Real vs. Fake The Reliability of Information on the Internet. By Salamah Adjoua

INTRODUCTION The internet is a great tool for locating information for research, projects and homework assignments. However, due to the openness and vastness of the internet not every website that is find actually has factual information. If you are not careful you can end up with the: The internet is a great tool for locating information for research, projects and homework assignments. However, due to the openness and vastness of the internet not every website that is find actually has factual information. If you are not careful you can end up with the: WRONG FACTS!

Anyone can put something on the internet. Anyone can put something on the internet. From anywhere in the world. From anywhere in the world. They can say anything they like. They can say anything they like. Leave it there as long as they like. Leave it there as long as they like. Change it whenever they feel like it. Change it whenever they feel like it. Keep in Mind…

So how do you know which websites are real and which ones are fake? It is up to you to figure out which websites are reliable and which are not. Let’s explore this subject further.

TASK The point of this lesson is to help students understand that everything on the internet is not fact. Information must be verified and verifying information from the web can be difficult. At the end of this WebQuest, students will be able to: Explain what is a spoof website. Explain what is a spoof website. Compare two websites and identify the fake and real one. Compare two websites and identify the fake and real one. Investigate a news story and attempt to verify if it is factual or false. Investigate a news story and attempt to verify if it is factual or false. Through discussion, analyze what clues were found that indicated whether the website and/or news story was authentic or phony. Through discussion, analyze what clues were found that indicated whether the website and/or news story was authentic or phony.

PROCESS and RESOURCES Students will take the hoax photo test and attempt to determine which picture is fake or real. Discussion will follow. Click on the link: Students will take the hoax photo test and attempt to determine which picture is fake or real. Discussion will follow. Click on the link: Read the following short definitions of a spoof website. px Read the following short definitions of a spoof website. px px px Look at some examples of spoofed websites. Look at some examples of spoofed websites

Assemble into four groups. Compare one set of the following websites. Students will attempt to figure out which site is real and which one is fake? Each group will write a short report (1-2 pages) on how they came to their conclusions and present it verbally to the class. Assemble into four groups. Compare one set of the following websites. Students will attempt to figure out which site is real and which one is fake? Each group will write a short report (1-2 pages) on how they came to their conclusions and present it verbally to the class gatt.org/ gatt.org/ gatt.org/ gatt.org/

Explore the following websites. Choose a news story from one of them. Explore the following websites. Choose a news story from one of them Discuss some of the stories. State whether you believe the stories are factual or false and explain why. Using the web have each student attempt to find information that verifies the story. Databases such as Newsday, EBSCO Newspaper Source, and Info Trac Custom Newspapers can assist in verifying the story. Discuss some of the stories. State whether you believe the stories are factual or false and explain why. Using the web have each student attempt to find information that verifies the story. Databases such as Newsday, EBSCO Newspaper Source, and Info Trac Custom Newspapers can assist in verifying the story.

Students will create a list of any resources that verified the story. In a one page presentation to the class, students will discuss what resources they found, how they found them and what makes them believe their story is valid. Students will create a list of any resources that verified the story. In a one page presentation to the class, students will discuss what resources they found, how they found them and what makes them believe their story is valid. Discuss how difficult it is to verify information and why all information must be inspected. Students will then have the opportunity to evaluate whether the stories they choose from the website are factual or false. Students will review the following links. Discuss how difficult it is to verify information and why all information must be inspected. Students will then have the opportunity to evaluate whether the stories they choose from the website are factual or false. Students will review the following links

EVALUATION The following rubric will be used to grade your assignments. 20% of the grade will be based on the website evaluation report and news story report, 20% on class participation, 20% on presentation, 10% on collaboration and 30% on analyzing skills. The following rubric will be used to grade your assignments. 20% of the grade will be based on the website evaluation report and news story report, 20% on class participation, 20% on presentation, 10% on collaboration and 30% on analyzing skills.

RUBRICDeveloping1Accomplished2Exemplary3 Two written reports An abundance of grammatical errors, misspellings, run on sentences, some points not clear Some grammatical errors, misspellings, Most points clear No grammatical errors, misspellings, run on sentences. Clearly presented. Analyzing websites Barley gathered information from websites, had difficulty inferring conclusions from data. Gathered some of the information from websites, inferred conclusions from data Gathered information from websites, inferred conclusions from data. Oral presentation Spoke low, poor posture, mispronounced words, poor organization of thoughts. Good posture, spoke low, presented good organization of thoughts. Attempted to correct speaking difficulties when asked. Great voice projection, positive body language, Good pronunciation of words, good organization of thoughts. Collaboration Barely sharing ideas, not assisting to complete task, arguing with group members Good sharing of ideas, had good conflict resolution. Assisted in completing task, shared ideas, had good conflict resolution Discussion Communicating only once during discussions, no clear thoughts expressed, having to be called on to join discussion. Respecting others points of views. Communicating at least twice during discussions, Respecting others points of views, expressing thoughts, volunteering to speak without being called on Communicating at least four times during discussions, Respecting others points of views, articulating thoughts clearly, volunteering to speak without being called on.

CONCLUSION Now we see that information on the internet is not always factual. We must take the time to examine websites and if necessary take steps to verify the information. As we saw, the internet is a great tool for obtaining good information. Some of the sites presented were the real thing. Others were spoof websites which were misleading. Now we see that information on the internet is not always factual. We must take the time to examine websites and if necessary take steps to verify the information. As we saw, the internet is a great tool for obtaining good information. Some of the sites presented were the real thing. Others were spoof websites which were misleading.

This means that the internet should not be the sole resource we use for information. Books, reference sources, and databases are other reliable resources that should also be consulted. All of these can be found at a library where professional staff can help you find what you need. This means that the internet should not be the sole resource we use for information. Books, reference sources, and databases are other reliable resources that should also be consulted. All of these can be found at a library where professional staff can help you find what you need.

References used to create this WebQuest Creating a Rubric for a Given Task projects.edtech.sandi.net/staffdev/tpss99/rubrics/rubrics.html Creating a Rubric for a Given Task projects.edtech.sandi.net/staffdev/tpss99/rubrics/rubrics.html projects.edtech.sandi.net/staffdev/tpss99/rubrics/rubrics.html projects.edtech.sandi.net/staffdev/tpss99/rubrics/rubrics.html Museum of Hoaxes Museum of Hoaxes Lesson Plans Lesson Plans Some Thoughts About WebQuests Some Thoughts About WebQuests Fake Websites- Scientific and Commercial Fake Websites- Scientific and Commercial Internet Detective Internet Detective National Educational Technology Standards for Students National Educational Technology Standards for Students

National Educational Technology Standards For Students This WebQuest meets NETS’s standard number 5. This WebQuest meets NETS’s standard number 5. Technology research tools Students use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of sources. Students use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of sources. Students use technology tools to process data and report results. Students use technology tools to process data and report results. Students evaluate and select new information resources and technological innovations based on the appropriateness for specific tasks. Students evaluate and select new information resources and technological innovations based on the appropriateness for specific tasks.