Students frequently turn to the internet for information about a range of scientific issues. However, they can find it challenging to evaluate the credibility of the information they find, which may increase their susceptibility to mis- and disinformation. This exploratory study reports findings from an instructional intervention designed to teach…

Given the current threat posed by toxic digital content, preparing students to evaluate online sources cannot be relegated to a single subject area--this instruction should happen across the curriculum. This article focuses on materials designed to teach students to evaluate online information across subject areas. ninth-grade biology and world…

This study investigated how high school students evaluated online information on social and political topics. Eighteen juniors and seniors, at a school that attempts to leverage technology to personalize learning, thought aloud as they completed online reasoning tasks. Three themes emerged from analyses of think-aloud data. First, students…

Prior research suggests that high school students often struggle to evaluate online content; however, with support, they can learn to conduct more effective digital evaluations. This study extends our understanding of how students attend to the source of online information and the role instruction may play in changing students' evaluation of…

The changes in the online information landscape, the divisive nature of political life, and the growing distrust in democratic institutions have all contributed to the increasing circulation of misinformation. These dynamics have made assessing the credibility of information challenging for youth and adults alike. While we have much to learn,…