About Developing Digital Detectives

Today’s complex information landscape requires learners of all ages to be Digital Detectives: information sleuths who actively pursue clues to credibility by examining information through multiple lenses.  This course is based on the book "Developing Digital Detectives".  Participants will read the book which is provided in the course, engage in discussions and implement lessons within their classrooms.  

Prerequisites: Due to the activities of this course, participants will be required to be actively teaching.
Credit: 1 USBE or 1 SUU Credit
Course Type: Online
Course Level: Beginner
Cost: Free to Utah Educators
Endorsement Category: Digital Citizenship

 Expected Learning Outcomes

At the conclusion of this course participants should be able to:

• Recognize how information is designed to trigger an emotional response and how those responses then drive our behavior online.
• Develop strategies for managing triggers so that they are better able to navigate and evaluate the information they consume.
• Understand how the device through which they are accessing information influences their ability to determine what can be trusted. 
• Develop authentic investigations to guide their searches for credibility clues.
• Identify the bad actors who intentionally create and spread malinformation online and those who unwittingly pass on that false content to their own networks and friends lists.
• Understand the motives that fuel malinformation actions in order to help Digital Detectives recognize the tools and tricks that are commonly used to get the job done.
• Develop and teach unit plans or "cases" for student Digital Detectives to solve.

 Final Assessment

Develop and teach final unit plan to student Digital Detectives in your classroom.  Participants will share their lesson and experience with thiAfter teaching lessons curated in the course, educators will reflect on their experience. Then, educators will develop either a final 45-minute lesson plan or an information literacy unit plan for the next school year.