Nov. 17 – one week before Thanksgiving – for a discussion about how to have a productive, civil conversation and retain your relationships. The event is free and open to everyone.

In this webinar, hosted by the News Literacy Project in partnership with the National Institute for Civil Discourse and Senior Planet from AARP, we’ll talk about how and why misinformation manipulates emotions and exploits biases to draw people deeper into false belief. Presenters from NLP and NICD will provide strategies for having a civil conversation about current events and resources to help you debunk these falsehoods in a productive way.

Register now.

As we head toward Election Day – Tuesday, Nov. 8 – many of us are hearing messages like, “Get informed before you vote.” But how can we be sure we’re getting information from credible sources? How do we know if we’re being informed or misled?

The News Literacy Project is hosting a series of three webinars – free and open to everyone – that will teach you how to find reliable information about the election, spot misinformation, and have productive conversations with people who have fallen for falsehoods.

Session 1: Are you being informed or influenced?
5 p.m. ET Tuesday, Oct. 18

Our first session will cover the types of information sources we’re likely to encounter during election season. We’ll learn how to evaluate the purpose of the content these sources share, identify common types and forms of bias, and explore prioritizing sources that inform us by sharing information in a way that is fair and accurate.

Register here.

Session 2: How to spot election misinformation
5 p.m. ET Tuesday, Oct. 25

Our second session is presented in partnership with the League of Women Voters. We will learn how to spot election misinformation and understand the motivations behind why it spreads. We’ll move beyond the unhelpful term “fake news” and more precisely identify the common types of misleading, inaccurate and false information that we are likely to encounter in the runup to the elections. We’ll also learn fact-checking basics to feel more confident that we are sharing and acting on accurate, credible information.

Register here.

Session 3: How to debunk misinformation and talk to people who believe it
5 p.m. ET Tuesday, Nov. 1

Our third session, also presented in partnership with the League of Women Voters, will empower us to stop the spread of misinformation. We will learn effective debunking strategies and how to talk to someone whose beliefs are fueled by misinformation. The session will focus on how to have these conversations in a productive, nonconfrontational way that will hopefully yield positive outcomes.

Register here.

Even if you can’t join us live, register to get access to recordings of the webinars. And please share this information with your family and friends to help us spread the word!

Thursday, October 20, 2022
5-6 p.m. ET/2-3 p.m. PT

On a regular basis – and especially around each election season – we’re overwhelmed with organizations, groups, influencers and others bombarding us with information. Much of that information is designed to influence or even manipulate, rather than inform us. How can you help your students cut through all the noise and prioritize information from credible sources?

In this edWeb webinar, join News Literacy Project experts and news literacy educators to learn how you can strengthen your students’ media and news literacy skills and equip them for active, responsible civic life. Learn about best practices for teaching about bias and the primary purpose of various sources, and discover how you can help students identify news and information that is presented in a fair and accurate way.

Register here for this free edWeb webinar.

The session will include presentations by Alexa Volland, NLP’s senior manager of educator professional learning, and news literacy ambassadors Jill Hofmockel and Molly June Roquet. Hofmockel is the teacher-librarian at West High School in Iowa City, Iowa. Roquet is the education librarian at Saint Mary’s College of California. Shaelynn Farnsworth, NLP’s senior director of education partnership strategy, will moderate.

Contact

Please email any questions to Shaelynn Farnsworth.

Wednesday, Sept. 28
7-8 p.m. ET/4-5 p.m. PT

Join us for a free educator webinar to explore a trio of brand-new STEM-aligned Checkology® lessons! Topics covered in the new lessons include climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccines, medical misinformation, pseudoscience and conspiratorial thinking. The lessons support the development of science and engineering practices, such as analyzing and interpreting data, engaging in arguments for evidence and using mathematics and computational thinking.

Register here for this free webinar.

Checkology is a FREE browser-based e-learning platform with nearly 20 classroom-ready, expert-hosted lessons, as well as dozens of supplementary activities, exercises and challenges.

The new trio of STEM-aligned Checkology lessons includes:

• “Evaluating Science-Based Claims,” which explores how to recognize science-based claims and evaluate their credibility. Students also consider why people deny science and explore science journalism.
• “Be Health Informed,” which explores how to make sense of the health and wellness information vying for our attention. Students also discover how to avoid being misled.
• “Making Sense of Data,” which examines how we create, interact with, and are influenced by data in all aspects of our lives. Students also learn how to evaluate the accuracy of data-based claims and visualizations.

During the webinar, NLP staff and subject-matter experts will provide an overview of the lessons. They will share teaching tips and best practices for incorporating the lessons and related activities into your curriculum. Don’t miss this opportunity to get a jump on your STEM-aligned media and news literacy plans this fall!

Contact

Please email any questions to Shaelynn Farnsworth.

Editorial cartooning is a powerful form of opinion journalism with a long history of effecting change and holding powerful individuals accountable. While the craft has evolved — even shaping contemporary forms of visual expression, such as memes — many key characteristics and functions remain the same. Hear from leading editorial cartoonists about how they approach their work, where they see their field headed and how the unique characteristics of editorial cartoons make for rich and rewarding news literacy explorations in a range of subjects, from history to social studies to art.

This edWeb webinar, sponsored by the News Literacy Project, features a panel conversation with editorial cartoonists Lalo Alcaraz and Signe Wilkinson, who are both included in “Power in Art: The Watchdog Role of Editorial Cartoonists,” an innovative new lesson on NLP’s virtual classroom, Checkology®️. The lesson, which was made possible with support from The Herb Block Foundation and the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists, examines the important role that editorial cartoonists have played across time and around the world. The conversation will be moderated by NLP staff experts Peter Adams and Darragh Worland.

Register here for this free presentation on edWeb.

Hear from editorial cartoonists Lalo Alcaraz and Signe Wilkinson; and NLP staffers Peter Adams, senior vice president of research and design, and Darragh Worland, senior vice president of creative strategy.

This edWeb webinar will be of interest to K-12 teachers, librarians, school and district leaders and education technology leaders. There will be time for questions at the end of the presentation.

Contact

Please email any questions to Shaelynn Farnsworth.

Join the News Literacy Project for an educator webinar introducing you to popular features and brand-new content on Checkology, a free, browser-based virtual classroom designed for grades 6-12.

Whether you’re returning to Checkology or new to the platform, this free webinar will give you everything you need to know to dive into teaching news and media literacy skills. Learn how to teach about social media, misinformation, data literacy and more this year!

NLP experts will:

• Spotlight brand-new features and content, including just-added lessons on urgently needed news literacy topics, such as “Making Sense of Data.”
• Discuss the educator registration process and explain how you can quickly build courses and assign lessons.
• Share ideas for incorporating news literacy skills into your curriculum this school year.

All attendees will have a chance to win an NLP back-to-school educator care pack!

Register today – select the date and time that work best for your schedule. The recording will be shared with all registrants.

• Thursday, Aug. 11, 2022
  10 a.m. ET

• Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2022 
  3 p.m. ET

• Monday, Aug. 22, 2022
  7 p.m. ET

Contact:

Please email any questions to Shaelynn Farnsworth.

