UEN Teacher Tips

Teaching students how to evaluate online sources for credibility can be tricky. My favorite approach is the three-step method: Stop and Think, Analyze and Corroborate.   

• Stop and Think! As students read articles that seem outlandish, extraordinary or provoke strong emotional reactions, they should stop and think. Encourage your students to ask themselves, “Is this article believable? Does it make sense?” 

• Analyze - Have students analyze the article by closely reading it to determine the main ideas. Ask your students to question, “Does this article come from a credible, unbiased source?” This requires researching the author and site owner by exploring the site and conducting web searches. 

• Corroboration. Encourage students to verify the article's main idea and key points by comparing them to other reputable sources. Your students can ask themselves, “Do other reliable sources say the same thing?”

Now that we have a good approach, it’s time to practice!

You can practice using this method in a secure online database like Utah’s Online School Library. Before delving into this vast online library, it’s important to help your students become familiar with it. I suggest using Utah’s Online School Library Nearpod Scavenger Hunts created by UEN. These premade Nearpod lessons are easy to download to your Nearpod library and launch with students. Within these lessons, your students can explore the online library and research various topics while applying the Stop and Think, Analyze and Corroborate method. 

Here’s a quick tutorial on how to find and use Utah’s Online School Library Nearpod Scavenger Hunts!