Blog Posts About: information literacy

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We want to help improve media literacy. One of the most important ideas to understand is bias, and how it impacts our perceptions. This video explains that bias isn't inherently bad, but can be a problem when it's hidden.

Building on the example of sports fans, this video illustrates how bias is a common and sometimes productive part of how we communicate. It also shows how bias can cause problems when it’s hidden or not detected. This video teaches:

• Why bias is a common and expected part of communicating
• Why high-quality information needs to be unbiased
• What problems occur when bias is ignored
• What to look for - common signs of bias in media

Watch it in full  (2m 38s)

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We all learned about plagiarism in school and I'm sure many of you cover it when you teach others. It's an important topic to understand and one that comes with serious consequences.  This video explains the big idea and much more.

While  Plagiarism  can be intentional, it is more often caused by misunderstanding. Avoiding it means understanding the role of intellectual property, why plagiarism is wrong, and best practices for avoiding it. This video teaches:

• Why giving credit to others is necessary
• A definition of plagiarism
• Steps to avoiding plagiarism
• Types of ideas and media that can be plagiarized

  Watch it in full  (2m 32s)

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This title came from a suggestion by a Common Craft member who found that explaining it was more difficult than expected. It has since become one of the most used videos in our library.

➡️ Watch it in full. (2m 20s)

This video looks back at a significant event in history: The Great Storm (England, 1703). It asks the question: how do we know what we know about this storm? This question is answered by explaining primary and secondary sources. It teaches:

• Why sources matter in establishing facts and information
• What represents a primary source and how to use them
• Why primary sources may present an incomplete picture
• What represents a secondary source
• How primary and secondary sources may contribute to the best understanding

Explanation Notes

This explanation has three basic parts. First, we establish the power of sources and how a combination of sources can yield the best information. Second, we explain the differences between primary and secondary sources. Third, we show why it makes sense that this combination works in practice. Further, a historical example gives the explanation a concrete starting point and offers a fun visual experience.

We now live in a world with increasing disinformation and misinformation. Nations, organizations, and individuals are using the media to spread false information that's designed to cause confusion and mistrust. While it's difficult to stop them, we can become more informed and help one another understand the phenomenon, how to detect it, and avoid it.

That's why we made a video that explains disinformation in about three minutes. The video is a fictional story of how one town uses disinformation to influence the other town. It provides a clear example that applies to today's environment.

Disinformation Explained by Common Craft

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Now that school is cranking up again, we're set to publish a series of videos that will help make up a new category for Common Craft: Study Skills. In short, we want to help your students and trainees build information literacy.

Our latest video is a perfect example:

New Video: Peer Reviewed Articles Explained

Watch Peer Reviewed Articles Explained:

What this Video Teaches:

When it comes to credible sources of information, peer reviewed articles set the standard. That’s because the peer review process is designed to make credibility a priority. This video explains the concept of peer review and how it applies to research and what we understand about the world. It teaches:

• Why credible, trustworthy information is essential
• Why articles published in peer reviewed journals are more trustworthy
• How the peer review process works
• How “peers” evaluate articles and ensure integrityWhat makes peer reviewed articles different from other sources

Watch the video now

Recent Explainer Videos by Common Craft

• Public Domain
• Project Management Basics
• Cyberbullying
• Piracy online
• Identity Theft

More updates coming soon!