Teaching Information Literacy Using Conspiracy Theories and Misinformation

Conspiracy theories, misinformation, and other BS seem to be everywhere. As librarians we often find ourselves battling these things in our fight for a more informed society. How can we entice users to improve their information literacy skills? Teach them about the very things we’ve been fighting against! For the past seven years I’ve been teaching a 3 credit course on conspiracy theories to first year college students. Teaching students the history of conspiracy theories, how and why they are created, and how to spot things that aren't true is a great way to teach critical thinking and information literacy. Students end up engaged and interested in stories that range from early American history up to current headlines. The course also focuses on misinformation in general and how to identify, and deal with, everyday BS.
This presentation will share materials, readings, observations and tips for attendees to successfully undertake a similar project at their home institution. While many attendees may not be able to devote a full semester to this topic, I’ll have plenty of resources they can use to integrate some of this content into their own programming.