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.

  • @Strawberry
    link
    English
    501 month ago

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

    • @[email protected]
      link
      fedilink
      English
      361 month ago

      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.

      • @Strawberry
        link
        English
        11
        edit-2
        1 month ago

        that is probably the best way to go about it. I worry they’ll simplify or strip away too much nuance. But if done well this can be great initiative

    • @[email protected]
      link
      fedilink
      English
      101 month ago

      I think that’s pretty much impossible to achieve. One persons far-right content, is another’s “common sense”

      • @[email protected]
        link
        fedilink
        English
        530 days ago

        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.

    • @[email protected]
      link
      fedilink
      English
      61 month ago

      hopefully it doesn’t come with any political bias built in

      They would never do that! /s

      • @[email protected]
        link
        fedilink
        English
        191 month ago

        Reality has a well-known left-wing bias.

        That’s why the right’s only solution is to wage a war on reality.