As the world of media continues to rapidly evolve, it is crucial for librarian instructors to equip students with the necessary skills to effectively evaluate online information. However, traditional methods of information evaluation, such as the CRAAP test with a focus on close reading, may no longer be sufficient in today’s digital age.
To address this challenge an exercise teaching updated information evaluation skills has been incorporated into a one-shot librarian instructor workshop taught in a large undergraduate compulsory course at the American University of Sharjah. The exercise is based on a new method designed for evaluating web-based media called SIFT (The Four Moves), developed in 2017 by digital information specialist Mike Caulfield (Caulfield, 2019).
The SIFT method consists of four moves that are performed when encountering online information;
- Stop
- Investigate the source
- Find better coverage
- Trace quotes to original source
The new exercise is designed to teach students to determine the legitimacy of information in a fast and effective manner by reframing information evaluation skills as ‘learning to think like fact-checkers’, as suggested in Caulfield’s SIFT video series instruction of the method (CTRL-F, 2020). The exercise, taught within the one-shot workshop, has been repeated over multiple semesters to all sections of the course, taught by either one of two librarian instructors or a graduate teaching assistant. The exercise continues to be refined and updated based on feedback and new findings, ensuring that skills are delivered using the most effective approach.
By encouraging students to explore the wider context of a source, they can self-teach and build practice in using evaluative habits that are highly valuable both in an academic sense and also for their own personal media and social media literacy skills. Ultimately, this exercise aims to provide students with the necessary skills to critically evaluate online information, making them better equipped to navigate the rapidly shifting landscape of media in today’s digital age. This presentation will share strategies and learnings from delivering this SIFT-based exercise within the structure of the one-shot librarian instructor workshop.
References
- Caulfield, M. (2019). SIFT (The four moves). Hapgood. Retrieved from https://hapgood.us/2019/06/19/sift-the-four-moves/
- CTRL-F. (2020). Online verification skills with Mike Caulfield [Video playlist]. YouTube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsSbsdukQ8VYy88IiSJhz4NyBxxtLzsNr
Rebecca Hastie
American University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
English 
French