Educator award named for NLP founder and CEO Alan C. Miller

This week we celebrate our amazing 2022 News Literacy Change-Makers! Please join us in recognizing the outstanding achievements of our educator, journalist and student of the year.

These honorees have distinguished themselves in their commitment to news literacy. And this year the awards have a deeper meaning for NLP, as the organization’s board has named the Educator of the Year Award in honor of NLP founder and CEO Alan C. Miller. NLP’s other awards are named for its late board members, the distinguished journalists John S. Carroll and Gwen Ifill.

“I am greatly honored and deeply grateful to be recognized in this way,” Miller said. “I appreciate this connection to the outstanding educators that we honor each year and find it particularly meaningful to have my name included alongside John and Gwen, for whom I had such admiration and affection.”

Please join us as we celebrate these News Literacy Change-Makers in a live, virtual event Thursday, June 9, at 7 p.m. ET. Register here.

And be sure to visit our dedicated landing page to see videos of the winners, read their stories and learn about past winners.

Our 2022 Honorees

Alan C. Miller Educator of the Year

Jamie Gregory, a librarian and journalism teacher at Christ Church Episcopal School in Greenville, South Carolina, is the news literacy subject matter expert for her school. While news literacy lessons are essential to her journalism classes, Gregory also works with colleagues from all disciplines to help them integrate the subject into their lessons in relevant and meaningful ways. “Being named the educator of the year was a big surprise. I see myself as a regular teacher who is just trying to meet the needs of her students. I’m so humbled and grateful for the honor.”

John S. Carroll Journalist of the Year

Pierre Thomas, chief Justice correspondent for ABC News, has covered some of the biggest stories of our time, and has been an active participant in NLP’s work from its founding. He was one of NLP’s first volunteer journalism fellows and participated in the in-person classroom program. He also has been featured at various NLP events and serves as a charter member of NLP’s National Leadership Council. “To be named the News Literacy Project’s John S. Carroll Journalist of the Year means the world to me. I’m humbled by it. The organization, I believe, is helping to make journalism and our democracy healthier.”

Gwen Ifill Student of the Year

Alysa Baltimore, a junior at Station Camp High School in Gallatin, Tennessee, is a serious and thoughtful student who is deeply concerned about issues of equality and racial justice, said her AP English teacher Stephanie Jones, who nominated her for the award. “I feel like this [winning the award] has helped me grow, and it has solidified my idea for what I want to be in the future,” Baltimore said.

Congratulations to our honorees!

Calling all Detroit Public Schools educators! Please join us on Thursday, June 23 from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. ET for NewsLitCamp® Detroit part 2, a virtual half-day of professional learning focusing on key news literacy concepts built exclusively for educators within the Detroit Public Schools Community District and surrounding areas.

This is the second installment of our NewsLitCamp Detroit event series for the 2021-2022 school year.

Registration is limited to Detroit Public School educators only. To register, click here.

Issues accessing this registration page? Email us at [email protected].

To view the event schedule, click here. 

During this NewsLitCamp, you can expect to hear firsthand from journalists from the Detroit Free Press and the Michigan Advance, who will share their insider expertise on the behind-the-scenes workings of a modern newsroom.

As you may know, NewsLitCamp is a unique opportunity for teachers, librarians, and other educators across all subjects to connect directly with journalists and hone their ability to teach students how to sort fact from fiction.

Listen to what educators and journalists who have participated in NewsLitCamp have to say in this engaging and brief video.

All Detroit Public School educators, including librarians and library media specialists, are encouraged to register for this special event, regardless of subject area or grade level.

We hope you can join us for this interactive half-day of news literacy programming!

This event is generously sponsored by the Knight Foundation.

Questions? Please reach out at [email protected].

Calling all educators in Berks County, Pennsylvania!

We’re excited to announce NewsLitCamp® Berks County, hosted in partnership with the Berks County Intermediate Unit’s Core Connections Conference 2022!

Join us on June 15 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. ET for an immersive (and FREE!) professional development experience focusing on essential news literacy concepts.

This event is generously sponsored by the Google News Initiative.

Register today

NewsLitCamp is an immersive, free professional learning experience primarily for middle and high school educators. It features topical sessions (selected with input from participants) led by journalists and news literacy experts, designed to develop expertise in news literacy education, share specialized teaching resources and provide a behind-the-scenes view of the news reporting process.

You’ll leave NewsLitCamp with new ideas, skills and resources to help your students navigate today’s complex and challenging information landscape and demystify what distinguishes quality journalism from rumors, hoaxes and other types of misinformation.

If you are a middle or high school teacher, librarian, or other educator, or you know one who might be interested, please register and tell your colleagues about NewsLitCamp. 

Educators who attend Core Connections conference are eligible to earn up to 10 Act 48 credits.

See you on June 15!

Southwestern Pennsylvania educators – we can’t wait to host you for NewsLitCamp® Pittsburgh!

The News Literacy Project is pleased to announce our very first hybrid-style NewsLitCamp on Monday, June 6 at 8 a.m. ET, in partnership with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and sponsored by The Grable Foundation.

Register today

If you are local to Pittsburgh, join us in-person at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette headquarters for an engaging (and FREE!) day of professional learning. Here, you’ll learn from Post-Gazette journalists, alongside experts from The News Literacy Project, about critical news literacy concepts you can take back to the classroom.

If you are unable to join in-person, no problem! Our virtual attendance option makes it easy to participate with other educators in real-time, via Zoom.

The day’s programming will culminate with a very special NewsLit Nation happy hour event, hosted at Southern Tier Brewery in the heart of Pittsburgh.

If you are a middle or high school teacher, librarian, or other educator, or you know one who might be interested, please register and tell your colleagues about NewsLitCamp.

Educators are eligible to receive Act 48 credits by attending this event. Register today!

Please join us on Wednesday, May 25, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. ET for NewsLitCamp® Great Lakes, in partnership with the Star Tribune and the Akron Beacon Journal, and sponsored by the Knight Foundation.

Register here: https://newslitcampgreatlakes.sched.com/

This is a unique, virtual (and FREE!) experience for educators across the Great Lakes region. Educators in Minnesota, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Iowa are encouraged to attend.

NewsLitCamp is an immersive, free professional learning experience primarily for middle and high school educators. It features topical sessions (selected with input from participants) led by journalists and news literacy experts, designed to develop expertise in news literacy education, share specialized teaching resources and provide a behind-the-scenes view of the news reporting process.

You’ll leave NewsLitCamp with new ideas, skills and resources to help your students navigate today’s complex and challenging information landscape and demystify what distinguishes quality journalism from rumors, hoaxes and other types of misinformation.

If you are a middle or high school teacher, librarian, or other educator, or you know one who might be interested, please register and tell your colleagues about NewsLitCamp.

Webinar: From Memes to Conspiracy Theories: Teaching “Misinfo 101” on Checkology
Wednesday, April 27, 2022
4:30 p.m. EDT

Join the News Literacy Project for a free educator webinar focused on preparing students to fight back against misinformation! Learn how to use the “Misinfo 101” course on the Checkology® virtual classroom.

