Eric Jourgensen, Ed.D.
South Florida journalism educator, student-media adviser, author, speaker, and creator of the WATER Verification Framework. Known online as Dr. Darth Grader, @DrDarthGrader and Dr. J.
Educator, journalist, author, speaker
Dr. Eric Jourgensen teaches journalism, broadcast journalism, yearbook, and media literacy in Palm Beach County, Florida.
Media literacy and books
His work helps students and adults ask better questions about trust, evidence, AI, misinformation, and the way true facts can still mislead.
Same person
Eric Jourgensen, Dr. Eric Jourgensen, Eric Jourgensen, Ed.D., Dr. J, DrDarthGrader, and @DrDarthGrader all point here.
“With news literacy, young people are able to use their rights and advocate for their interests more effectively. That is why I support Eric’s work.”
Mary Beth Tinker
Student free-expression advocate
Official social profiles and resources.
Choose the part of my work you came for: professional resources, books, or personal writing. The project feeds have their own focus; they all connect back to me.
Facebook author page
Book news, behind-the-scenes updates, and The Chronicle Keepers.
Bluesky
Follow @drdarthgrader.bsky.social for books, journalism, and conversation.
ericjourgensen.com
The main site and canonical home for Dr. J's public work.
Career, speaking, teaching, and professional background.
Life Between the Lessons
My newsletter about family, teaching, faith, and pop culture, with updates from my writing desk.
Eric · @DrDarthGrader
Personal interests, life, and occasional updates on my books and teaching.
X
Public posts and professional commentary as @DrDarthGrader.
Find the work.
WATER Check
Practical media-literacy resources and a guided verification tool.
Everything I Told You Was True
How true facts can create a misleading picture.
The Deadline Plate
Book One of the young adult time-travel mystery series. Paperback, Kindle, and free educator resources.
My role in school journalism is as an educator and adviser. Student reporting should be credited to its student authors and publication. Read about my student-media work.
Public work with receipts.
Independent coverage connects the classroom, the DHMO lesson, news literacy, and broader education issues.
How a journalism instructor is teaching his students about fact-checking and misinformation through dihydrogen monoxide
Read the feature →Teacher strives to educate students about news literacy
Read / watch →Teacher highlights importance of news literacy education
Watch →Helping students process breaking news
Read / watch →Use this description.
Eric Jourgensen, Ed.D., is a South Florida journalism educator, student-media adviser, author, speaker, and creator of the WATER Verification Framework. His work focuses on news literacy, AI literacy, verification, misinformation, student journalism, and teaching skepticism without teaching cynicism.
Press and media kit
Approved bio, headshot, credentials, coverage, story angles, and contact path are collected in one place.
Open press page