STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1729

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2021

RE: S.C.R. No. 198

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 198 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO INCLUDE CIVIC ONLINE REASONING AND MEDIA LITERACY IN ITS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY CURRICULUM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to urge the Department of Education to include civic online reasoning and media literacy in its information technology curriculum.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education.

Your Committee finds that teaching civic online reasoning and media literacy prepares students for judging the credibility of the media and online sources. Your Committee notes that studies have shown that many students have failed to effectively evaluate the credibility of information and should be given the tools to seek and evaluate information to distinguish truths from falsehoods. According to a study conducted by Stanford University researchers, when it comes to evaluating information that flows through social media channels, children are easily misled. This measure urges the Department of Education to include civic online reasoning and media literacy in its information technology curriculum to provide students with the opportunity to develop sound digital citizenship and become media literate.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 198 and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Education,

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair