Introduction
Every day, we see news, photos, videos, and posts online. But can we believe everything we see?
Imagine that a viral social media post has been shared by thousands of people. Some students believe it immediately, while others say it might be fake. Your job is to become a Digital Fact Checker and investigate how we can determine whether information found online is trustworthy.
Task
You will investigate how to identify fake or misleading information on the Internet.
At the end of the WebQuest, you will create a one-page infographic titled “Think Before You Share” that teaches other students how to identify unreliable information online.
Your infographic should contain:
- At least five ways to identify fake or misleading information
- An explanation of why checking the source is important
- One example of reliable versus questionable information
- Advice students should follow before sharing something online
Process
Step 1 – Learn about misinformation.
Read the provided resources about misinformation, fake news, and evaluating online information.
Step 2 – Investigate the source.
Learn what makes an online source trustworthy. Look for the author, publication date, supporting evidence, references, and the organization responsible for the information.
Step 3 – Compare information.
Choose one claim or news story and check whether the same information appears in other reliable sources.
Step 4 – Identify warning signs.
Make a list of signs that information may be misleading, such as sensational headlines, missing sources, emotional language, outdated information, or manipulated images.
Step 5 – Create your infographic.
Organize what you learned into a one-page “Think Before You Share” infographic. Use short explanations, examples, and visuals.
Step 6 – Reflect.
Answer this question in 3–5 sentences:
How can checking information before sharing it make me a more responsible digital citizen?
Evaluation
| Criteria | 4 – Excellent | 3 – Good | 2 – Developing | 1 – Needs Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accuracy | Information is accurate and well-supported | Mostly accurate | Some inaccuracies | Many inaccuracies |
| Investigation | Shows strong evaluation of online sources | Good evaluation | Limited evaluation | Little evidence of evaluation |
| Content | Includes all required information | Missing 1 element | Missing 2 elements | Several elements missing |
| Organization & Creativity | Very clear, organized, and visually engaging | Clear and organized | Somewhat organized | Difficult to understand |
| Reflection | Thoughtful and clearly connects to responsible digital behavior | Clear reflection | Basic reflection | Incomplete/unclear reflection |
Conclusion
Congratulations! You have completed your work as a Digital Fact Checker.
Through this WebQuest, you learned that information found online should not automatically be accepted as true. You learned to examine sources, compare information, look for evidence, and recognize warning signs of misleading content.
Before clicking Share, remember:
Stop → Check → Verify → Then Share.
This activity also fits the educational-technology principles you've been studying because the learning objective and inquiry activity come first, while Internet resources serve as tools for accomplishing the learning task rather than being the purpose of the lesson themselves.