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Learn

We believe that the more we understand and the better informed we are, the more effectively we can do this important work. We are all students! So, we use the image of an apple, a typical symbol of education—but one that is imbued with vibrancy and cultural visual elements, to remind and motivate us to always be in a learning space.

Below are the main topics we track and just a few of the many resources we've found useful. We invite you to click through, explore, and learn!

Jump to any of the numerous topics in this section by using the buttons, below.

Check back here frequently, as we add new resources regularly.

Information awareness

Information awareness

Mis- and dis-information and are especially acute when it comes to the war in Ukraine. How do you know if the information you're getting is dependable? There are a few guiding principles that can help.

  • Be aware of and question the source. What is the platform? Do they have a professed viewpoint or mission? What else have they published? Who is the author? Can you determine that they're a real person? What else have they written?

  • Read beyond the headline. Titles and headlines are often crafted to get clicks; so we can't rely on that top line or the feelings they elicit in us. We have to go deeper.

  • How do the authors support their claims? Do they list sources and can you find them? Are those sources credible? 

  • Be aware of the type of resource you're reading. Is it claiming to be informational and unbiased? If so, is the resource supported by facts? What are their sources? Are multiple perspectives presented? Is the resource an argument for one particular viewpoint? If so, is the argument logical? Is it backed up by other sources?

  • When was the resource published? Is it still relevant to the current situation? What new information has since come to light?

  • Are the image sources identified? Images can be used to illuminate, but also to mislead—for example, when a photo taken in one part of the world is used in an article about another location. If you do a reverse image search, do you find that the image has been used in other media?

Since media is ever-evolving, we need to always be improving our media literacy. Below are some resources that we've found helpful:

Cornell University Library infographic on spotting fake news.

John Green's Crash Course video series, Navigating Digital Information (10 short videos, in partnership with MediaWise, The Poynter Institute, and The Stanford History Education Group.

Bellingcat organization, which fact-checks and conducts advanced investigations on media reports and government publicity. They've been doing a lot of in-depth research into stories and reporting on the war in Ukraine.

Snopes fact-checking website.

Politifact fact-checking website.

Center for Humane Technology issue guides and action guides.

Please check out this article and the video within in, which explains how Russia, specifically, co-opts influences and spreads disinformation within Canada (and around the world).

Then read this important explainer from Policy Options, Russia's propoganda machine is running roughshod in Canada. It ends with the sobering point that: "Russia is actively attacking our democracy. Remaining on the current course is not an option."

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