INFORMATION DETECTIVES is a sequence of resources aimed at upper Key Stage Two children to support the teaching of effective internet research. It is designed to be accessible to most children without adult support, but would have greatest impact if used as suggested below, which includes some adult led discussion as well as time for children to carry out activities independently, in pairs or in groups. INFORMATION DETECTIVES is available as a Powerpoint, Powerpoint Show or Flash resource. You may need to tick a box to enable macros to ensure the flash activity within the presentation will run. The Powerpoint show or Flash is best for children working independently.
This suggested sequence is set out in these notes and could be taught as an isolated unit of work on research skills, but would have greater impact if it was put into context for children. For instance, it could immediately precede or run alongside research for a purpose, such as a class topic. The ‘Are You Persuaded?’ area would also be an effective sequence to accompany literacy work on persuasion.
The sequence could be completed in a blocked ‘intensive’ period of time, or split up and spread over a number of weeks. Therefore, in the suggested sequence, I have not indicated where one session should end and another begin, because they could be adapted to suit the time available and desired impact.
Aim: To provide children with the skills and knowledge to effectively evaluate and analyse information from a variety of sources.
Key Objectives: (From Somerset e-sense progression)
· Year 4: Children recognise that information on websites may not be accurate or reliable and may be used for manipulation, persuasion or promote bias.
· Year 5/6: Children recognise that websites have an author and an audience and some people may publish content that is not accurate. They understand reasons why people might publish content that is not reliable and know they need to check and critically evaluate information.
Introduction (slide 1)
Introduce the idea of being INFORMATION DETECTIVES and show links to the three sections:
· Section One: Can you believe it?
· Section Two: Are you persuaded?
· Section Three: Detective training
The Phillip Martin clipart of the ‘Detective’ acts as a link through the presentation to take users back to the introduction. Other links are used through the presentation to allow children to navigate between sections.
Whole class discussion:
What different things do we use the Internet for?
Has anybody had experience of information on the Internet that is not true?
What do you think it means by ‘some information is designed to affect the way you think?
Section 1: Can you believe it? (slide 2)
This section introduces the idea that not all information on the Internet is true and links to three main activities: News detectives, Website detectives, Video detectives; which encourage children to question what they find on the internet.
Discuss the photos. We know these photos can’t be real, but how do we know? Elicit that we question what we see because of our life experience and that this is what we must do with all information on the Internet.
Follow the links to News Detectives, Website detectives and Video detectives. Children could be split into three groups , who could then report back on their findings; or the whole class could spend an allotted time on each one, sharing their findings before moving on to the next.
Please note that YouTube will need to be unblocked to view some of the content of these sections. This can provide an opportunity to discuss responsible use of the Internet. Children should learn not follow links to other video or to advertisements. They should be clear about the purpose of the use of the Internet for the task given.
Task One: News Detectives (Slide 3)
Contains two BBC news reports for children to watch. Spaghetti trees is viewed on BBC nature and flying penguins on YouTube, both of which were April Fool’s jokes. These reports demonstrate that even apparently trustworthy sources such as the BBC can present information which is not true.
Allow children time to watch both news reports without telling them that they are not true. Then ask them to click the fork and penguin links to discover the truth about the clips.
Ask the children: Which report was most believable. Why? How do we know they are not true?
Task Two: Website Detectives (slide 4)
Contains links to various websites with strange information. Some of this is true and some is not. Children should be encouraged to check the information on other websites to discover which of the websites is false.
Captain Kara and the SMART crew episode 2 Reliable, is a useful animation to introduce the idea of checking information by using more than one source. (Probably best suited to Year 4.)
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Pairs/individuals could investigate the information on all of these sites; or groups could be allocated a website each to investigate, then share their findings with the class.
All About Explorers is an additional resource you may want to use as a follow up research exercise. It is a useful resource to consolidate WEBSITE DETECTIVE skills. Try the Francis Drake challenge. See also Reckon on Reliability presentation. http://allaboutexplorers.com/
Task Three: Video Detectives (slides 5 and 6)
Activity : The Click here links take you to two videos. Watch the two videos either individually or as a class, then discuss the effects that have been used.
What different effects did you see in these videos? What different reasons can we think of that people may create fake or digitally altered videos?
Activity : Ask the children to click the link to continue the VIDEO DETECTIVE activities.
Draw the children’s attention to these key questions before they begin looking at the individual videos. These could be displayed while the children continue their video investigations.
Allow the children time to watch each of the videos (by clicking on each image) and vote on whether or not they think the content is real. The 7 videos are: Pool table trick; Magic hands; Skiing ostrich; Quick change; UFO; Flying lawnmower; Super-fly. You will need YouTube unblocked to view these videos.
