In a world full of misinformation, being able to critically evaluate claims is empowering. Good thinking is the best way to protect ourselves from being fooled (or even harmed) by misinformation. The problem is: where do we start? The necessary skills, critical thinking and science literacy, are difficult to master… and to apply. To address this issue, science educator Melanie Trecek-King developed a handy toolkit that provides a structured, systematic way to think through claims. In this talk, Trecek-King will explain how to use the toolkit so you can save yourself from drowning in a sea of misinformation.
Melanie Trecek-King is an Associate Professor of Biology at Massasoit Community College in Massachusetts, where she loves teaching students who don’t want to be scientists when they “grow up.” After years of teaching science as a body of facts to memorize, she designed a novel general-education science course to teach critical thinking, information literacy, and science literacy skills. This “skills not facts” approach teaches students how, not what, to think, and equips them with the tools they need to make better decisions.
Trecek-King’s passion for science education led her to create ThinkingIsPower.com, an online resource that provides accessible and engaging critical thinking information to her students, the general public, and other educators.
This talk took place on April 28, 2022, at 7:00 pm EDT.