Digital polarization – it’s all about ‘fake news’ and the deep divide that separates people into two camps of rigid bias.
 
At Georgia College, it’s about teaching students and the community how to distinguish fact from opinion. It’s about finding reliable sources and getting information right.

“Being chosen to lead a national digital initiative at this crucial moment in our nation’s history is a testament to Georgia College’s reputation for producing innovatively-prepared and engaged students,” said Dr. Janet Hoffmann, rhetoric professor and member of the university’s digital polarization committee.
 
“We are proud to serve both truth and trust – the two essential values of a healthy and thriving democracy,” she said.
 
The “Digital Polarization Initiative” to build public awareness for web literacy was created by the American Democracy Project, a program of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities. AASCU selected Georgia College as one of 10 schools nationwide to develop curricular activities that build analytical web skills.
 
In response, Georgia College is launching its version of “DigiPo” – a yearlong effort to test and create activities that develop civic reasoning and critical thinking. The goal is to help students and community members evaluate massive amounts of information they’re bombarded with every day.
 
Mistakes and incorrect reporting are nothing new. But the term ‘fake news’ was coined in recent years to describe the phenomenon of misleading or outright false information rapidly spreading through social media.
 
Some professors report seeing dubious sources and unproven notions on student assignments, said Jolene Cole, instruction and research librarian at Ina Dillard Russell Library and member of Georgia College's DigiPo Committee.
 
“How do you deal with students who come to class with conspiracy theories,” she said, “or they don’t know who to trust because they’re so cynical, and they think they can’t trust anybody?”
 
To combat this, faculty are being asked to test lessons and activities developed by Stanford History Education Group. They’re also being asked to get creative with lessons and activities of their own. They’ll promote extracurricular events about fake news too – like library talks, public lectures, panel discussions, community forums and common readings.
 
About 26 faculty at Georgia College have attended early sessions to learn about the program. They’ll complete several webinars designed to help faculty incorporate fact-checking activities into existing courses. Some classes will be completely geared toward building better web skills.
 
Students will learn to keep their emotions in check, find original sources, scrutinize multiple sites and circle back to what’s trustworthy.
 
By next spring, through pre- and post-testing assessments, Georgia College will report to AASCU which activities and lessons make the biggest impact and whether students are demonstrating better research habits. Data and statistics will be used to give a ‘best practices’ guide to colleges and universities nationwide.
 
“We’re trying to prove these interventions will make a difference in civil discourse and conduct,” Cole said. “We want students to know the truth, to know the facts no matter what side of the fence they’re on.”