“Misinfo 101” includes two foundational lessons and four supplemental activities designed to help students develop a deeper understanding of misinformation, including conspiratorial thinking. The course will introduce techniques for combating mis- and disinformation, such as evaluating evidence online, digital verification skills and fact-checking.

Register now (it’s free!)

Learn from Peter Adams, NLP’s senior vice president of education, about today’s misinformation landscape and find out how you can help your students develop a deeper understanding of misinformation. Then, hear from NewsLit Nation ambassador Cathy Collins, a technology teacher and library media and technology specialist at Sharon Middle School in Sharon, Massachusetts, and NLP staff experts about how to assign, teach and customize the “Misinfo 101” course. There will also be time for Q&As about “Misinfo 101” and Checkology.

Contact

Please email any questions to Shaelynn Farnsworth ([email protected]).

Join us for a first look at “Power in Art: The Watchdog Role of Editorial Cartoonists,” a brand-new lesson available through the News Literacy Project’s Checkology® virtual classroom.

Led by NLP staff and NewsLit Nation ambassadors, this webinar will provide an overview of “Power in Art” and show you how to use the lesson with your students across a range of subjects.

Adriana Chavira, a NewsLit Nation ambassador from Los Angeles and a journalism and photography teacher at Daniel Pearl Magnet School in Lake Balboa, Calif., will share tips on incorporating “Power in Art” into a journalism curriculum. Molly June Roquet, a NewsLit Nation ambassador from Oakland, Calif., and education librarian at Saint Mary’s College of California, will discuss how librarians and media specialists can utilize the lesson in their work with both teachers and students. Jordan Maze, NLP’s senior manager of educator network operations, will highlight how “Power in Art” can be used in social studies classes. Shaelynn Farnsworth, NLP’s director of educator network expansion, will moderate the discussion and a Q&A session at the conclusion of the event.

Register now (it’s free!)

“Power in Art” is an in-depth exploration of the history and impact of editorial cartoonists. Hosted by Lalo Alcaraz, an award-winning editorial cartoonist, the lesson examines how editorial cartoons have held those in power accountable, as well as other characteristics and functions of this important form of opinion journalism. (To access and assign “Power in Art” to students, log in to Checkology, or register for a free account at get.checkology.org.)

Contact

Please email any questions to Shaelynn Farnsworth.

Join us for an exclusive NewsLit Nation event focused on the award-winning documentary Storm Lake!

“Local News: Teaching with Storm Lake” is a free virtual Q&A with co-director Jerry Risius and a panel featuring Art Cullen, the Pulitzer Prize–winning Storm Lake Times editor. Additional speakers will include Jill Hofmockel, a NewsLit Nation ambassador and a teacher-librarian at West High School in Iowa City, Iowa, and Pamela Brunskill, the News Literacy Project’s senior manager of education and content. Miriam Romais, NLP’s senior manager of educator engagement, will moderate.

All attendees will receive limited-time access to Storm Lake for classroom viewing. Attendees will also receive a first look at an educational viewing guide for the film developed by NLP.

Register now (it’s free!)

Before registering, please ensure that you are a NewsLit Nation member. (Not yet a member? No worries – it’s free! Visit https://newslit.org/newslit-nation/ to register.)

About Storm Lake

Storm Lake provides an opportunity to teach students about the power of independent journalism and help them understand the crisis local journalism currently faces. Focusing on a family-run newspaper in rural Iowa, the documentary explores what it takes to keep independent local journalism alive, as well as its power to unite and inform diverse communities.

Contact

Please email any questions to Shaelynn Farnsworth.

Calling all Miami-area educators!

Join us on Friday, April 15 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. ET for NewsLitCamp® Miami, in partnership with Miami-Dade Public Schools and sponsored by The Knight Foundation.

As you may know, NewsLitCamp is a unique opportunity for middle and high school teachers, librarians and other educators across all subjects to connect directly with journalists and hone their ability to teach students how to sort fact from fiction. (And by the way, it’s FREE!)

You’ll leave NewsLitCamp with new ideas, skills and resources to help your students navigate today’s complex and challenging information landscape and demystify what distinguishes quality journalism from rumors, hoaxes and other types of misinformation.

If you are an educator based in the Miami, Florida area, or you know of one who might be interested, we’d love for you to join us. Register today.

Illinois educators, this one’s for you!

Join us on Friday, March 18, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. CT for NewsLitCamp® Illinois, in partnership with the Chicago Sun-Times and sponsored by The Robert F. McCormick Foundation.

As you may know, NewsLitCamp is a unique opportunity for middle and high school teachers, librarians and other educators across all subjects to connect directly with journalists and hone their ability to teach students how to sort fact from fiction. (And by the way, it’s FREE!)

You’ll leave NewsLitCamp with new ideas, skills and resources to help your students navigate today’s complex and challenging information landscape and demystify what distinguishes quality journalism from rumors, hoaxes and other types of misinformation.

If you are an educator based in Illinois, or you know of one who might be interested, we’d love for you to join us. Register today.

New York City educators! Enter your students in our essay contest for a chance to win a gift card worth up to $200. Deadline: May 13, 2022.

Student voice is a catalyst for positive change in schools and communities. For this reason, New York City Department of Education, in partnership with the News Literacy Project, is hosting a writing contest to empower students to be civically informed and engaged.

The PitchIt! NYC student essay contest is an opportunity for students to write about some of the most important topics of our time and explore how they can help combat misinformation or work to protect freedom of the press. Essay finalists receive detailed feedback from a panel of journalists, and the winners receive prizes!

TEACHING AND LEARNING GOALS

• Teachers have an authentic and engaging writing assignment that amplifies student voices and explores issues aligned to district curricula, standards and required topics, such as the First Amendment.
• Students analyze different types of misinformation and show the ability to think critically about what is and is not verifiable information.
• Students apply their news and media literacy skills to solve the misinformation problem.
• Finalists receive real-time feedback from journalists in the field who report on these issues every day.

AWARDS: for each grade band 6-8 and 9-12

Grand prize: $200 gift card

First place

$150 gift card

Second place

$100 gift card

Third place

$50 gift card

**NYC Finalists will participate in the PitchIt! Grand Prize event on Zoom on Wednesday, June 1, 2022, where they will share their essays and receive feedback from the journalists. The winners will be chosen at this time.

ELIGIBILITY

This contest is open to middle and high school students in New York City’s five boroughs, participating with the support from a teacher. Schools are encouraged to conduct their own internal essay competition to coordinate, so teachers submit their top three essays per grade (6-8 and 9-12).

LEARNING TASK AND CHOOSING THE ESSAY TOPIC

News literacy is the ability to determine the credibility of news and other content. Students will write an essay about a local, national or international event that would have benefited from news literacy skills being applied to stop misinformation from being spread about it. They will answer one of the prompts below.

PROCESS

Step 1. Teacher introduces the writing assignment to students and the process by which the top essays will advance. News literacy topics are explored with students as they relate to the curriculum. Explore our free educator resources on NewsLit Nation or the Checkology® virtual classroom on topics like the First Amendment. See resources from the New York Public Library, which includes access to The New York Times, or any other available sources.

Step 2. Ask students to pick one of the prompts below to write about.

