By Shannon Horton, DMS Collaborative Teacher It’s time to toss that CRAP test poster! A teacher whose identity will be protected actually removed a small bit of paint from her wall when ripping it down, and Mrs. Sand did a dramatic tear down and cleverly turned it upside down and put it back on the wall. It’s definitely making a point, but what point? Point #1: The CRAP test can no longer be relied upon to efficiently uncover the real motives of who is behind information. Unfortunately, many websites that now easily pass the CRAP test should actually not. We find an “about us” page that boasts the organization is non-profit and non-partisan, a board of directors with slick sounding titles, and domains that are .org and .edu and think we’re in the clear. For example, The Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) was brought to my attention by a high school student last year. Applying the CRAP test yielded positive results - just check out their convincing “about us” page! However, a quick Google search led us to several warnings about CIS, including this one from Wikipedia: According to Wikipedia, “The Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) is an anti-immigration think tank. It favors far lower immigration numbers and produces analyses to further those views. The CIS was founded by historian Otis L. Graham and eugenicist and white nationalist John Tanton.” The Stanford Experiment provides another surprising example of how the CRAP test fails us. Point #2: There is an easier and more effective way to determine credibility. Seriously, all professional fact checkers do this! (If you watched that video I recommended above you will 100% get this.) The technique of using Google to look up a source is called lateral reading because you’re investigating by leaving the website under question, opening a new tab, and searching for outside information about the organization and author. Tools for lateral reading include the Chrome extensions NewsGuard and Media Bias Fact Check (MBFC). Students at DMS and DHS all have access to these, and teachers can use Google Chrome Store to add them. In addition, Wikipedia is your new BFF for lateral reading! Embrace its use by knowing that this peer-reviewed journal concluded that “...it is high time not only to acknowledge Wikipedia's quality but also to start actively promoting its use and development in academia.” Point #3: You’ll make students happy and maybe get a new poster for your room! A fun benefit of ditching the CRAP test is that students will love you for it - gone is the checklist approach that takes way too much time and can easily cause confusion. Plus, you’re embracing Wikipedia as a credible source - they’ve been telling us this for years! DMS students are slowly being introduced to the concept of lateral reading. I’ve worked with some 7th grade students and have incorporated this into the second half of 6th-grade library exploratory. I’m working on a poster of the tools they’ll frequently use for this work, so stay tuned. The SIFT technique below is what I’d like all students at DHS to be trained to use and so far many in 11th and 12th grade already have. (“Investigate the Source” is akin to “Lateral Reading.”) As always, please reach out to me with questions and/or requests to work with your students. I love doing this work and want to help you prepare our students for a complex information landscape.
4 Comments
Lizabeth Fox
3/20/2021 11:23:40 am
This is such important work at a time when so much out there looks reliable but is masking bias and even ill intent. Thank you, Shannon, for your tireless energy devoted to help all of us navigate research in a sound manner. We are fortunate to have you in our corner! (And I can always get my wall repainted...)
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Carole E Sand
3/21/2021 07:59:58 am
Students are missing getting to say CRAP in class, but they are feeling empowered to wade through the weeds to find credible sources with your updated tools. Thanks for your constant attention to new information and techniques.
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Dana Bockman
3/21/2021 08:09:53 am
Thank you for doing this work, Shannon! The awareness that sources must be questioned and investigated is important, but knowing how to go about that is crucial. Your efforts help our students to think more critically and prepare them for their lives outside of our school buildings.
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Brigit Storhoff
3/22/2021 06:16:27 am
I remember when you initially brought the CRAP test to the ELA teachers at the middle school. Walking across the balcony and overhearing you say "CRAP test" while teaching 6th grade library always made me chuckle. I was so impressed with your work. Now seeing that you are reevaluating and redefining what it means to be credible is both beneficial and inspiring. I can imagine that this may change every few years, and we are so fortunate to have an expert in the district that is passionate about this work. Thanks for easily explaining this change. I can't wait to see a new Canva inspired poster for our rooms. Thanks, Shannon!!
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