Preparing Teachers to Lead Digital Source Credibility Discussions about Contentious Civic Issues

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Wednesday 3:45 pm - Gold 1
  In Roundtable Session: Teaching Truth in Turbulent Times: Navigating Controversy, Civic Courage, and Historical Reckoning in Education

Abstract

Teachers need practice supporting students to evaluate digital sources about contentious political and social issues that are likely to spark strong reactions from students. During a professional development session, teachers learned about, analyzed, and rehearsed source credibility discussions in which students shared their personal resources, or their background knowledge and experiences, about a civic issue, gun control. I analyzed the participation of one teacher, Amber, who led the group during a rehearsal of a source credibility discussion. In her participation in the workshop, Amber sought to validate students’ personal resources but focused more on the content of the inquiry (gun control) than on the credibility of the sources of that content. I discuss implications for future professional development.

Author

• Elizabeth Reynolds, University of Maryland