Children will be taught how to spot extremist content and misinformation online under planned changes to the school curriculum, the education secretary said.

Bridget Phillipson said she was launching a review of the curriculum in primary and secondary schools to embed critical thinking across multiple subjects and arm children against “putrid conspiracy theories”.

One example may include pupils analysing newspaper articles in English lessons in a way that would help differentiate fabricated stories from true reporting.

In computer lessons, they could be taught how to spot fake news websites by their design, and maths lessons may include analysing statistics in context.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] 50 points 2 years ago (5 children)

basic media literacy is really needed, hopefully it doesn't come with any political bias built in

  • source
  • hideshow 10 child comments
  • [–] 36 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    All information has a bias, so teach that it all has a bias and ways to figure out the biases. Also include that we all have biases in everything we think.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 4 child comments
  • [+] 6 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 child)
  • [–] 5 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    I also often ask folks to list one article or outlet that is “strictly fact based” and neutral.

    And even if somebody manages to find an article they think is "strictly fact based and netural," the question then becomes "why did the news agency decide to cover that topic instead of some other topic?" The choice of what to talk about is just as subject to bias as the choice of what to say about it is.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 2 child comments