Step 3. Encourage students to review the article formatting requirements before submitting their essays to you.

Step 4. Teachers select up to three student essays per grade, per school, and submit.

Step 5. NLP’s educator panel selects six essays per grade band (6-8 and 9-12), to advance to the finalist stage.

Step 6: All finalists pitch their stories to a panel of journalists during the PitchIt! Grand Prize event on Zoom and receive personalized feedback and a certificate. Panelists choose the winners, who receive prizes awarded during the event.

 PROMPTS

• The First Amendment has five freedoms, and in many ways they are dependent on one another. Explain how other freedoms of the First Amendment are required to protect the freedom of the press.
• What steps should someone take to fact-check false statements by a well-known figure and what problems might arise as a result?
• People have responsibilities – things that they should do but are not required to by law. Why would providing reliable information be a responsibility?
• Imagine you heard a rumor about public figure, but you’re not sure if it is true or not. What are the potential consequences if you share it online?

CRITERIA

• Essays must be the original, unpublished work of one student.
• Essays must be 500-1000 words, clearly addressing one of the prompts.
• All essays must have a title.
• Proper citation of sources is required.
• Only three essays from each grade may be submitted per school.
• Essays must be proofread and should follow the rules for standard English (grammar, punctuation, mechanics) in writing.
• A cover page MUST be included with the following information: student name, student ID, grade level, student complete address, best student phone number, school’s name, principal’s name, teacher’s name, best teacher’s phone number and email address and title of essay.
• Entries must be submitted via email to Alesha Smith, NLP’s New York City news literacy ambassador, at [email protected].
• NYC Finalists must be able to virtually participate in the PitchIt! Grand Prize event on June 1, 2022.

STUDENT TIPS

• Essays must have a recognizable beginning (opening or introduction), middle and end (closing or conclusion).
• Hook the reader with a strong opener. Readers will use the first few sentences to decide whether they will read the whole essay.
• Keep your paragraphs short. Popular essays tend to average three sentences per paragraph.
• Submit thoroughly thought-out, tightly focused essays. Originality is also important.
• In the conclusion, include a “call to action.” Encourage readers to take some positive steps. For instance, if you’ve given them a list of tips, prompt them to put some of the tips into practice.
• Essays should be typed in 12-point, easily readable font (such as Times New Roman), double-spaced with 1” margins and numbered pages.

Contest Deadline: May 13, 2022, 9 p.m. EST.

While not required, we recommend schools conduct their own internal essay contest to establish the top essays for submission. Schools/teachers should submit their top three winning essays per grade with cover letter via email to: Alesha Smith, NLP’s New York City news literacy ambassador, at [email protected]

Download the PitchIt! student essay contest flyer (PDF).

FAQs:

• What does “teacher support” mean?
  Successful writers are made through direct instruction. Teachers are encouraged to support students in both content and the writing process. The teacher’s name and contact information must also be indicated in the cover letter as the primary point of contact regarding the entry.
• How are the essays judged?
  Essays will be reviewed by NLP’s news literacy ambassadors for accuracy, readability and creativity. Successful essays are about a local, national or international story that would have benefited from news literacy skills being applied to stop misinformation from being spread about it. For example, students should consider the impact a story had, and whether false claims about it could be debunked using reputable and verifiable sources of information.
• If my student becomes a finalist, what’s the next step?
  Teachers are notified and each student finalist will be required to create a slide presentation illustrating the issues raised in their essay. Finalists then pitch their ideas to the PitchIt! judges, during the PitchIt! grand prize event via Zoom on June 1, 2022. During this event, finalists will share their presentation. The judges will provide real-time feedback on the finalists’ pitches and select winners based on the pitch and idea that would have best prevented misinformation from being spread.
• What document formats are accepted?
  Whatever format is easy for you and your student: Microsoft Word, PDF, Google doc.
• How are the finalists announced?
  Email notification will be sent to the teacher by mid-May.
• I have more questions! Do you have contacts?
  Questions about NLP resources can be directed to Jordan Maze, senior manager of educator network operations, [email protected]. Questions about rules can be directed to Miriam Romais, senior manager of educator engagement, [email protected], and questions about entries can be directed to our New York City news literacy ambassador, Alesha Smith, [email protected].

“I once read that the belief in misinformation can result in adverse physical and psychological consequences. Our learning goals for this contest are for students to learn how to hone their skills in identifying, researching, analyzing and synthesizing information from credible sources that can be verified; this is an essential trait of news literacy. Guiding students to be successful in news literacy equips our scholars with the ability to analyze any issue through a more critical lens, which encourages higher- level thinking in their current roles as students and beyond. This expertise will be impactful in their daily academic and practical lives. For the stated reasons, we are hopeful that teachers and students from across the district will participate in this unique opportunity.”

—Alesha Smith – ELA teacher/ social studies teacher- NYC DOE

Florida educators! Enter your students in our essay contest for a chance for both of you to win an Amazon gift card worth up to $100. Deadline extended: May 13, 2022.

Student voice is a catalyst for positive change in schools and communities. For this reason, Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS), in partnership with the News Literacy Project, is hosting a writing contest to empower students to be civically informed and engaged.

The PitchIt! student essay contest is an opportunity for students to write about some of the most important topics of our time and explore how they can help combat misinformation or work to protect freedom of the press. Essay finalists receive detailed feedback from a panel of journalists, and the winners (student and teacher) receive prizes!

TEACHING AND LEARNING GOALS

• Teachers have an authentic and engaging writing assignment that amplifies student voices and explores issues aligned to district curricula, standards and required topics, such as the First Amendment.
• Students analyze different types of misinformation and show the ability to think critically about what is and is not verifiable information.
• Students apply their news and media literacy skills to solve the misinformation problem.
• Finalists receive real-time feedback from journalists in the field who report on these issues every day.

AWARDS: for each grade band 6-8 and 9-12

Grand prize: $100 Amazon gift cards (for teacher and student winner)

First place
$75 Amazon gift card (teacher and student)

Second place
$50 Amazon gift card (teacher and student)

Third place
$25 Amazon gift card (teacher and student)

**Finalists will participate in the PitchIt! Grand Prize event on Zoom at the end of May (TBD), where they will share their essays and receive feedback from the journalists. The winners will be chosen at this time.

ELIGIBILITY

This contest is open to middle and high school students participating with the support from a teacher. Schools are encouraged to conduct their own internal essay competition to coordinate, and teachers submit their top three essays per grade band (6-8 and 9-12).

LEARNING TASK AND CHOOSING THE ESSAY TOPIC

News literacy is the ability to determine the credibility of news and other content. Students will write an essay about a local, national or international event that would have benefited from news literacy skills being applied to stop misinformation from being spread about it. They will answer one of the prompts below.

PROCESS

Step 1. Teacher introduces the writing assignment to students and the process by which the top essays will advance. News literacy topics are explored with students as they relate to the curriculum. Explore the free educator resources on NewsLit Nation or the Checkology® virtual classroom on topics like the First Amendment. See resources from the NLP, M-DCPS library, which includes access to The New York Times, articles on ProQuest http://virtuallibrary.dadeschools.net/#, or any other available sources.

