Media Literacy – No Option Skills

Critical Thinking Skills for Primary and Secondary Students

At the heart of this curriculum is the development of critical thinking skills. This involves the ability to perform analysis and evaluation to make a judgment. Key skills include analysis, brainstorming, lateral thinking, interpretation, and
problem-solving. These are higher-order thinking skills that go beyond basic observation and memorisation.

Programs like “Learn to Think” have demonstrated the potential to improve thinking ability and learning motivation in students.

Key Themes for Curriculum Development

Based on our research, we have identified several key themes that form the foundation of this curriculum:

Information Verification: Teaching students how to critically evaluate sources and identify misinformation.

Media Literacy: Understanding how media frames narratives and influences perceptions.

Ethical Digital Citizenship: Addressing cyberbullying, plagiarism, and responsible online behaviour.

Cognitive Flexibility: Fostering the ability to unlearn outdated information and relearn new concepts.

Analytical and Evaluative Skills: Developing strong critical thinking abilities to dissect complex information.

Sociological and Political Contexts: Understanding the broader implications of information and its dissemination.

Methodology for Digital Literacy in a Post-Truth World: Learn, Unlearn, Relearn

In an era saturated with information, where the lines between fact and fiction often blur, it is imperative to equip students with a robust methodology for navigating the digital landscape. This methodology, centered on the principles of ‘Learn, Unlearn, and Relearn,’ aims to foster critical thinking, media literacy, and a resilient approach to knowledge acquisition.

. Learn: The Art of Critical Information Consumption
‘Learn’ in this context refers to the active and discerning consumption of information. It’s about moving beyond passive acceptance and engaging with content with a critical lens. This involves developing skills to efficiently extract relevant information while simultaneously evaluating its credibility and underlying biases.

Key Principles of Learning:

Source Verification: Students must learn to identify the origin of information. Is it a reputable news organization, a scholarly journal, a personal blog, or a social media post? Understanding the source’s agenda, expertise, and potential biases is crucial.

Fact-Checking Fundamentals: Introduce basic fact-checking techniques. This includes cross-referencing information with multiple credible sources, looking for corroborating evidence, and identifying logical fallacies within arguments.

Distinguishing Information Types: Teach students to differentiate between facts, opinions, and interpretations. Understanding the intent behind the content (to inform, persuade, entertain) is vital for proper consumption.

Identifying Emotional Appeals and Rhetoric: Educate students on how emotional language, sensationalism, and rhetorical devices can be used to manipulate perceptions. This helps them to focus on the substance of the argument rather than its emotional impact.

Understanding Algorithms and Filter Bubbles: Explain how personalized algorithms on social media and search engines can create ‘filter bubbles,’ limiting exposure to diverse perspectives. Encourage students to actively seek out varied viewpoints.

. Unlearn: Deconstructing Misinformation and Bias
‘Unlearn’ is the process of actively challenging and discarding previously held beliefs or information that is found to be inaccurate, biased, or misleading. This requires intellectual humility and a willingness to confront cognitive biases.

Key Principles of Unlearning:

Recognizing Cognitive Biases: Introduce common cognitive biases (e.g., confirmation bias, availability heuristic, bandwagon effect) and explain how they can influence our interpretation of information. Self-awareness of these biases is
the first step towards overcoming them.

Challenging Assumptions: Encourage students to question their own assumptions and preconceived notions. This involves fostering an open mind and a willingness to consider alternative explanations.

Identifying Disinformation and Propaganda: Teach students to recognize the characteristics of disinformation (intentionally false information) and propaganda (information designed to promote a particular political cause or point of view).

Understanding the Evolution of Truth: Explain that understanding can evolve as new evidence emerges. What was once believed to be true might be revised or disproven with further research.

Embracing Nuance and Complexity: Move beyond simplistic black-and-white thinking. Encourage students to appreciate the complexities of issues and resist oversimplification.

. Relearn: Building Resilient and Adaptive Knowledge ‘Relearn’ is the continuous process of integrating new, verified information into one’s understanding, adapting to evolving knowledge, and constructing a more accurate and nuanced worldview. It emphasizes intellectual agility and lifelong learning.

Key Principles of Relearning:

Synthesizing Information: Teach students how to combine information from multiple credible sources to form a comprehensive understanding of a topic. This involves identifying connections, discrepancies, and overarching themes.

Constructing Coherent Narratives: Guide students in building their own well- reasoned arguments and explanations based on evidence, rather than simply regurgitating information.

Developing Information Resilience: Foster the ability to recover from exposure to misinformation and to actively seek out accurate information. This builds confidence in their ability to discern truth.

Promoting Digital Citizenship and Responsibility: Emphasize the ethical responsibility of sharing accurate information and contributing positively to online discourse. This includes understanding the impact of their digital footprint.

Cultivating a Growth Mindset: Encourage students to view learning as an ongoing journey, where mistakes are opportunities for growth and new information is always welcome.

Primary School Curriculum

This curriculum is designed to introduce primary school students to the fundamental concepts of digital literacy in a fun and engaging way. The focus is on building a strong foundation of critical thinking and responsible online behavior. The lessons are designed to be interactive and activity-based, using age-appropriate language and examples.

Module : Navigating the Digital World Safely
Lesson : What is the Internet?

Objective: To understand what the internet is and how it connects people and information.
Activities: Create a classroom web of strings to represent the internet, draw pictures of what they think the internet looks like.

Lesson : My Digital Footprint
Objective: To understand that their online actions leave a lasting trail.
Activities: Use a “digital footprint” worksheet where students trace their foot and write down online activities they do. Discuss how this footprint can be seen by others.

Lesson : Keeping Personal Information Private
Objective: To learn the importance of not sharing personal information online.
Activities: Role-playing scenarios where students are asked for personal information online and practice saying “no” and telling a trusted adult.
Module : Thinking Critically About Online Information

Lesson : Is it a Fact or an Opinion?
Objective: To differentiate between factual statements and personal opinions.
Activities: “Fact or Opinion?” game with statement cards, creating their own fact and opinion statements.

Lesson : Super Source Sleuths
Objective: To learn how to identify the source of online information.
Activities: “Source Detective” activity with different websites and online content, creating a checklist for what makes a source trustworthy.

Lesson : Spotting Fake News
Objective: To recognize the characteristics of fake news and misinformation.
Activities: Analyzing silly or obviously fake news headlines, creating their own “fake news” stories to understand how they are made.
Module : Being a Good Digital Citizen

Lesson : Online Kindness and Respect
Objective: To understand the importance of being kind and respectful to others online.
Activities: Creating a “Kindness Pledge” for online interactions, discussing the impact of cyberbullying through stories and scenarios.

Lesson : Teamwork and Collaboration Online
Objective: To learn how to work together effectively in a digital environment.
Activities: Collaborative online projects like creating a class blog or a digital storybook.

Lesson : What to Do When Something Feels Wrong
Objective: To know how to respond when they encounter something online that makes them feel uncomfortable or unsafe.
Activities: Creating a “Safety Plan” with steps to take, such as telling a trusted adult, logging off, or blocking someone.