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USA Today
07-02-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
Teens learn and live online. How is Delaware trying to boost struggling media literacy?
Teens learn and live online. How is Delaware trying to boost struggling media literacy? Show Caption Hide Caption Raw Video: Protesters gather to object to Trump administration's policies Protesters march around at Legislative Hall in Dover to object to President Donald Trump's recent executive orders and policies. 2/5/25 Fewer than 2 in 10 teens could correctly answer three questions asking them to distinguish between information types like news, advertisement, opinion and entertainment, according to a recent report. Then state Sen. Sarah McBride introduced "The Digital Citizenship Education Act" in 2021, with aims to make Delaware one of the first states to require media literacy teaching standards in schools. The law required the state to adopt standards that are age-appropriate for K-12 and they had to address healthy online behavior. These new standards didn't reach the classroom until last school year, and by next spring, each district and charter is tasked with reports to the state education department on their progress. American teens spend hours scrolling. Children and young adults alike dive into social media platforms, pulled into a loop of constant entertainment and advertisements, even rumors and conspiracy theories. This week marks National News Literacy Week, and the focus for 2025 is increasing news literacy among teens inundated with information. USA TODAY Network partnered with the News Literacy Project to reach more families and educators under the same goal while offering activities and grant opportunities for teachers. This comes as the News Literacy Project also published a national report showing some 94% of teens believe schools should be required to teach media literacy. The same survey showed, among other findings: Fewer than 2 in 10 teens could correctly answer three questions asking them to distinguish between information types like news, advertisement, opinion and entertainment. Nearly half of teens, or 45%, believed the news press does more to harm democracy than protect it. About 8 in 10 teens reported seeing conspiracy theory posts on social media. A combined 51% said that came daily or weekly. Just less than a quarter of those surveyed say they regularly, either daily or weekly, use generative artificial intelligence technologies. National politics remain sharply polarized. TikTok is back, while President Donald Trump's order briefly staying its ban falls into a "gray area" of legal logistics. Updates and orders from the second Trump Administration have also been unfolding minute-by-minute, while hopes, rumors and fears develop simultaneously. There may not be a more important time to help students become critical consumers of news or develop skills to spot misinformation. Technology and access won't stop evolving. "Our citizens are not armed with the necessary tools to be discerning consumers of news and information online," said U.S. Rep. Sarah McBride, thinking back to Delaware legislation still taking shape. "Especially in this increasingly digital world where so many, especially young people, are obtaining their news not just online – but from non-verified news sources online." So what can Delaware do about it? Still trying to train the next generation of 'critical consumers' McBride remembers taking a walk with Sen. Laura Sturgeon. In the continued grip of the pandemic shutdown, the pair of then-state senators would often try to walk outside. And in early 2021, both lawmakers were trying to digest the aftermath of Jan. 6, wherein conspiracy theories, misinformation and unsubstantiated claims of election fraud spurred action at the Capitol. "And we were discussing: What more can be done to combat the reality of disinformation and misinformation online that is fostering radicalization, in some cases, extremism?" McBride recalled, now in Washington D.C., beginning her first term as a Delaware congresswoman. "It was spurred by Jan. 6, but it wasn't specific to Jan. 6," she continued. "After we started to have this larger conversation about disinformation and misinformation online, we see impact to people of every ideology and background and political persuasion." McBride would introduce "The Digital Citizenship Education Act" in 2021, with bipartisan aims to make Delaware one of the first states to formally require media literacy teaching standards in schools. By the summer of 2022, it passed both state chambers and was signed into law by then-Gov. John Carney. Looking back: How Delaware is taking the lead in teaching media literacy The bill had a host of requirements to explore, and guidance got more involved from there after work from the state Department of Education, professional development staff, school district and charter school librarians, instructional technology specialists and more. The law required the state to adopt standards that are age-appropriate for K-12 and they had to address healthy online behavior – including acceptable use of online platforms, the negative impact of inappropriate technology use, identifying credible sources of information, developing critical thinking skills, identifying the purpose of media messages and issues associated with cybersafety, cyberbullying, hate speech and more. Coming standards – broken down by elementary, middle school and high school – get a bit heavy with jargon, as previously reported, but students should step away with skills like: Engaging in positive, safe, legal and ethical behavior when using technology Using a variety of communication tools and resources Managing personal data to maintain digital privacy ad security Evaluating the accuracy, perspective, credibility and relevance of information Making critical choices about information sources to use Questioning and assessing the validity and accuracy of information Establishing connections with other learners Using collaborative technologies to work with others to investigate solutions Using technology, including the internet, to produce and publish writing and to collaborate with others Recognizing target marketing strategies and persuasion techniques Interacting with learners who reflect a range of perspectives Collecting information representing diverse perspectives Evaluating a speaker's point of view, reasoning and use of evidence Exhibiting empathy with a tolerance for diverse ideas Educators are still trying to deliver on those expectations. These new standards didn't reach the classroom until last school year, and by next spring, each district and charter is tasked with the first reports to the state education department on how they're being met. That will look different across each system as it comes together. And as educators and instructional technology teams work to meet benchmarks – students, tech and the latest new app just keep evolving. ICE in Delaware: 'We're not politicians. We're educators': Delaware education head releases ICE guidance 'Look at it as life skills' A high schooler held up his iPod Touch. Kevin Wright still remembers the moment when he was student teaching around 2010. One of