TRENTON – A new bill passed Nov. 8 by the Senate Education Committee would ensure New Jersey schools teach students to identify sources of credible information online.
Under the legislation (S-3464), sponsored by Sen. Michael Testa (R-1st), schools would be required to provide instruction on information literacy so students in kindergarten through 12th grade can identify reliable, useful content and avoid invalid and deceptive sources.
According to a release from the senator’s office, the bill also requires the education commissioner to establish in-service training programs on information literacy instruction for school administrators, library media specialists and teaching staff who will provide instruction to students.
“With the prevalence of information sources in today’s high-tech world, it is imperative that young people learn to navigate the options and understand that not all info on the internet is credible,” Testa stated.
Curriculum guidelines under the bill include teaching students about the research process, developing skills for using information resources, evaluating information critically and competently, accessing information and information tools.
“Anybody can publish a blog post, podcast or YouTube video, but the information may not be accurate or useful. There is no accountability, so students need to learn how to evaluate the material and use it effectively,”the senator added. “Published information can be misleading and manipulative.”
Under the new law, students would also gain an understanding of economic, legal and social issues surrounding the use of information, as well as how to use information ethically and legally.
Cape May County – Why don't we have a local TV station in South Jersey? We had channel 40 in Linwood and that's gone. Maybe because it highlighted real news at times!! With all due respect to the Cape May…
