ENG1503 Academic Language and Literacy in English
Assignment 01 Semester 01 2025
Unique number: 769162
, Question 1
1.1 Krista Black’s (2024) article, Teaching Information Literacy in an Age of
Misinformation, is primarily directed at educators, particularly those teaching in
higher education. Black’s personal reflection on encountering a student who outright
rejected the data being presented in a sociology class serves as the starting point for
a broader discussion on how misinformation and skepticism impact student learning.
This experience, as Black (2024) explains, marked a turning point in recognizing the
need for a more robust approach to teaching information literacy.
Black (2024) highlights the evolving challenge educators face in addressing
students’ engagement with information. Students today consume news through
social media, news apps, television, and personal networks, making them aware of
misinformation but also prone to selective skepticism. As a result, Black (2024)
argues that educators must rethink their approach to teaching information literacy,
moving beyond simply explaining statistics to fostering critical evaluation of sources.
She notes that students often apply skepticism inconsistently, accepting information
that aligns with their beliefs while questioning data that contradicts their worldview.
This phenomenon, known as motivated reasoning, presents a significant challenge
in the classroom (Black, 2024).
To address this issue, Black (2024) describes how her teaching strategy evolved
from a narrow focus on research methods to a broader emphasis on evaluating
credibility and perspective. She emphasizes that rather than encouraging students to
distrust all sources, educators should guide them toward verifying information
critically. By refining her instructional approach, Black (2024) aims to help students
transition from skepticism to analytical reasoning, enabling them to assess the
reliability of information in an informed and systematic manner.
Considering the article’s themes and context, it is evident that the primary audience
comprises educators, particularly those in higher education. Black’s (2024) direct
reference to “we as educators” signals that she is addressing fellow teachers who
share her concerns about misinformation in academic settings. Moreover, her
discussion on adapting teaching methods suggests that she is speaking to
Assignment 01 Semester 01 2025
Unique number: 769162
, Question 1
1.1 Krista Black’s (2024) article, Teaching Information Literacy in an Age of
Misinformation, is primarily directed at educators, particularly those teaching in
higher education. Black’s personal reflection on encountering a student who outright
rejected the data being presented in a sociology class serves as the starting point for
a broader discussion on how misinformation and skepticism impact student learning.
This experience, as Black (2024) explains, marked a turning point in recognizing the
need for a more robust approach to teaching information literacy.
Black (2024) highlights the evolving challenge educators face in addressing
students’ engagement with information. Students today consume news through
social media, news apps, television, and personal networks, making them aware of
misinformation but also prone to selective skepticism. As a result, Black (2024)
argues that educators must rethink their approach to teaching information literacy,
moving beyond simply explaining statistics to fostering critical evaluation of sources.
She notes that students often apply skepticism inconsistently, accepting information
that aligns with their beliefs while questioning data that contradicts their worldview.
This phenomenon, known as motivated reasoning, presents a significant challenge
in the classroom (Black, 2024).
To address this issue, Black (2024) describes how her teaching strategy evolved
from a narrow focus on research methods to a broader emphasis on evaluating
credibility and perspective. She emphasizes that rather than encouraging students to
distrust all sources, educators should guide them toward verifying information
critically. By refining her instructional approach, Black (2024) aims to help students
transition from skepticism to analytical reasoning, enabling them to assess the
reliability of information in an informed and systematic manner.
Considering the article’s themes and context, it is evident that the primary audience
comprises educators, particularly those in higher education. Black’s (2024) direct
reference to “we as educators” signals that she is addressing fellow teachers who
share her concerns about misinformation in academic settings. Moreover, her
discussion on adapting teaching methods suggests that she is speaking to