his students came up and asked if he could cite a meme. "They showed me, and they're like, 'But look, this right here, it's a fact,'" Wright said with a smile, still not entirely sure if the student's Abraham Lincoln meme was a joke. "And that sparked a really interesting question and journey for me personally." Fast forward to today, and both Jennifer Ashby and Wright have dedicated much of their time to these new standards in Appoquinimink School District. The instructional technology specialist and coordinator have also helped lend expertise in statewide peer networks as McBride's legislation has been slowly realized. In some ways, the work is doomed to always be a few steps behind. "We have to be mindful of not pigeonholing ourselves into mentioning specific platforms because tomorrow there's going to be a new one," Ashby said. "We're taking a step back and looking at it from not specifically TikTok or specifically this or specifically that – but how can we make them just global consumption, digital citizens?" Media literacy instruction should evolve with students. At least, that's the idea. "One of the central challenges in navigating this environment is that it is perpetually, and in some cases, more rapidly changing every single day," McBride said. "That is actually one of the reasons why, one of the many reasons why we sought the approach of education standards rather than more prescriptive curriculum." Teams like Appo's throughout the state are tasked with fusing these standards into existing subjects and grade levels. That could be in science, word history or a kindergarten classroom. The overarching goal is to foster "internal skills," Wright explained, so students can thoughtfully challenge information sources, bias, intention and more. Whether an educator or a parent, he said, you never quite know how children are getting and absorbing information. Similarly, success here is difficult to measure. The first year was a gap study. This year, more school districts are finding ways to meet standards. Reports due next year will show where gaps still persist and what kind of difference this instruction is making across Delaware. "I look at it as life skills," Wright said. "I think these are skills that we as adults need to have as well as children." Got a story? Contact Kelly Powers at kepowers@
Yahoo
27-01-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Media literacy is having a moment. We can't lose momentum.
It is no understatement to say that social media has dramatically altered the news landscape, often degrading civic discourse into a battleground of misinformation. Young people, who spend much of their lives online, are thrown into this complex world without the necessary tools to navigate the falsehoods and conspiracy theories that crowd out the facts. Today, adults under 30 are nearly as likely to trust information from social media as from national news outlets, according to the Pew Research Center. As I look forward to athletes from around the world converging in my hometown of Los Angeles for the 2028 Olympics, I wonder whether dodging online rumors and falsehoods should be added to the competitive games. Like landing a perfect score on the balance beam or setting track and field records, learning to recognize misinformation and find credible sources takes training, skills and practice. I am a philanthropist who dedicates significant investment toward improving public K-12 education, but I initially missed just how critical social media and news literacy are to the development of our youth. While I focused on traditional education fundamentals like math and English language skills, social media use among children as young as elementary school age skyrocketed. This has diminished young people's ability to parse information. A 2024 study by the News Literacy Project, a nonpartisan nonprofit organization that helps educators bring news literacy into the classroom, revealed that 82% of teens struggle to distinguish what's news, advertisements, opinions and entertainment. We know social media is polluted with conspiracy theories ‒ such as 5G technology spreading COVID-19 to vaccines being fitted with microchips that allow government surveillance. Opinion: I'm a polio survivor. Kennedy's vaccine stance means he shouldn't be in charge of health. America's teens encounter such harmful lies daily. The News Literacy Project's study shows that 8 in 10 teens on social media say they see posts that promote conspiracy theories, and an overwhelming majority who report seeing this content (81%) say they are inclined to believe one or more. Alarmingly, the report also found that nearly half of teens surveyed think that journalists do more harm than good to democracy. These results serve as a stark wake-up call. But they also show us a path forward. An overwhelming majority of teens – 94% – say schools should be required to teach media literacy. And students with some form of media literacy lessons are more likely to fact-check before posting to social media, push back against misinformation when they see it and seek out reliable news. Opinion: TikTok changed our culture – and my life. Would we be better off without it? Guaranteeing news literacy education – the ability to fact-check and find credible sources through a variety of standards-based resources – is critical to ensure that our nation's next generation of leaders has the power to discern fact from fiction. Philanthropists have the unique opportunity to unlock this potential. By investing in news literacy, we can empower the next generation not only to participate in civic life but also to lead it with integrity and insight. Opinion alerts: Get columns from your favorite columnists + expert analysis on top issues, delivered straight to your device through the USA TODAY app. Don't have the app? Download it for free from your app store. This is a bipartisan opportunity for donors and government to create meaningful public/private partnerships. Florida, Texas, Illinois and California are among the states that have signed legislation to bring news literacy to classrooms. Even more states – blue and red alike – are considering similar measures. It is my hope that by the time the world gathers in Los Angeles for the 2028 Olympics, all 50 states will pass legislation recognizing the importance of news literacy. We need an Olympic-size commitment to teaching media literacy in our classrooms across America. That would set a gold standard for the rest of the world. More important, it would put young people, our future leaders, on a podium above the lies and mudslinging that drag down our public discourse. Melanie Lundquist is a member of the Giving Pledge. She is a proud graduate of Los Angeles Unified public schools and serves as a board member of the News Literacy Project, a nonpartisan nonprofit. You can read diverse opinions from our USA TODAY columnists and other writers on the Opinion front page, on X, formerly Twitter, @usatodayopinion and in our Opinion newsletter. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kids struggle with facts on social media. We can help | Opinion
USA Today
27-01-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
Media literacy is having a moment. We can't lose momentum.