Step 2. Ask students to pick one of the prompts below to write about.

Step 3. Encourage students to review the article formatting requirements before submitting their essays to you.

Step 4. Teachers select up to three student essays per grade, per school, and submit.

Step 5. NLP’s educator panel selects six essays per grade band (6-8 and 9-12), to advance to the finalist stage.

Step 6: All finalists pitch their stories to a panel of journalists during the PitchIt! Grand Prize event on Zoom and receive personalized feedback and a certificate. Panelists choose the winners, who receive prizes awarded during the event.

 PROMPTS

• The First Amendment has five freedoms, and in many ways they are dependent on one another. Explain how other freedoms of the First Amendment are required to protect the freedom of the press.
• What steps should someone take to fact-check false statements by a well-known figure and what problems might arise as a result?
• People have responsibilities – things that they should do but are not required to by law. Why would providing reliable information be a responsibility?
• Imagine you heard a rumor about public figure, but you’re not sure if it is true or not. What are the potential consequences if you share it online?

CRITERIA

• Essays must be the original, unpublished work of one student.
• Essays must be 500-1000 words, clearly addressing one of the prompts.
• All essays must have a title.
• Proper citation of sources is required.
• Only three essays from each grade may be submitted per school.
• Essays must be proofread and should follow the rules for standard English (grammar, punctuation, mechanics) in writing.
• A cover page MUST be included with the following information: student name, student ID, grade level, student complete address, best student phone number, school’s name, principal’s name, teacher’s name, best teacher’s phone number and email address and title of essay.
• Entries must be submitted via email to Monica Valdes, Miami news literacy ambassador, [email protected].
• Finalists must be able to virtually participate in the PitchIt! Grand Prize event at the end of May (TBD).

STUDENT TIPS

• Essays must have a recognizable beginning (opening or introduction), middle and end (closing or conclusion).
• Hook the reader with a strong opener. Readers will use the first few sentences to decide whether they will read the whole essay.
• Keep your paragraphs short. Popular essays tend to average three sentences per paragraph.
• Submit thoroughly thought-out, tightly focused essays. Originality is also important.
• In the conclusion, include a “call to action.” Encourage readers to take some positive steps. For instance, if you’ve given them a list of tips, prompt them to put some of the tips into practice.
• Essays should be typed in 12-point, easily readable font (such as Times New Roman), double-spaced with 1” margins and numbered pages.

Contest Deadline: May 13, 2022, 5 p.m. EST.

While not required, we recommend schools conduct their own internal essay contest to establish the top essays for submission. Schools/teachers should submit their top three winning essays per grade with cover letter via email to: Monica Valdes, Miami news literacy ambassador,  [email protected]

Download the PitchIt! student essay contest flyer (PDF).

FAQs:

• What does “teacher support” mean?
  Successful writers are made through direct instruction. Teachers are encouraged to support students in both content and the writing process. The teacher’s name and contact information must also be indicated in the cover letter as the primary point of contact regarding the entry.
• How are the essays judged?
  Essays will be reviewed by NLP’s news literacy ambassadors for accuracy, readability and creativity. Successful essays are about a local, national or international story that would have benefited from news literacy skills being applied to stop misinformation from being spread about it. For example, students should consider the impact a story had, and whether false claims about it could be debunked using reputable and verifiable sources of information.
• I am not in Miami, can I still participate?
  Absolutely! The PitchIt! contest is open to all middle and high school students in Florida.
• If my student becomes a finalist, what’s the next step?
  Teachers are notified and each student finalist will be required to create a slide presentation illustrating the issues raised in their essay. Finalists then pitch their ideas to the PitchIt! judges, journalists Rose Monique Varela Henriquez of el Nuevo Herald and Carolina Rosario of Univision, during the PitchIt! grand prize event via Zoom at the end of May (TBD). During this event, finalists will share their presentation. The judges will provide real-time feedback on the finalists’ pitches and select winners based on the pitch and idea that would have best prevented misinformation from being spread. The grand prize-winning students and teachers will each receive $100 gift cards. First-place awardees receive $75, second-place winners will receive $50 and third-place finalists will be awarded $25.
• What document formats are accepted?
  Whatever format is easy for you and your student: Microsoft Word, PDF, Google doc.
• How are the finalists announced?
  Email notification will be sent to the teacher by mid-May.
• I have more questions! Do you have contacts?
  Questions about NLP resources can be directed to Jordan Maze, senior manager of educator network operations, [email protected]. Questions about rules can be directed to Miriam Romais, senior manager of educator engagement, [email protected], and questions about entries can be directed to our Miami News Literacy Ambassador, Monica Valdes, at [email protected].

“Our learning goals for this contest include helping students analyze different types of misinformation and showcasing their ability to think critically about what is and is not verifiable information. When we fail to teach news literacy, we actively disempower students from being engaged members of their communities. That’s why we hope students and teachers from across the district will enter and participate.” –Monica Valdes, social studies and film teacher, M-DCPS.

Jan. 25, 4-5 p.m. ET: National News Literacy Week #NLPchat
Join News Literacy Project team members and NewsLit Nation ambassadors from across the country for a Twitter chat from 4 to 5 p.m. ET. We’ll discuss effective methods for teaching news literacy and why understanding how journalism works is essential to being news-literate. To take part, simply follow @NewsLitProject and #NLPChat during the chat and add your voice to the discussion.

Join us for a first look at the News Literacy Project’s new framework for teaching news literacy in this free webinar, which is being held in conjunction with National News Literacy Week.

Special guest Jay McTighe, co-author of the best-selling and award-winning Understanding by Design® series with Grant Wiggins, will help introduce the framework, which was developed using the Understanding by Design® template (Wiggins and McTighe, 2005).

NLP’s new teaching framework will help educators shape learning experiences so that students can independently use their skills to be smart, active consumers of news and information and equal and engaged participants in a democracy.

NLP experts will offer a deep dive into the framework, focusing on the development and use of essential questions in lesson planning. The team will discuss why essential questions can be beneficial as entry points into news literacy units, and explain how educators can incorporate them into their existing curriculum. The webinar will also cover NLP’s complementary programs and resources, including the Checkology® virtual classroom. The final minutes of the webinar are reserved for a live Q&A.

Giveaway: All registrants attending the live webinar are eligible to win one of 10 books co-authored by McTighe. The giveaway is sponsored by NLP.

Register now (it’s free!)

This event is part of the third annual National News Literacy Week (NNLW), Jan. 24 to 28, presented by NLP in partnership with The E.W. Scripps Company. NNLW raises awareness of news literacy as an essential life skill and provides educators, students and the public with easy-to-adopt tools and tips for becoming news-literate.

Contact

Please email any questions to Shaelynn Farnsworth ([email protected]).

Calling all metro Atlanta educators!

Join us for NewsLitCamp Gwinnett County, in partnership with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Gwinnett County Public Schools, on Jan. 25 at 9a.m. ET.

NewsLitCamp is an immersive, free professional learning experience primarily for middle and high school educators. It features topical sessions (selected with input from participants) led by journalists and news literacy experts, designed to develop expertise in news literacy education, share specialized teaching resources and provide a behind-the-scenes view of the news reporting process.

