In an environment shaped by algorithms, confirmation bias, misinformation, and AI-generated content, the ability to think critically about information isn’t optional, but essential.
That’s exactly the kind of work Prof. Dave Dettman brings into the classroom, helping students move beyond quick answers and into deeper, more reflective engagement with information. Dave's approach recently earned him an Excellence in Teaching Award at UWSP. In this Q&A, Dave shares how they guide students through that process, and why it matters.
What is something students often struggle with when it comes to research or information, and how do you help them through it?
One
of the most common struggles I see is confirmation bias which is the tendency
to seek out information that already confirms what we believe and dismiss
sources that challenge us. Students often don't realize they're doing it, which
is exactly why naming it and examining it openly in class is so important. I
help students work through this by building structured opportunities to engage
with multiple perspectives on the same topic, including sources they might
instinctively distrust or disagree with. Through assignments like comparing
multiple sources covering the same event, students learn to analyze differences
in framing and evidence before drawing conclusions. The goal is to make that
process of questioning feel natural and empowering rather than threatening or
scary.
People sometimes hear "information literacy" and aren't sure what that means. How do you explain it to students?
I
usually start by asking students to think about the last time they had to make
a decision based on something they read or saw online. That is information
literacy in action. At its core it is the ability to find, evaluate, and use
information effectively and ethically, but I think of it as something much
broader than a research skill. It is about understanding how information is
created, who controls it, whose voices get amplified and whose get left out,
and how all of that shapes what we think we know
How do you help students learn to evaluate information and sources in today's world?
The
information environment students navigate today is genuinely complex.
Algorithms, filter bubbles, AI-generated content, and misinformation all shape
what people see and believe, often without their awareness. I try to make those
invisible forces visible by building case studies around real examples of
misinformation and disinformation, algorithmic bias, and how media formats
influence the way information is framed. I also integrate tools and practices
designed for today's landscape specifically, including piloting the SourcerAI
browser extension developed by a UWSP student, which helps researchers analyze
and contextualize online sources in real time.
You use discussion and structured academic controversy in your classes. Why is dialogue such an important part of learning?
Dialogue
forces students to do something that reading alone cannot: it requires them to
articulate their thinking, listen to someone who sees things differently, and
stay open to changing their mind. In Structured Academic Controversy, students
research a position, argue it, then switch sides and argue the opposing view
before working toward a synthesis. This process of perspective-taking is where
some of the deepest learning happens. I have seen students leave those
conversations genuinely surprised by what they found compelling in a viewpoint
they had started the day dismissing. Beyond the academic value, I think the
capacity for civil, evidence-based disagreement is one of the most important
skills a person can develop in today's world. If my classroom can be a place
where intellectual risk-taking feels safe and disagreement feels productive, I
believe students carry that into their communities, their workplaces, and their
civic lives.
What advice would you give to new college students?
Get
comfortable being uncertain and don’t view it as a failure, but as the starting
point of genuine learning. The students who grow the most are the ones who are
willing to sit with a hard question, follow it somewhere unexpected, and revise
what they thought they knew. College is one of the few times in life where you
are actively encouraged to explore broadly. Be curious!