As a class, share children’s views, discussing what helped children to decide whether or not the video was real. Encourage the children to consider the different reasons that people may create fake videos. Ask the children to vote for their favourite video and use the key questions as a plenary discussion.
Section Two: Are you persuaded? (slide 7)
This section introduces the idea that some websites are designed to persuade you, either through advertising or by presenting biased information, and that these techniques may be used subtly for a variety of reasons.
Click on the ‘Can you spot the logo?’ image to play the ‘logo quiz’ as a class. Do the children recognise the brand from the small clip? Emphasise the point that this is evidence of how powerful good advertising and persuasion can be. (This small flash resource will always stay at the point where you finish so you may want to continue back to initial image).
Follow the links to the activities. ‘Website persuasion’ and ‘Advertising’ could be completed by all children simultaneously, or the class could be split in two groups who spend time on each section then swap. ‘Are you persuasive?’ is designed to be used as a follow up to the other activities.
Task One: Website persuasion (slides 8 and 9)
The slides contain four different website investigations for the children to complete:
The focus of each is slightly different and is supported by key questions, but the overall aim is to encourage children to analyse the websites they visit for bias; and, if they find bias, to consider the purpose of it.
The investigations could be completed by pairs or individuals over more than one session, or groups could be allocated an investigation each and then share their findings with the class.
Task two: Advertising (slide 10)
This task encourages children to identify various types advertising in websites, including pop-ups, hidden advertising and website sponsors.
Whole class discussion: Where might we find advertising? What different types of advertising can we think of? Why do people advertise? Why do we need to be aware of this when we use the internet?
Activity: Cyberquoll (episode 5, Trying it on) provides a useful animation to introduce the idea of online advertising and credit card safety. This could be viewed as a class or individually.
Discussion: How can people get hold of our money online?
There is a follow up activity ‘lie detector’ which children could complete individually or as a class/group on an IWB. This activity may be more effective as a class/group because there are decisions to be made which could be informed by discussion.
Activity: Challenge individuals/pairs to find learning game websites with no adverts. If they find any ask them to post the link into the forum.
Discussion: Why do so many websites have adverts?
Activity: Allow pairs/individuals time to complete the AD DETECTIVE activity and other advertising trick activities on the same website.
Discussion: What have you found out about ‘hidden advertising’?
Task 3: Are you persuasive? (slide 11)
This task encourages children to use the persuasive techniques they have learned to create their own persuasive documents. They could design their own webpage), poster, leaflet, letter, TV/Radio advert etc.
The four challenges are:
· Sell a broken clock as a stylish ornament.
· Sell a rubbish dump as a holiday destination.
· Advertise the latest pizza topping: Strawberry and chocolate.
· Convince consumers that the original 1970s mobile phone is the latest must-have gadget.
These challenges could be completed in pairs/individually or allocated to groups to work together. The children could choose which challenge to complete, or complete all of them over four sessions, using a different technique for each.
Section Three: Detective training (slide 12)
This section is designed to build on the knowledge that the children have built up in the other areas. DETECTIVE TRAINING provides activities to build search skills. It encourages children to not always use the same search engine, but to choose one that is appropriate for the task, or check on more than one. It also introduces advanced search skills.
Children could complete these activities simultaneously in pairs/individually, or they could be allocated to two groups, and then swap.
It would be important that all children complete both activities because the outcomes are quite different.
Task 1: Which Search Engine?
This task encourages children to use search engines other than Google, and to consider whether different search engines are appropriate for different users/tasks.
Ask the children to vote for the Search Engine they use the most.
Allow children time to carry out the same search using a variety of search engines (by clicking on the link to each).
Discussion: Which search engine was most effective? Was this always the case? Which search engine would you choose to use? Which search engine would you recommend for a year 1 / 2 / 3 pupil? Which search engines will you choose to use in the future?
Task 2: Advanced Searching (slide 14)
This task introduces a series of advanced search skills via a sequence of five ‘tips’ with associated activities. These tips combine to provide children with the skills to refine their searches and analyse the results before choosing which link to click. Therefore it is important that all children are given the opportunity to try all five tips. This section in particular would have most impact if followed up by some purposeful research for a class topic or task, where the children could apply the skills.
Review
At the end of this sequence it would be worthwhile reviewing everything covered. Children could perhaps create their own INFORMATION DETECTIVES presentations / webpages / posters/ leaflets outlining important things they have learned.
Having provided this basis, it is essential that teachers continue to model the skills and refer back to the knowledge whenever they/the children are using the Internet.
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Matthew Mustafic 11/06/10 and updated 22/12/11