A Philosophical Inquiry: How Should The Rise Of Misinformation Eroding Trust In Elementary Educators Be Approached?

Bella Kennedy

As misinformation becomes ever more widespread, pervasive, and malignant, the role of educators is becoming increasingly complex. My original inquiry question was: “Will the rise of misinformation result in instances of students or parents incorrectly accusing educators of teaching false information, and if so, how should teachers approach this issue?” Throughout the course of my exploration my thinking on this topic has shifted. I no longer consider the threat of misinformation having negative effects on students, teachers, and society at large, a possibility, but rather, as an emerging reality. As individuals increasingly forgo their trust in institutions once considered authorities of truth, and instead subscribe to their own belief systems, often built on misinformation, the concept of “objective truth” and rational thinking as a whole, is being threatened. My new question became: “How can educators best support students in developing the skills necessary to navigate misinformation?”

I initially considered both an essentialist approach and a more progressive inquiry-based approach to addressing misinformation in the classroom. At first, I contemplated if misinformation could be outright shut down and corrected by teachers to keep students on course with curriculum content. However, upon further investigation, I realize that this is a deeper epistemological issue. Living in what some sources described as a “post-truth” era, the nature of knowledge itself requires re-examination, as individuals have increasingly diverse ways of determining what knowledge is credible in which sources it should come from. This has significant implications for the classroom, as learners of all ages and backgrounds bring differing, and sometimes inaccurate, information into the learning environment.

I now believe the best course of action for educators is to adapt. We must reframe our teaching philosophies, the curriculum, and the education system as a whole to prioritize fostering the development of critical, reflective, and culturally aware learners. This involves explicitly teaching students how to navigate misinformation by questioning, investigating, recognizing bias, seeking corroborating evidence, considering opposing viewpoints, having the humility to admit when they are wrong, and changing their thinking when presented with new information. It also requires educators to model the metacognition necessary to critically reflect on their own learning and information gathering processes, including examining potential biases they may hold.

In the classroom this approach may appear as students engaging in experiential lessons on bias and propaganda, comparing sources, understanding first, second, and third hand information, inquiring, inferring, and making judgements. It also requires creating an inclusive, comfortable, and positive learning environment, where students feel confident engaging in inquiry, and safe enough to be wrong about information they previously believed to be true. 

It is essential to recognize that learning requires patience and time. Slowing down our approach allows students to think carefully and understand that credible information often requires more time and extra effort to investigate and confirm. Additionally, this approach to combating misinformation is benefited by the practice of exploring epistemology alongside students. Examining the nature of knowledge, where it comes from, and why people believe it, rather than treating all information as fixed, is a valuable learning experience and thought-habit for the students and teacher alike. This can often be implemented via guiding questions during assessment practices.

Ultimately, to answer my question of how we as educators can best support students in developing the skills necessary to navigate misinformation, I can’t say I know the absolute indisputably correct plan. However, I believe our best approach is to be open-minded learners ourselves, with patience, compassion, and curiosity at the forefront of our practice. It will require us to shift our approach away from simply delivering information and attempting to position ourselves as the sole holders of truth. Instead we must focus on shaping how students understand, question, and evaluate knowledge so that they’re better prepared to navigate the constant influx of unreliable information in our modern world.