You’ll leave NewsLitCamp with new ideas, skills and resources to help your students navigate today’s complex and challenging information landscape and demystify what distinguishes quality journalism from rumors, hoaxes and other types of misinformation.

Register here: https://bit.ly/NLCGwinnettCounty

This event is made possible with support from SmartNews. It is part of a series of NewsLitCamp events led by the News Literacy Project in collaboration with a diverse group of news organizations around the country.

Join us on Jan. 27 for a very special NewsLitCamp® held as part of National News Literacy Week.

This unique, virtual event is designed to help students understand, recognize and avoid misinformation. Sessions will include insights from expert journalists and news professionals and the opportunity to connect and share directly with others in small, virtual breakout rooms. Learn from misinformation expert Jane Lytvynenko, founders of the student-led nonprofit organization Teens for Press Freedom, and other leaders in the field  about the different types of misinformation and how you can better prepare your students to navigate it.

What is NewsLitCamp?

NewsLitCamp is an immersive, free professional learning experience primarily for middle and high school educators. It features topical sessions (selected with input from participants) led by journalists and news literacy experts, designed to develop expertise in news literacy education, share specialized teaching resources and provide a behind-the-scenes view of the news reporting process.

What can I expect?

Educators who join NewsLitCamp: Misinformation will leave the day with new ideas, skills and resources to help students navigate today’s complex and challenging information landscape and demystify what distinguishes quality journalism from rumors, hoaxes and other types of misinformation.

Whether you’re a teacher, a librarian, or other educator looking to build upon your news literacy skills, we’d love for you to join. RSVP here: https://bit.ly/NNLC2022.

Questions? Email us at [email protected].

This event is made possible with support from SmartNews.

Join us at a virtual edWebinar on Jan. 24 for a discussion about best practices in teaching news and media literacy. Hear from four of the News Literacy Project’s news literacy ambassadors about the tips and techniques they use to teach this important lifelong skill. This webinar will be held in conjunction with National News Literacy Week.

Register here for this free presentation on edWeb.

Today’s information landscape — filled with “fake news,” misinformation and conspiracy theories — has become increasingly difficult to navigate, particularly for students. How can you help them develop the news and media literacy skills they need to identify, analyze and understand credible sources of information? What are best practices in teaching news and media literacy?

In this edWebinar, four of the News Literacy Project’s news literacy ambassadors will discuss tips and techniques for teaching news and media literacy — K.C. Boyd, library media specialist at District of Columbia Public Schools in Washington, D.C.; Dr. Cathy Collins, technology teacher at Sharon Middle School in Sharon, Mass.; Molly Roquet, head librarian at Redwood Day in Oakland, Calif.; and Monica Valdes, social studies and film teacher at Miami-Dade County Public Schools in Miami, Fla. Miriam Romais, NLP’s senior manager, educator engagement, also will join in the discussion. The ambassadors will describe how they engage their students in classroom discussions and activities that develop skills such as identifying credible information, seeking out reliable sources, and thinking critically. The conversation will be moderated by NLP’s Shaelynn Farnsworth, director of educator network expansion.

Attendees will also learn about NLP’s free educator resources for integrating news literacy concepts into the classroom, including the NewsLit Nation forum, educator resources, the Checkology® virtual classroom and the Sift® newsletter.

This event is held in conjunction with the third annual National News Literacy Week (NNLW), Jan. 24 to 28, and presented by the NLP in partnership with The E.W. Scripps Company. NNLW raises awareness of news literacy as an essential life skill and provides educators, students and the public with easy-to-adopt tools and tips for becoming news-literate.

Contact

Please email any questions to Shaelynn Farnsworth ([email protected]).

A news literacy learning series for older adults 

The News Literacy Project is hosting a free webinar series Understanding Misinformation and How to Talk to People Who Believe It to foster more productive conversations free of misinformation among friends and family members and across generations — particularly during the holidays. The series is sponsored by the Fore River Foundation and is being offered in partnership with AARP’s OATS/Senior Planet program. John Silva, NLP’s senior director of professional learning, and Elizabeth Price, NLP’s manager of professional learning, will lead the sessions.

These free webinars will help participants understand what misinformation is, how people come to believe it and how to effectively and compassionately communicate and debunk those beliefs. While older adults play a critical role in sorting fact from fiction and helping others to do so, everyone can benefit from resources and support to help prevent harm from mis- and disinformation.

We’ve recorded the four webinars, complemented with additional resources, in case you missed a session or want to revisit a topic. Links are below. We hope you find the program valuable as you become more news-literate and help others to do the same.

In case you missed it:

Watch session 1, The Misinformation Landscape, which discusses how to move beyond the unhelpful term “fake news” to more precisely identify the many types of misleading, inaccurate and false information that we encounter regularly. The session explores how propagators of misinformation use our emotions and cognitive biases to manipulate us. Access the presentation slides here.

Watch session 2, Essential Fact-Checking Skills, which dives into the tools and skills needed to fact-check and verify the authenticity of information as well as how to source its origins for yourself. Access the presentation slides here.

Watch session 3, Productive conversations without confrontation, which shares the skills needed to talk with someone whose beliefs are fueled by misinformation — and still have a productive, non-confrontational conversation. Access the presentation slides here.

Watch session 4, Understanding news media bias, which explores the adjacent subject of bias in news coverage and its potential to mislead and misinform the public. This session will help you think more clearly about what causes bias in reporting, what it looks like in coverage and what you can do when you encounter it in your news diet. Access the presentation slides here.

Coming up  in 2022

Please save the date for National News Literacy Week, Jan. 24-28, 2022!

Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2021
4-5 p.m. EST

Conspiracy theories, extremism, and TikTok: A conversation with a disinformation researcher

Join us at a virtual edWebinar on Nov. 30 for an important conversation about disinformation on social media with Peter Adams, the News Literacy Project’s senior vice president of education; Abbie Richards, TikTok disinformation researcher; and Shaelynn Farnsworth, NLP’s director of educator network expansion.

Register here for this free presentation on edWeb.

From QAnon to pandemic-related beliefs, conspiracy theories are increasingly part of mainstream discourse and public awareness. Many conspiracy theories take hold via social media such as TikTok, Facebook and Twitter, posing a particular threat to young users who can easily fall down rabbit holes and even get drawn into extremist ideologies. However, social media also hosts a number of influencers and resources devoted to combating misinformation and disinformation, including the popular @tofology TikTok channel created by TikTok disinformation researcher Richards.

Attendees will learn how to recognize conspiratorial thinking patterns and pitfalls and common strategies employed online by conspiracy theory adherents. They will also explore the connection between conspiratorial beliefs and extremist ideologies. Attendees will gain an understanding of the stakes posed by conspiracy theories and receive guidance on effective educational resources related to this topic, including Richards’s popular conspiracy theories chart.

This edWebinar will be of interest to teachers, librarians, and school and district leaders from the middle school level to higher education. Attendees will have an opportunity to ask Adams and Richards  about conspiracy theories, social media and best practices in teaching about this challenging topic.

Contact

Please email any questions to Peter Adams ([email protected]) or Shaelynn Farnsworth ([email protected]).

