This article addresses the challenge that post-truth politics poses to teaching authority in information literacy. First, it isolates an element of the post-truth phenomenon, an element it calls "post-facts", to elucidate why teaching source evaluation is not, by itself, an antidote to fake news or other evidence of Americans' media…

We investigated how the ability to deceive emerges in early childhood among a sample of young preschoolers (Mean age = 34.7 months). We did this via a 10-session microgenetic method that took place over a 10-day period. In each session, children played a zero-sum game against an adult to win treats. In the game, children hid the treats and had…

The problem of police brutality in Black and Brown communities has become a very frustrating issue. Part of the reason for exasperation lies with the fact that the country is divided when it comes to the notion of responsible policing. This became apparent when the "Black Lives Matter" movement was quickly met by obstinate supporters of…

This study investigates the effects of financial aid disbursement policies dependent upon course attendance on course completion rates. The research is designed to answer three research questions related to the effect of (1) type of financial aid awarded to students, (2) disbursement policy and (3) the interaction effect between type of financial…

For teachers and librarians helping students navigate the world of online information, the rise of fake news has created new challenges for information literacy instruction. Helping students find, evaluate, and use credible sources of online information can be more difficult than ever in the current era of "fake news", "alternative…

There has never been a more pressing need for students to learn how to evaluate scientific information online than during the COVID-19 outbreak. Information, misinformation, and disinformation spread quickly across online news and social media platforms. This misleading or incorrect scientific information about infectious diseases could lead to…

New media and new literacy are essential in our contemporary paradigms of education and communication research. Though truth-seeking is one of the primary objectives inherent in higher education, the process for students may be less clear than it may be for trained academics or professors. The current study sought to explore how professors…

Two boundaries impede an evidence-based perspective of journalism students and graduates on change, innovation, and epistemological problems of media reality: The separation of practical journalism training from scientific journalism research and the lack of transfer between academic research and newsrooms. The approach of this article bridges…

While some journalists analyze and verify "open source" materials such as social media, eyewitness video, and satellite imagery to hold leaders and institutions accountable, many journalists and students are not learning basic digital verification skills. Research shows that journalists find this work challenging and that newsrooms do…

This study aims at problematizing President Trump's argumentation in response to the protesters' demands for justice, racial equality and police reforms over the killing of George Floyd. In his first reaction, Trump used mild rhetoric that frustrated and galvanized the angry mobs. In response to escalating protests, Trump escalated his own…

Many elementary and middle school students are confronted by media messages constantly. They receive messages not only from family and friends, but from television and social media outlets. The media messages about current events are often politically biased, polarized in nature, and potentially inaccurate, especially on social media platforms.…

Background and aims: Lecturers often present entertaining videos, or organize a variety of amusing demonstrations, to foster student engagement or to encourage critical analysis. Magic tricks, in particular, have been shown to activate neural circuits that underpin motivation or problem-solving and, therefore, could be beneficial during lectures.…

This report is the first in a series examining the troubled history of for-profit higher education, from the problems that plagued the post-World War II GI Bill to the reform efforts undertaken by the George H. W. Bush administration. Thanks to the GI Bill, millions of soldiers returning from World War II had the opportunity to enroll in college…

One of the central challenges educators face today, especially in higher education, is the gap between warranted (domain-specific) knowledge and the prior beliefs students hold about certain concepts and phenomena (preconceptions). In the Internet age, students often self-directedly acquire knowledge from an increasingly large number of…

Misleading health news and product advertising has plagued the United States since the 19th century. Companies and individuals spent large sums of money to advertise in a variety of media, including newspapers, magazines, radio, TV, and, more recently, the Internet. Preying on the fears and insecurities of consumers, these entities used…