The DCS Learner Profile defines nine essential skills every Dexter student develops throughout their education. Represented by The Helm (pictured above), the goal is for each student to master these skills by the time they graduate from Dexter High School.
This series explores the Learner Profile in action, offering a deeper look at the core values that guide Dexter Community Schools and how they are emphasized in the classroom.
Information Literacy
In February, teachers, staff, and instructional coaches focused on the Information Literacy competency. In our ever-changing world, the ability to access and evaluate information efficiently and effectively is of the utmost importance. Dexter students learn how to find content from reputable sources, identify inaccurate or misleading information, and thoughtfully apply accurate facts in their work. With so much information readily available, students are guided in managing and organizing the flow of content from a multitude of sources. They also develop an understanding of basic ethical and legal issues involved in accessing and using information.
Information Literacy in Action
Here are some DCS staff-reported thoughts on teaching Information Literacy from around the District:
- “This competency resonates with me because we are currently experiencing a crisis of misinformation in our country. To determine whether or not the sources I am reading/viewing are trustworthy and accurate I need to consider where they are from, what sources they cite, whether or not they are [a source with a documented bias] and if they are from a legitimate news organization and not just a YouTube or TikTok channel. I hope I can help my students identify trustworthy sources and learn to cite sources to give authors and creators credit. We are lucky to have [education-focused, subscription] news resources [at DCS] to give students access to reliable, unbiased information.”
- “Students are discovering that, now more than ever, reliable sourcing is difficult. Students find it very difficult to know whether something is factual and not fabricated or based on their own bias.”
- “Sources that have been vetted or have some journalistic integrity are the most reliable sources. These sources are not always the fastest, but they are often verified.”
- “Knowing information that is reliable is the first step in solving problems. Often, we see problems being "solved" that are not problems or even based on reality.”
- “Knowing that information is unreliable, or can be, is the first step in being skeptical about information.”
- “The sooner we understand the importance of fact checking, the more likely we all can function in a society.”
- “[I ask myself] how can I find the information I need quickly and efficiently, and what are some ways to determine if the sources I'm using are trustworthy and accurate?”
- “Instruction around learning what information is reliable and truthful... teaching about .edu/.gov vs .com [sites], along with AI & plagiarism.”
In the Media special, third and fourth grade students at Wylie Elementary spend time learning about how to safely search and use information. Media Specialist Amy Grant shares how she supplements classroom teaching:
“We talk about how to safely search for information (e.g., adding ‘for kids’ to the end of search terms in Google or using kid-friendly search engines), how to evaluate online sites (assessing who created the site, for instance), and the importance of giving credit to our sources. Students might create any number of products from researched information; third graders typically start by learning Google Slides, while 4th graders might also use Canva, Adobe Express, or the like.
Fourth graders receive a more direct ‘media literacy’ unit each spring that covers generative AI and ‘fake news.’ Students learn about why fake news exists and why people believe it. They practice using clues to distinguish between real and altered pictures and doing research to distinguish between real and fake news articles using ‘lateral reading.
I see students approximately forty hours per year, so there is a lot more creative and problem-based information gathering, evaluating, and use happening in the regular third and fourth grade classrooms. Every classroom does some form of place- or problem-based learning, much of which leads into real-world solutions (like the third grade classes distributing trees on Arbor Day).”
By focusing on one competency each month, DCS helps students identify their strengths and areas for growth. These concrete examples reinforce the skills and prepare students to confidently share their experiences when asked, “What are your core strengths?”
Next month’s competency: Creative & Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- curriculum