Edutopia – Jonathan Ketchell
As an educator who helps colleagues with their media literacy teaching, I offer this lesson designed for high school students.
I show students a video that arouses an emotional response, especially when the video reaches its climax, the man saving the dog in extremis from the chugging train. It’s engaging, it’s on TikTok, and students love it. I have their attention.
I then ask them if it’s real or fake, requesting that they pay closer attention before I play it again. Claims are made, shouted out from the four corners of the class. Engagement and emotions are high. We check the video comments; many don’t question its veracity, commenting instead on the heroics of the man who saved the dog.