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In the Curriculum Language Arts & Social Studies By David M. I Read it Marcovitzon the Computer, It Must Be True Evaluating Information From the Web Do you believe everything you read? What about everything you read on the computer? Because it is easy to package and post anything, information on the Web is often not evaluated before it is posted and may be biased in one way or another. The activity presented in this article will help students begin to understand the need to evaluate the information they find on the Web.

hen you read something biases of the different sources of infor- spokesperson to present the organization’s on the computer, how do mation they find, whether they are viewpoint to the class. The entire class you know it is true? Even computer or paper based. should then discuss the variety of infor- WWWpeople who are naturally In this article I present a lesson plan mation sources about Nazism that are skeptical drop their defenses when it that will expose students to a variety of readily available. comes to using a computer. These ma- information sources on the Web. The goal Students can find information from chines have become a mystical authority is to teach them to begin to be critical the following types of sources: on everything: “I read it on the computer; consumers of information. it must be true.” • Organizations that describe Nazi If it were that simple, then our jobs as Nazis on the Web atrocities during World War II (see educators certainly would be much easier. The lesson begins by dividing the class Figure 1). With advanced information and commu- into groups and giving each group a Web • Organizations that deny Nazi atrocities nication technology, we can find infor- address (URL, or Uniform Resource Lo- during World War II (see Figure 2). mation about practically any subject cator) from a different organization. Each • Organizations that seek to destroy Na- within a matter of minutes. Sometimes address is for a national or international zis for their current actions and beliefs we can find hundreds or thousands of organization with a strong view on Nazis (see Figure 3). sources with just a few mouse clicks. But and Nazism. This is a good topic for • Organizations that seek to destroy Na- can we believe these sources? showing older students the wide variety zis for their past beliefs (see Figure 4). Unfortunately, sometimes we cannot. of information available about a single • Organizations that agree with Nazism’s Anyone can put information on the topic. The contrasts between the differ- fundamental principles (see Figure 5). World Wide Web. With a little bit of ent organizations are striking and some- Students should discuss the reliability work, anyone can put information on the times shocking. “Resources for Nazi and the bias of the information found at Web that is presented well and appears Information” (page 21) lists some good each site. For example, they could dis- believable. Because anyone can, many starting points to assign in your classes. cuss whether the quotes attributed to people do. We find lots of information You can find others by using a Web search Churchill on the Institute for Historical dressed up in all sorts of ways—good, engine. Review site are actually his; if so, were bad, biased, true, and simply untrue. Stu- Each group of students should spend they distorted and taken out of context dents need to learn to be skeptical of the between 30 and 60 minutes exploring its to promote a biased viewpoint? Or stu- information they read. They should be- site and finding its organization’s view of dents could discuss what biases exist at come critical thinkers who examine the Nazism. Each group should appoint a the Simon Wiesenthal Center site. © 1997, International Society for Technology in Education, 800.336.5191, [email protected], www.iste.org. 18 Learning and Leading With Technology Volume 25 Number 3 Reprinted with permission. In the Curriculum

< Figure 3. The Jewish Defense League promotes violent protest of neo-Nazi groups.

^ Figure 1. This portion of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Web site contains testimony from the Nuremberg trial. This is one of many Web documents that describe the Holocaust. < Figure 4. Simon Wiesenthal has dedicated his life to finding Nazi war criminals and bringing them to justice. The Simon Wiesenthal Center continues that mission.

> Figure 5. Stormfront, an organization advocating White supremacy, uses its Web site to promote its belief system.

^ Figure 2. Many organizations deny that stories of the Holocaust are true or that the Holocaust happened at all. This article from the Web site for the Committee for Open Debate is reproduced on many revisionist Web sites.

© 1997, International Society for Technology in Education, 800.336.5191, [email protected], www.iste.org. November 1997 Learning and Leading With Technology 19 Reprinted with permission. In the Curriculum

