Facing Ferguson: News Literacy in a Digital Age

The reporting, both in professional news sources and on social media, of the events surrounding the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri provides 21st Century learners with an opportunity of consider how social media can influence perception of events.

Using the events in Ferguson as a case study, the collection begins with a resource on how to establish a safe environment for discussing highly charged issues. Other resources examine how bias can influence reporting, the importance of and difficulty in verifying reports, the power of images, and concludes with a consideration of social media as a tool for change.