Google and social media use algorithms to feed us information that confirms our biases, which means we need to work to find the truth. I recently geeked out when I found a search tool and a Chrome extension from Media Bias Fact Check (MBFC) that makes it easy to find unbiased, quality journalism in just a few simple steps.
Simple Step 1 Install and use the chrome web extension from MBFC. See video below for instructions.
Simple Step 2
Learn how this search engine uses MBFC’s rating system. See video below for instructions.
Below is a screenshot from my Facebook page that shows how the Chrome extension works. The bar below the picture indicates that according to MBFC The New York Times is rated as left-of-center in terms of bias, with a high level of factual reporting.
Summative Assessment
Now, use your new knowledge by taking this quiz on fake news. See if you can beat my score of 100%!
6 Comments
Hemesath
2/22/2018 11:01:31 am
I feel like this would be extremely helpful for a current events class, so students are able to find valid, current information. Thanks for sharing Shannon!
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Andrew Ellingsen
2/22/2018 11:04:54 am
I installed this a couple weeks ago, and it's great! Good tip, Shannon!
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Allysen Lovstuen
2/22/2018 01:15:00 pm
Thanks Shannon! Installed! One question I have had is this: do our students know what bias is and when it matters? The came up after a specific incident with a student. She was researching a computer science topic and used a source for which she was not the audience and which she couldn't understand as her main source. When I asked her why she said it was because bias was the main thing she looked at when choosing a source and this was the only one she found from a source in the middle of the bias chart. The task was to research parallel computing and explain to the class what it was (more fact based, not opinion based). How do we teach students that the purpose of their task also matters and that bias may not be the most important factor? Or should it always be?
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Shannon Horton
2/26/2018 06:32:37 am
I think most of our students know what bias is, but they may be placing too much importance on it over other factors, such as factual accuracy and depth of analysis. I also believe that in this information landscape students need more support than ever before when it comes to research. With that said, when the purpose of their searching is to find something that's more of an encyclopedia article, then discussing who the experts are in the field your studying and even providing an example of what a good source looks like, would go a long way. Bias should be on the back burner for the topic you gave them and author expertise should be at the top - just that information may set them on the right track.
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Steve
2/27/2018 01:53:42 pm
I was really interested to hear what you thought of Allyson's comment. I was wondering the same thing. Thinking about this makes me more aware that bias, in itself, isn't something to avoid. But sloppy thinking is! One interesting way that trying to be "un-biased" can backfire is in the climate change "debate." For quite awhile, journalists would portray themselves as "unbiased" by citing both climate scientists and clijmate skeptics, leaving the impression that there is a middle ground that is between the two.
Sarah Zbornik
2/22/2018 01:27:07 pm
Thanks, Shannon, for all you do with bringing quality news to the surface. I did not get 100% on the fake news quiz. I might need tutoring.
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