By Molly Berger
True or False: The Science of Perception, Misinformation and Disinformation by Jacqueline B. Toner
True or False: The Science of Perception, Misinformation and Disinformation by Jacqueline B. Toner takes a fresh approach to teaching middle level kids about media and digital literacy. Rather than blaming media, Toner teaches kids about the science of the brain, how we learn and make sense of the world; how we develop misunderstandings; and what we can do to protect ourselves from these misunderstandings and false information.
Each chapter weaves engaging text with “Try This,” “Check Out the Research,” and “Did You Know?” call outs. Attention-getting headlines along with fonts, colors, and graphics engage the readers, making the reading fun as well as informative.
The Introduction quickly catches kids’ attention by listing commonly accepted mistruths such as
- Swimming after eating causes cramps.
- Lightning never strikes the same place twice.
- Bats are blind
- You can catch a cold by not wearing a coat.
Toner then uses these to draw the reader into the topic. “How does such a thing happen? As you’ll hear more about later, hearing the same (wrong) idea over and over can make it seem true. It can also make it seem like everyone believes it.” (p. 6)
The lively and non-doomsday approach creates a sense that misinformation is not new but that new technologies have added to it. By understanding this and building our critical thinking skills, we can avoid being taken in by accidental mistruths and intentional deceptions. The “Check Out the Research” sections, bibliography, reference section, and glossary add to the usefulness of the book and serve as a model of what credibility looks like.
This book could be used in the home or in the school. Parents, teachers, and teacher-librarians will find it an effective and engaging way to teach critical thinking and media and digital literacy.