Fostering critical evaluation of online information sources across the curriculum

Despite the importance of critical evaluation of online information, many teachers struggle to integrate evaluation instruction in their disciplinary teaching. This study examined the contribution of a professional development (PD) program designed to foster teachers’ capabilities to cultivate critical evaluation competencies in their disciplines. Grounded in the AIR model of epistemic thinking, the program focused on supporting teachers in promoting students’ evaluation Aims, evaluation Ideals (criteria), and Reliable evaluation processes (strategies) across the regular curriculum. Teachers collaboratively learned, designed, and taught evaluation activities that were intended to foster these elements. We report on the program's initial implementation with seven junior high school teachers and their students (N = 118), who were assigned to intervention and control groups. Using a mixed-method design, we administered assessments of information source evaluation to teachers and students before and after the intervention. Qualitative data sources included teacher interviews, teacher reflections, classroom observations, and PD meeting transcripts. Following the PD, teachers’ critical evaluation competencies became more elaborate and explicit. All of the teachers integrated information source evaluation in their instruction and adapted or designed evaluation activities that were tailored to their disciplines. Teachers faced challenges related to the complexities of integrating evaluation instruction in disciplinary topics, metacognitive instruction, and curriculum structure. Following the PD, students increasingly used source evaluation criteria, but there were no changes in their evaluation strategies. These results demonstrate the potential of the PD model and identify challenges that may inform future PD initiatives.