such as these existed, but many are shocked that the material is available— Students are inclined to believe something or even allowed to be available—to anyone through a few key strokes on the if it has the right packaging. computer. Some are surprised at how easy it is for anyone to put this or any other material on the Internet for all to see. Others are surprised that the form of pre- Through this lesson, students begin to variety of information and sources available sentation make the information appear answer for themselves this critical ques- for it. This exploration can be undirected, believable; and sometimes, as with a uni- tion: How do I know if it is true? or students can set out to complete specific versity professor who is allied with the tasks such as gathering information: Institute for Historical Review, the stu- Alternative and Follow-Up Lessons dents are surprised by the credentials of • From a nationally recognized or trusted Nazism provides an obvious example of the presenters. organization. information that is available from a vari- One student did not believe anything • From a highly biased source. ety of viewpoints. What about less on one of the sites, except for a quote from • From a highly biased source with a controversial topics? Medical advice, for a newspaper. She was surprised when I different bias. example, can be found all over the asked her how she knew that the quote • That appears to be a scam related to Internet. We may trust our family doc- really came from the newspaper. This and your topic. tor, but what about someone on the similar reactions illustrate that students • That seems to be a sales pitch related Internet who is—or claims to be—a phy- are not innately skeptical of information. to your topic but which is not an sician? For almost any topic, one can find They are inclined to believe something if obvious scam. a variety of viewpoints and biases. it has the right packaging. We must help • That originates in another country. For younger students, Nazism might students get beyond this bias. We must • That references your topic but is com- not be an appropriate topic. Teachers of help them become critical consumers of pletely irrelevant. younger students can do the same exer- information. • That seems to be relevant and cise with more age-appropriate topics unbiased. from baseball to the environment. Summary Teachers of specific subject areas might Such questions allow students to see that If it is on the computer, how do we know be interested in exploring the content in even a topic that is not especially controver- it is true? Students have access to infor- more detail. They can pick topics related sial (no topic is without at least a little con- mation from a variety of sources and to their subject areas or expand the dis- troversy) can have a variety of kinds of in- viewpoints. This article provides a lesson cussion in directions that include the formation available about it. Some of the to begin to teach students to be critical information’s content as well as its qual- information will be unbiased, some biased, information consumers. They will not al- ity. Social studies teachers, for example, some true, and some untrue. ways know if something is true, but after can use this lesson as part of a discussion completing lessons such as this one, they about World War II while discussing the Student Reactions will not be fooled as easily—and they will content of these sites in more depth. I have taught this lesson in classes to learn that not all information they find After doing this lesson with a contro- preservice and inservice teachers, but it is through the computer is true. ■ versial topic such as Nazism, teachers can appropriate for high school students and, repeat the exercise with a less controver- with different topics, for younger stu- David Marcovitz, Education Department, sial topic of their own or their students’ dents. Students have many reactions to Loyola College in Maryland, 4501 N. choice. Examples of controversial topics this lesson. Before seeing it for themselves, Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21210; are abortion, gay rights, and health-care most students knew that organizations [email protected]. reform. On the other hand, life insurance, moving companies, breast cancer, and the One student did not believe anything on Declaration of Independence are more appropriate, less controversial topics. one of the sites, except for a quote from Others might relate directly to other class a newspaper. She was surprised when I lessons. Once students have chosen or asked her how she knew that the quote been assigned a topic, they explore the really came from the newspaper. © 1997, International Society for Technology in Education, 800.336.5191, [email protected], www.iste.org. 20 Learning and Leading With Technology Volume 25 Number 3 Reprinted with permission. In the Curriculum ResourcesResources for for Project Project Information Information

I have used most of these information sources with my students. Remember, Web addresses change frequently, so check the addresses before assigning them to students.

The Aryan Nation Simon Wiesenthal Center http://rand.nidlink.com/~aryanvic http://www.wiesenthal.org The Aryan Nation promotes a religion-based view of White supremacy. This This organization is dedicated to seeking out Nazi war criminals and bringing site contains various documents and links to related information. them to justice. You can also find resources and information about current hate crimes and hate groups.

Committee for Open Debate on the Holocaust Stormfront http://www.codoh.com http://www.stormfront.org The CODOH denies much of the widely accepted information about the Holo- Stormfront is a White supremacist organization that maintains close ties with caust, especially stories of Nazi gas chambers. neo-Nazis. This Web site contains information that discusses the superiority of the White race and links to other White supremacist organizations throughout the world.

The Institute for Historical Review United States Holocaust Memorial Museum http://www.kaiwan.com/~ihrgreg/index.html http://www.ushmm.org This organization takes a more militant stance than the CODOH: It denies that This resource is maintained as a memorial to those who died in the Holocaust. the Holocaust ever occurred. This Web site contains information that disputes It contains information about the Holocaust and art exhibits that depict Jewish commonly held beliefs about the Holocaust. life before, during, and after World War II, as well as other Holocaust-related events.

Jewish Defense League Interesting Web Pages http://www.jdl.org http://www.hotwired.com/wired/2.10/departments/idees.fortes/ godwin.if.html The Jewish Defense League is a right-wing militant group that advocates vio- http://www.peg.apc.org/~nexus/terror.html lence and censorship against Nazi war criminals, neo-Nazis, and other http://bluemoon.net/~frenz anti-Semitic organizations. http://pubweb.acns.nwu.edu/~abutz http://www.kaiwan.com/~ihrgreg/jhr/v15n4p8_Weber.html http://www.webcom.com/~ezundel/english http://www.resistance.com National Alliance http://home.sol.no/kluwer http://www.bnaibrith.org/ijm/index.html http://www.natall.com These Web pages are also interesting sources of information about Nazism. Some The National Alliance proposes a worldview that supports the inherent and are part of the sites listed in this sidebar, but others are stand-alone examples evolutionary superiority of the White race. The organization produces books, of the variations of Nazi information on the Web. periodicals, radio programs, and other sources of information that promote this worldview.