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«Back to all edWebinarsDigital Literacy in an AI World: Teaching Students to Evaluate Sources
Tuesday, October 20, 2026 @ 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm EDT
Digital Literacy in an AI World: Teaching Students to Evaluate Sources
Presented by Brian Thomas, Former Educator, Current Learning Designer, TCI; and Loyal Frazier, Former Educator, Current Professional Development Manager, TCI
Sponsored by Teachers’ Curriculum Institute (TCI)
Learn more about earning a CE certificate and our accessibility features.
Analyzing and evaluating sources are key skills in the classroom, particularly in social studies and science, where students run inquiries and need reliable information to build an argument.
AI adds another dimension to spotting the truth. Students used to struggle to find information, and now they struggle to judge it. A chatbot answer, a search result, and a video a friend forwarded all arrive looking finished and credible, because clean prose, a confident tone, and a source line can look real.
How do we help students build digital literacy skills that hold up with the growing volume of online information and AI-generated content? In this edWebinar, we'll work through AI output, headlines, and search results together, look at the checks students can run on their own, and share resources you can use with your students.
We'll cover:
- How AI generates answers, and why that produces confident errors
- What the research says about students, AI, and online information
- Ways students can evaluate any source, whether it came from a search, a chatbot, or a book
- Activities that build source evaluation, and how to structure the discussion afterward
This edWebinar will be of interest to K-12 social studies and science teachers, instructional coaches, and school and district leaders.
About the Presenters
Brian Thomas is a former classroom teacher and current Learning Designer at TCI. He has been with TCI since 2004. Brian has worked in sales, professional development, content development, and social media at TCI. Prior to TCI, Brian taught middle school social studies in the Lakota Local School District near his home in Cincinnati, OH, for 12 years. During that time, he served as a department chairperson and Athletic Director. Brian’s education includes a B.S.Ed. from Miami University in Oxford, OH, in secondary education – social studies (1992). He also holds an M.S.Ed. in learning design and technology from Purdue University in Lafayette, IN (2016).
Loyal Frazier is a former high school and middle school classroom teacher in Oklahoma and has recently joined TCI as the Professional Development Manager. He has previously taught in California and Colorado and has been with TCI since he entered the profession. He has taught every subject, been a department chairperson three times, and has no desire to ever retire. Loyal’s education includes a B.S. and an M.A.Ed. from Cal Poly (SLO) and a teaching credential from San Diego State University.
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TCI is a K-12 education company founded by teachers, for teachers. We are committed to creating engaging and effective social studies and science programs that bring learning to life. With a focus on active learning and differentiated instruction, we empower educators with the tools and support they need to inspire students and drive meaningful learning experiences.
