In week 3 of EDCI 136, we covered two really interesting topics:

Inquiry-Based Learning with Jeff Hopkins, and how we witnessed how learning needs to be all curiosity and questioning more than memorization of facts.
Misinformation & the SIFT Method with Mike Caulfield, where I discovered how easy it is to accept false news and misleading information on the internet and how to recognize it.

Both sessions made me think about how I learn and how I accept information on the internet.

What I Learned from Jeff Hopkins: Inquiry Learning

Jeff Hopkins invited me to learn through inquiry-based, that is, learning is conducted in the process of exploring something one has a desire for, as opposed to according to some rigid curriculum.

Why Inquiry Learning is Unique
Instead of following a text passively, you study questions and topics significant to you.
You don’t seek just the single “right” answer, you explore diverse perspectives.
It provides learners with more independence but greater accountability for sustained interest.

My Impressions of Inquiry Learning
I know I learn best if I get a choice as to what I am going to be learning.
Sometimes I get lost if I don’t have a definite structure so I’d need a balance of guidance and autonomy.
Inquiry learning feels more lifelike because in real life, we don’t just memorize facts, we figure things out by investigating.

Example: I’m learning Python. Instead of merely passing through a tutorial, I should try to build small projects that interest me thereby, I learn by doing!

What I Learned from Mike Caulfield: The SIFT Method for Catching Misinformation

We all see misinformation and fake news on the internet, but how do we know what is real?

Mike Caulfield developed the SIFT Method, a rapid process for fact-checking information before you share or believe it.

The SIFT Method
1. STOP – Before you act, ask yourself: Is this source trustworthy?
2. INVESTIGATE – Who wrote this? What is their agenda?
3. FIND better coverage – Check with established news websites to determine if they cover it similarly.
4. TRACE the original context – Did this come out of context?

Why This Matters
1. Misinformation spreads fast especially on social media.
2. AI-generated stories and deepfakes make it look even more authentic.
3. Humans are more likely to believe fabricated stories because they see them repeatedly.

My Thoughts on Misinformation
1. I ended up thinking about how sometimes I believe the headlines without checking the whole story.
2. I’ve probably taken something for granted that isn’t true before without even knowing it.
3. I need to be more careful about what I share on the internet—because spreading misinformation makes it worse.

Example: Next time I hear a surprising rumor online, I’ll SIFT before I take it as true!

Final Thoughts: Connecting Inquiry Learning & Digital Literacy

At first, these topics seemed unrelated, but they actually fit together perfectly:

Inquiry learning is about asking good questions instead of just accepting information. The SIFT method is about questioning online content instead of blindly believing it.

In both cases, being curious and thinking critically is the key to learning in today’s world.