Media literacy is having a moment. We can't lose momentum. | Opinion A 2024 study by the News Literacy Project revealed that 82% of teens struggle to distinguish news, advertisements, opinions and entertainment. Show Caption Hide Caption Teens spend almost ALL their time online, new research shows Pew Reseach surveyed teens between 13 to 17 years old to see how much time they spent online. Spoiler alert: almost all of it. It is no understatement to say that social media has dramatically altered the news landscape, often degrading civic discourse into a battleground of misinformation. Young people, who spend much of their lives online, are thrown into this complex world without the necessary tools to navigate the falsehoods and conspiracy theories that crowd out the facts. Today, adults under 30 are nearly as likely to trust information from social media as from national news outlets, according to the Pew Research Center. As I look forward to athletes from around the world converging in my hometown of Los Angeles for the 2028 Olympics, I wonder whether dodging online rumors and falsehoods should be added to the competitive games. Like landing a perfect score on the balance beam or setting track and field records, learning to recognize misinformation and find credible sources takes training, skills and practice. Data on teens and news literacy is alarming. Social media isn't helping. I am a philanthropist who dedicates significant investment toward improving public K-12 education, but I initially missed just how critical social media and news literacy are to the development of our youth. While I focused on traditional education fundamentals like math and English language skills, social media use among children as young as elementary school age skyrocketed. This has diminished young people's ability to parse information. A 2024 study by the News Literacy Project, a nonpartisan nonprofit organization that helps educators bring news literacy into the classroom, revealed that 82% of teens struggle to distinguish what's news, advertisements, opinions and entertainment. We know social media is polluted with conspiracy theories ‒ such as 5G technology spreading COVID-19 to vaccines being fitted with microchips that allow government surveillance. Opinion: I'm a polio survivor. Kennedy's vaccine stance means he shouldn't be in charge of health. America's teens encounter such harmful lies daily. The News Literacy Project's study shows that 8 in 10 teens on social media say they see posts that promote conspiracy theories, and an overwhelming majority who report seeing this content (81%) say they are inclined to believe one or more. Alarmingly, the report also found that nearly half of teens surveyed think that journalists do more harm than good to democracy. Require schools to teach media literacy These results serve as a stark wake-up call. But they also show us a path forward. An overwhelming majority of teens – 94% – say schools should be required to teach media literacy. And students with some form of media literacy lessons are more likely to fact-check before posting to social media, push back against misinformation when they see it and seek out reliable news. Opinion: TikTok changed our culture – and my life. Would we be better off without it? Guaranteeing news literacy education – the ability to fact-check and find credible sources through a variety of standards-based resources – is critical to ensure that our nation's next generation of leaders has the power to discern fact from fiction. Philanthropists have the unique opportunity to unlock this potential. By investing in news literacy, we can empower the next generation not only to participate in civic life but also to lead it with integrity and insight. Opinion alerts: Get columns from your favorite columnists + expert analysis on top issues, delivered straight to your device through the USA TODAY app. Don't have the app? Download it for free from your app store. This is a bipartisan opportunity for donors and government to create meaningful public/private partnerships. Florida, Texas, Illinois and California are among the states that have signed legislation to bring news literacy to classrooms. Even more states – blue and red alike – are considering similar measures. It is my hope that by the time the world gathers in Los Angeles for the 2028 Olympics, all 50 states will pass legislation recognizing the importance of news literacy. We need an Olympic-size commitment to teaching media literacy in our classrooms across America. That would set a gold standard for the rest of the world. More important, it would put young people, our future leaders, on a podium above the lies and mudslinging that drag down our public discourse. Melanie Lundquist is a member of the Giving Pledge. She is a proud graduate of Los Angeles Unified public schools and serves as a board member of the News Literacy Project, a nonpartisan nonprofit.
