NLP Annual Report FY20 - Flipbook - Page 12
Former exchange
student’s news
literacy skills bridge
continents
As an exchange student at Cedar Falls High
School in Iowa, Ctlin Vilae spent his senior
year exploring new landscapes — literally and
figuratively. Living and studying 5,300 miles away
from his home, family and familiar surroundings
in Alexandria, Romania, he learned to navigate
Iowa’s physical landscape and the information
landscape with confidence.
Adjusting to a new environment in a strange
country can be challenging enough. Vilae went
further, venturing into the online information
landscape through a 21st Century Media Literacy
class in spring 2019. English and journalism teacher
Brian Winkel developed the course, introducing
students to news literacy using Checkology.
Vilae soon discovered just how easy it is
for people to share falsehoods, rumors and
misleading or manipulated content on social
media. Through Checkology, he also acquired
skills that he applies in his daily life. “I learned
how to verify pictures. Now I do that every time I
am not sure whether a picture is real or fake,” he
says. “And I really enjoy it, because I can actually
be a watchdog when I’m online.”
From the United States, to Romania to the United
Kingdom (where Vilae is enrolled in college), his
experience proves that news literacy skills know
no borders.
Photo courtesy of Catalin Vilae
12
Annual Report FY20
