About This Lesson
Thinkalong.org is a free, evidence-based interactive tool for students to develop media literacy skills by applying the 5 Key Questions of Media Literacy to public media content. Importantly, the tool does not require registration for teachers or students, abides by student privacy laws, and is advised by a board of both youth and educators.
Each module consists of:
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a compelling and timely question;
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related current and age-appropriate public media content including audio, video, and text;
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extension resources for advanced or highly-interested students;
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student graphic organizers;
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a simple debate tool;
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a teacher's guide to the module;
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and a guide to the 5 Key Questions of Media Literacy.
This Teacher's Guide supports the Should law enforcement agencies have access to facial recognition technology? module on thinkalong.org. Here is the full module and below is a summary.
As facial recognition software becomes more advanced, many law enforcement agencies are using these technologies to identify criminals. At the same time, many people are concerned about how facial recognition may be used to invade their privacy, and evidence shows algorithms in these tools reflect and perpetuate harmful racial and gender biases. As a result, many non-profit organizations, local governments, and the federal government have begun to ask if law enforcement agencies should have access to facial recognition software.
To use this module with learners in any setting, we recommend using one of the structured discussion formats outlined at thinkalong.org/structuring-discussions. You can find options for a small or large group, so that all students or just a few participate, and examples of some discussion formats.
