Information Literacy and ‘Fake News’: The Search for Truth
Are we living in a “post-truth” era in which feelings outweigh evidence, “alternative facts” take precedence, and “truth” is whatever we wish it to be?
Social media sites, the wide spread use of the Internet, and other means of instantaneous communication have increased the possibility of disinformation and eroded trust in traditional media, universities, and other institutions. How serious is this issue? According to the Pew Research Center, 1 in 5 U.S. adults say they often consume news via social media. However, “more than 40 percent of visits to 65 fake news sites come from social media, compared to around 10 percent of visits to 690 top US news sites,” according to a 2017 study by researchers from NYU and Stanford. (Danielle Kurtzleben, read more here)
In the current climate, is fake news unavoidable? How can individuals, corporations, and governments confront this phenomenon? What are the broader implications of the dissemination of global disinformation regarding democracy, media, science, elections, religion, health care, trust in the government, climate change, identity, and bias?
Please join us for a two-day curriculum development workshop focused on these issues and explore how to respond as a resilient and dynamic learning community. We will examine this topic through the disciplinary perspectives of political science, economics, communications, information science, environmental studies, business, geography, history, sociology, and other frameworks. Learn how to incorporate provocative ideas into your existing curricula, develop activities to bring back to the classroom, and connect with colleagues.
SCHEDULE
Dates: July 11 – 12, 2019 (Thursday and Friday)
Time: 8:30 AM – 9:00 AM Registration (Thursday)
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM Workshop (Thursday)
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM Workshop (Friday)
Location: University of Washington, Seattle campus
This institute will bring together community college educators interested in networking with their peers and incorporating new information on information literacy and ‘fake news’ into their teaching and mentoring. Community college faculty from all disciplines, especially including STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math), are encouraged to apply. University of Washington and community college faculty, practitioners, and graduate students will lead this two day workshop.
We expect lively discussions and informative lectures. Community college educators will be paid a stipend of $150.00 if they are selected to participate and attend all of the two-day programming. This workshop does not include clock hours. Travel stipends will be available for those coming from east of the Cascades and outside of Washington State.
Applications are due on or before June 14, 2019. We will notify all applicants by June 23, 2019 if they have been accepted into the program.
To apply click here
Sponsored by the National Resource Centers of the Henry M. Jackson School of International
Studies – University of Washington, Northwest International Education Association, Global
Business Center at the Michael G. Foster School of Business – University of Washington,
Institute for Regional and International Studies – University of Wisconsin, and funded by the
United States Department of Education.
For more information, please contact Tamara Leonard at tleonard@uw.edu, call 206.685-2354, or visit this page to learn more about the Community College Master Teacher Institute.
