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Lesson 20 Health & Wellbeing · Digital Media

Can You Trust Health Advice Online?

Rate three convincing-but-fictional health posts, learn the 5C Health Check, then choose one investigation path - the Scientist, the Fact-Checker, or the Media Detective - fact-check an AI claim, and build your own "Before You Believe It" health check for other teenagers.

🕐 ~47 min total
📋 9 of 11 activities (choose your path)
🩺 3 investigation paths
🏅 DigComp badge
✦ Start Task 1 ↓ See all tasks
The Mystery
"If health information looks convincing, does that make it true?" This question drives the entire lesson.
5
Phases
9/11
Tasks completed
~47m
Duration
3
Paths - choose 1
DigComp competences
1.1 - Browsing & filtering 1.2 - Evaluating digital content 2.5 - Netiquette 4.3 - Protecting health & well-being Badge: Health Information Detective L1
Lesson overview
Working on your own, you first rate three fictional but entirely convincing health posts - then discover that two of them contradict each other, and that believability is not the same as accuracy. You learn the 5C Health Check (Claim, Creator, Commercial interest, Confirmation, Context) and practise telling evidence apart from persuasion.

You then choose one investigation path: The Scientist (ranking evidence from weakest to strongest), The Fact-Checker (tracing a claim back to its original source), or The Media Detective (spotting persuasion techniques in a health post). You ask the Wonder Learning AI your path's question, fact-check one of its claims, and create an output - then meet short summaries of the two paths you didn't choose.

The lesson closes by revisiting the opening posts with your new tools, re-voting on whether you trust online health information, then building your own "Before You Believe It" health check for other teenagers using the 5Cs - before a short summative test and the Health Information Detective - Level 1 DigComp badge.
Frequently asked questions
If health information looks convincing, does that make it true?
No - this lesson's surprise is that a professional-looking post can contain weak evidence, while a less attractive source may contain stronger evidence. Design, confident language and popularity are not the same as credibility.
What is the 5C Health Check?
A framework for evaluating a health claim: Claim (what exactly is being claimed?), Creator (who made it and what is their expertise?), Commercial interest (does someone benefit from my belief?), Confirmation (can it be verified elsewhere?), and Context (is information missing?).
Why doesn't a personal testimonial prove a health claim is true?
One person's experience cannot show cause and effect for everyone - this lesson teaches students to distinguish a testimonial from scientific evidence such as a review of many studies.
How does the lesson end?
Students build their own "Before You Believe It" health check for other teenagers, then complete a summative test to earn the Health Information Detective - Level 1 DigComp badge.
Your learning journey - 9 of 11 tasks across 5 phases
🩺
Phase 1 · Anticipation
Would you believe this?
1 task
📱
Task 1 · Phase 1
Would You Believe This?
Rate three convincing health posts, discover two contradict each other, then vote: can you trust health information online?
⏱ 4 min👁️ Visual + Poll
▶ Start here
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Phase 2 · Encounter
Telling evidence from persuasion
2 tasks
✅
Task 2 · Phase 2
The 5C Health Check
Claim, Creator, Commercial interest, Confirmation, Context - learn the framework, then apply it to a post from Task 1.
⏱ 4 min🎞️ Framework
🔒 Locked
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Task 3 · Phase 2
Evidence or Persuasion?
Sort statements into real evidence vs. persuasion techniques, then two quick check questions.
⏱ 3 min🧩 Interactive + check
🔒 Locked
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Phase 3 · Investigation
How do you actually check a claim? - choose one path
4 tasks
🧪
Task 4 · Phase 3 · Path A
The Scientist
Rank evidence from a testimonial to a systematic review. Build your Evidence Ladder.
⏱ 10 min🧪 Lab · choose one
🔒 Locked
🕵️
Task 5 · Phase 3 · Path B
The Fact-Checker
Trace a claim back through its cited source to the original study. Build your Source Trail.
⏱ 10 min🧪 Lab · choose one
🔒 Locked
📰
Task 6 · Phase 3 · Path C
The Media Detective
Tap the hotspots in a real-looking post and name the persuasion technique. Build your Red Flags List.
⏱ 10 min🧪 Lab · choose one
🔒 Locked
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Task 7 · Phase 3
Meet the Other Investigators
Read short cards summarising the two paths you didn't choose, then save the finding that surprised you most.
⏱ 3 min🎞️ Slides
🔒 Locked
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Phase 4 · Discovery
Would you change your mind?
1 task
🔁
Task 8 · Phase 4
Would You Change Your Mind?
Revisit Task 1's posts with your new tools, re-vote, and write your discovery statement.
⏱ 6 min🪞 Reflection
🔒 Locked
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Phase 5 · Propagation
Build a health check for other teenagers
3 tasks
🛡️
Task 9 · Phase 5
Before You Believe It
Build your own 5C health check for other teenagers, in the format of your choice.
⏱ 8 min🎨 Creation
🔒 Locked
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Task 10 · Phase 5
Feedback & Closing Question
Give feedback on two example health checks, then answer one final closing question.
⏱ 5 min🪞 Reflection
🔒 Locked
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Task 11 · Phase 5
Summative Test & DigComp Badge
A six-item self-assessment, a five-question test, your completion card and the Health Information Detective badge.
⏱ 4 min🏅 Test
🔒 Locked

Ready to find out what's really behind a health claim?

Start Task 1 and work through the journey at your own pace - it can even be split across two sessions. Choose one investigation path; the other two stay open as optional extensions.

🏅 Complete 9 of 11 tasks to earn the Health Information Detective - Level 1 DigComp badge

🩺 Start the journey