Ithaca College

In response to a growing concern about fake news and the power of media, Project Look Sharp’s Director, Chris Sperry, served as a guest editor in the September 2018 issue of Social Education. The award-winning publication is a national peer-reviewed journal curated by the National Council for the Social Studies, which provides educators with resources on technology, educational media reviews, social studies research, and more.

Chris, who has over 40 years of classroom experience and now coaches teachers at the Lehman Alternative Community School, emphasized that media literacy “must become a cornerstone of social studies education if we are to live up to the principles of an authentic democracy.” Through the ten articles he curated in the special section of the journal, the case was strongly made for why knowing facts is no longer enough. In his opening article, Chris distinguished that learners must also be able to reflect on how their own biases impact their interpretations of the media.  

Project Look Sharp’s curriculum writer Sox Sperry, also contributed an article titled “There’s Nothing New About ‘Fake News,’” which dives into how teachers can make use of analytical tools to explore the process of omission, fabrication, and distortion in media. His piece draws on his long-standing role as an educator and developer of media-based history lessons.

To find out more or read a full version of Chris’ article, stop by the Project Look Sharp office located in Williams 119 or contact Kelsey Greene, Manager of Professional Development & Promotions at kgreene@ithaca.edu.

Project Look Sharp is an outreach program at Ithaca College that provides training and materials for K-16 educators to integrate media literacy and critical thinking into their existing curriculum. To learn more and stay updated, check out their Facebook page, follow them on Twitter @ithacalooksharp, or visit their website at projectlooksharp.org.