Registration link: https://bit.ly/NLCBayArea2021

A virtual, regional, educator-centered professional development experience in collaboration with Local News Matters.

Join the News Literacy Project and San Francisco Bay Area-based independent newsroom Local News Matters on Nov. 22  for a virtual, educator-focused NewsLitCamp® led by journalists from Local News Matters alongside NLP’s news literacy experts.

This event is open to all educators throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, including those in Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano and Sonoma counties.

Questions? Email us at [email protected] or visit us at newslit.org for more information.

This NewsLitCamp is sponsored by the John S. and James L. Knight foundation.

Please note: This event is open only to Detroit Public School educators. If you are a DPS educator, access the following link to register: https://bit.ly/NLCDetroit2021

A virtual, regional, educator-centered professional development experience in collaboration with Detroit Public Schools and the Detroit Free Press

Join the News Literacy Project (NLP) and Detroit Public Schools on Nov. 2 for a virtual, educator-focused NewsLitCamp® led by journalists from the Detroit Free Press and NLP’s news literacy experts, designed to empower you to teach news literacy.

This event is open to all educators in Detroit Public Schools.

Questions? Email us at [email protected] or visit us at newslit.org for more information.

This NewsLitCamp is sponsored by the John S. and James L. Knight foundation.

Misinformation and disinformation target all of us, with purveyors of falsehoods often exploiting our deeply held values and beliefs, including patriotism. That’s why the News Literacy Project is partnering with We the Veterans, a nonpartisan nonprofit created by veterans and military families, to present a free webinar, Exploring the misinformation landscape: Understanding how and why people believe false information, Wednesday, Nov. 10, at 7 p.m. ET.

We are honored to have the opportunity to reach this audience, but you do not have to be a veteran, active military or a family member to participate. The webinar is open to all.

In this session, John Silva, NLP’s senior director of professional learning and a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, will discuss how to move beyond the unhelpful term “fake news” to more precisely identify the many types of misleading, inaccurate and false information that we encounter regularly.

Silva will explore motivations behind different propagators of misinformation and different ways that they use our emotions and cognitive biases to manipulate us into believing something is true. In  addition, he will demonstrate key fact-checking and verification skills for identifying misinformation. By getting to a deeper understanding of misinformation, we all can become less susceptible to it and more likely to prioritize reliable, verified sources of news and information.

About We the Veterans

We the Veterans is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization created by veterans and military family members, united for democracy and committed to building a more perfect union. Its mission is to harness the strength of veterans and military families to support the pillars of American democracy. We the Veterans unites private and public sector experts and leaders to find solutions to our country’s biggest challenges. The organization’s programming is designed to engage and empower the veteran community, supporters and allies to take action in their local communities and beyond.

The News Literacy Project, in cooperation with Village Consultancy, is hosting a series of professional learning webinars focused on essential news literacy concepts. In these sessions, educators will learn about these concepts, discuss curriculum integration and find out how to use resources from NLP.  This complimentary series for educators is supported by U.S. Embassy Singapore. 

All webinar times listed below are in Singapore Standard Time (SST). 

Session 1 – Introduction to News Literacy for educators of students at primary, secondary and junior college levels, as well as tertiary levels, on 29 October from 16:00-17:30. Register here.

We’ll provide an overview of key news literacy concepts and essential questions to develop learning objectives for students to become reliably informed, such as recognizing the difference between news and opinion, identifying the primary purpose of information, understanding how news judgment is made, evaluating evidence and sources, using fact-checking and digital verification tools, and recognizing the standards of quality journalism.

Session 2 – Exploring the Misinformation Landscape for educators of students at secondary, junior college and tertiary levels on 5 November from 16:00-17:30. Register here.

In this session you will learn how to teach students to move beyond the unhelpful term “fake news” to more precisely identify the many types of misleading, inaccurate and false information that they encounter. We will discuss NLP’s taxonomy for five different types of misinformation, explore motivations behind different types of propagators of misinformation, discuss ways people are manipulated through emotions and cognitive biases and examine effective debunking strategies. By teaching a deeper understanding of misinformation, students can become less susceptible to it and more likely to prioritize reliable, verified sources of news and information.

Session 3 – Digital Verification for educators of students at secondary, junior college and tertiary levels on 12 November from 16:00-17:30. Register here.

In this session we will explore the tools and skills students need to verify the authenticity of information and learn to create engaging fact-checking investigations that empower students to investigate and debunk viral content. Topics include developing critical observation skills to determine original context; learning to use reverse image searches to determine authenticity of photos and video; and using advanced search techniques on the web and in social media.

Session 4 – Exploring the Misinformation Landscape for educators of primary school students on 19 November from 16:00-17:30. Register here.

 In this session you will learn how to teach students to move beyond the unhelpful term “fake news” to more precisely identify the many types of misleading, inaccurate and false information that they encounter. We will discuss NLP’s taxonomy for five different types of misinformation, explore motivations behind different types of propagators of misinformation, discuss ways people are manipulated through emotions and cognitive biases and examine effective debunking strategies. By teaching a deeper understanding of misinformation, even younger students can become less susceptible to it and more likely to prioritize reliable, verified sources of news and information.

Session 5 – Digital Verification, for educators of primary school students on 3 December from 16:00-17:30. Register here.

In this session we will explore the tools and skills students need to verify the authenticity of information and learn to create engaging fact-checking investigations that empower students to investigate and debunk viral content. We will focus on how younger students can develop critical observation skills to determine original context and how students can use advanced search techniques on the web and in social media.

The News Literacy Project is hosting a four-part series of professional learning webinars focused on essential news literacy concepts. In these sessions, educators will learn about these concepts, discuss curriculum integration and how to use resources from the News Literacy Project. This series is free for educators.

In our fourth and final session in this series, we’ll offer a variety of free, ready-made classroom resources and supports to help you teach news literacy. In this session, we’ll help you get started with the Checkology® virtual classroom, an e-learning platform with 14 lessons and dozens of supplemental activities that you can use synchronously and asynchronously with students. We’ll also discuss strategies for using NLP’s weekly newsletter, The Sift®, with students, and we’ll take a tour of NLP’s educator resources library and the NewsLit Nation forum.

Register for NLP’s fall webinar series here.

With your registration, you will have access to all four webinar recordings. NLP will provide a certificate of attendance for those educators who join the live webinars. If you have any questions, please contact NLP’s Professional Learning team at [email protected].

The News Literacy Project is hosting a four-part series of professional learning webinars focused on essential news literacy concepts. In these sessions, educators will learn about these concepts, discuss curriculum integration and how to use resources from the News Literacy Project. This series is free for educators.

People frequently perceive and allege bias in news coverage, but what does this really mean? What makes a piece of news biased, and who decides? What role do our own biases play in our perceptions of bias? In the third session of our four-part fall webinar series we’ll help you teach this vital, controversial, complex topic in ways that empower students to meaningfully evaluate the fairness and impartiality of news coverage.

Register for NLP’s fall webinar series here.

With your registration, you will have access to all four webinars as well as the recordings. NLP will provide a certificate of attendance for those educators who join the live webinars. If you have any questions, please contact NLP’s Professional Learning team at [email protected].

