Project Digital Civic Inquiry tackles a challenge – and an opportunity – for today’s youth: When they have a question about a civic issue, they go online. But in a world overflowing with information, finding credible sources isn’t always easy. Students need support learning to evaluate credible digital sources, discussing issues with their friends, family, and fellow civic actors, and taking action to support changes they think are needed.
Project DCI lessons engage students in scaffolded inquiries about civic issues like affordable housing, the right to protest, and voting rights. Students first consider their initial views on the issue and build background knowledge. Next, they learn to evaluate a range of digital sources and use credible sources to inform their developing opinions. Finally, they discuss what they learn about the issue and potential policy solutions, and plan to take action to advocate for their preferred solutions.
In each of the units:
- Lesson 1 introduces students to core civic issues and tensions at the heart of a civic question; the question for each unit is aligned with the DC 8th grade civics standards. This lesson supports students to brainstorm and share their initial viewpoints on the civic question.
- Lesson 2 introduces students to key strategies for searching for and evaluating online information. Teachers will model and engage students in guided practice with two primary skills:
- Lateral reading, which involves opening new tabs to search for information about the credibility of an unfamiliar source before devoting any time to reading it.
- Click restraint, which involves slowing down on search results and scanning article titles, URLs, and snippets to make more informed choices about where to click first.
- Lesson 2 increases in complexity across the units so students have time to practice and develop these skills.
- Lesson 3 engages students in continued practice searching for and evaluating online information. Students then read the credible sources they locate to prepare for a deliberation on the unit’s question.
- Lesson 4 engages students in a structured deliberation on the unit’s central question. Through a series of small group and whole class discussions, students clarify their views on the issue and work to reach consensus as a class or clarify where their differences lie.
- Lesson 5 supports students to plan for and, in some cases, take action to advance their policy preferences with increased complexity as the units progress. Lesson 5 increases in complexity across the units, culminating in Unit 6 where students plan for and take action focused on climate change.