Teaching in the Era of Fake News and "Hoaxes"

The explosion of fake news, "hoaxes," and social media make it increasingly difficult for students to tell the difference between fact and fiction. And today's students, like the rest of us, can easily fall victim to "motivated reasoning" -- the tendency to believe what they want to believe, not what the evidence points to.

The educators in this episode discuss the challenges this poses for educators and for our democracy. They also recommend pedagogical strategies that invite students to share their views, without recrimination, about controversial topics and that help students develop opinions based on reasons and evidence.

Panelists include:

• Wayne Journell, Associate Professor of Secondary Social Studies Education, University of North Carolina, Greensboro
• Jennifer Hauver, Associate Professor of Education, Randolph-Macon College, Ashland, Virginia
• Victor Rios, Professor of Sociology, University of California, Santa Barbara