Please join us on Thursday, Oct. 28 for an important, free, day-long event, Summit: In Community, hosted by the School Library Journal (SLJ). The virtual summit seeks to highlight that community can mean a lot of things, beyond only geography. We all work and live in the context of community, and our interdependence has never been made more apparent than in our shared experience of the pandemic. 

Shaelynn Farnsworth, director of network expansion at the News Literacy Project (NLP), and Kelly Vikstrom-Hoyt, director of library services at The Overlake School in Redmond, Washington, and NLP’s 2021 News Literacy Educator of the Year, will present during the summit. “Tips and Tricks for Integrating News Literacy in the 6-12 Classroom” will underscore why it is essential for students to determine fact from fiction, fight misinformation and have the abilities needed to be smart, active consumers of news and information and equal and engaged participants in a democracy. Presenters will share various free, ready-made classroom resources and programs that all educators can use in a short lesson or an extended unit.  

Join this session to learn practical, hands-on ways to teach news literacy skills to your students. To learn more and register, click here. 

Please note that the event environment and the sessions have attendance capacity limits. If on the day of the event you find that you are unable to access the environment or join a session, please know that sessions will be available for on-demand viewing within 24 hours, and the entire event will be accessible for three months from the event date. 

With school underway already in some communities and about to start in others, educators face another challenging year. The Delta variant and rising COVID-19 cases are on the minds of anxious students and parents. Best practices for navigating the 2021-22 school year’s obstacles, discussing current events in today’s polarized information environment, and bringing the critical skill of news literacy to all students are among the issues to consider as classes start again. 
 
Join the News Literacy Project on Twitter on Thursday, Aug. 26, from 4-5 p.m. ET, for a chat about all these topics and more. Hear directly from education innovator Steven Anderson, as well as members of our education team. Throughout the hour, we will ask eight to 10 questions related to the new school year.  Anderson, our staff and anyone else participating can answer using the #NLPChat hashtag. We’ll save the last 10 minutes for addressing additional questions from participants — feel free to submit them in advance by sending us a direct message on Twitter. 
 
To participate, all you need is a Twitter account. Then simply navigate to @NewsLitProject and/or #NLPChat at 4 p.m.  ET on Aug. 26 to join the 60-minute conversation.  
 
What trends are expected in education this year? What are best practices and resources for blended learning? How can news literacy fit into an educator’s curriculum, whether teaching in a classroom or remotely? We’ll be discussing these kinds of questions, and more.  
 
As a reminder, all of our news literacy teaching resources, guides, quizzes and more are completely FREE to educators, along with membership in our NewsLit Nation community. Learn more about the many professional learning opportunities we’ve aligned with the start of the school year HERE.  

In this virtual edWebinar on Sept. 2nd, join subject matter expert John Silva and Shaelynn Farnsworth of the News Literacy Project for a conversation about conspiracy theories.

Register here for this free presentation at edWeb.

Conspiracy theories are becoming part of mainstream discourse and public awareness. From QAnon to pandemic-related beliefs to older ideas such as the Earth is flat, we are finding that more and more of our friends, family and loved ones believe at least one conspiracy theory. How do we teach students to avoid conspiracy theories without actually teaching them the specifics of such false beliefs?

This edWebinar explores the psychological and cognitive factors behind conspiratorial thinking, including the role of fears and anxiety, cognitive dissonance and biases, motivated reasoning and institutional cynicism. We will discuss the ways in which conspiracy theories exploit our emotions as well as fill our emotional needs. As part of the presentation, we will outline essential learning objectives and concepts and provide instructional resources for integrating these concepts into the curriculum, including our free, interactive lesson which is part of the Checkology® virtual classroom.

This edWebinar will be of interest to teachers, librarians, and school and district leaders of the middle school through higher education levels. There will be time for questions at the end of the presentation.

Contact

Please email any questions to Shaelynn Farnsworth ([email protected]) or John Silva ([email protected]).

The News Literacy Project is hosting a four-part series of professional learning webinars focused on essential news literacy concepts. In these sessions, educators will learn about these concepts, discuss curriculum integration and how to use resources from the News Literacy Project. This series is free for educators.

Session 1 – Teaching news literacy: Where do I start? Sept. 3 at 4 p.m CT

• We’ll provide an overview of key news literacy concepts and essential questions to develop learning objectives for students to become reliably informed, such as recognizing the difference between news and opinion, identifying the primary purpose of information, understanding how news judgment is made, evaluating evidence and sources, using fact-checking and digital verification tools, and recognizing the standards of quality journalism.

Session 2 – Exploring the misinformation landscape, Sept. 10 at 4 p.m. CT

• Learn how to teach students to move beyond the unhelpful term “fake news” to more precisely identify the many types of misleading, inaccurate and false information that they encounter. We will discuss NLP’s taxonomy for five different types of misinformation, explore motivations behind different types of propagators of misinformation, discuss ways people are manipulated through emotions and cognitive biases and examine effective debunking strategies. By teaching a deeper understanding of misinformation, students can become less susceptible to it and more likely to prioritize reliable, verified sources of news and information.

Session 3 – Understanding bias, Sept. 17 at 4 p.m. CT

• People frequently perceive and allege bias in news coverage, but what does this really mean? What makes a piece of news biased, and who decides? What role do our own biases play in our perceptions of bias? In this session we’ll help you teach this vital, controversial, complex topic in ways that empower students to meaningfully evaluate the fairness and impartiality of news coverage.

Session 4 – Using resources from the News Literacy Project, Sept. 24 at 4 p.m. CT

• NLP offers a variety of free, ready-made classroom resources and supports to help you teach news literacy. In this session, we’ll help you get started with the Checkology® virtual classroom, an e-learning platform with 14 lessons and dozens of supplemental activities that you can use synchronously and asynchronously with students. We’ll also discuss strategies for using NLP’s weekly newsletter, The Sift®, with students, and we’ll take a tour of NLP’s educator resources library and the NewsLit Nation forum.

Register for NLP’s fall webinar series here.

With your registration, you will have access to all four webinars as well as the recordings. NLP will provide a certificate of attendance for those educators who join the live webinars.  If you have any questions, please contact NLP’s Professional Learning team at [email protected].

NewsLitCamp  is an immersive, free professional learning experience primarily for middle and high school educators. It features topical sessions (selected with input from participants) led by journalists and news literacy experts, designed to develop expertise in news literacy education, share specialized teaching resources and provide a behind-the-scenes view of the news reporting process. You’ll leave NewsLitCamp with new ideas, skills and resources to help your students navigate today’s complex and challenging information landscape and demystify what distinguishes quality journalism from rumors, hoaxes and other types of misinformation.

Sign up today (it’s FREE!) to reserve your seat!

When: Aug 27, 2021 08:30 AM CST

Who can attend: This NewsLitCamp is designed primarily for middle and high school teachers and media specialists in the U.S. Space permitting, we also will welcome school administrators, post-secondary and international educators.

Please email [email protected] with questions.

This event is made possible with support from the Google News Initiative and is part of a series of NewsLitCamp events led by the News Literacy Project in collaboration with a diverse group of news organizations around the country.