A growing body of research shows many young Australians struggle to spot fake news, with one report showing just 36% feel confident in identifying real from fake.
Recognising the risks this poses, not just to the education of young people but to their lives outside school, experts are calling for improved media literacy in schools – specifically, students’ ability to think critically.
The recent Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters report into civics education and political participation called for schools to promote critical and analytical thinking so that young Australians can become active and informed citizens.
For its part, the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) has released a new tool designed to weave media literacy across subjects from Foundation to Year 10.
Helping kids spot fact from fiction
The ‘Curriculum connection: Media consumers and creators’ resource supports learning in Media Arts, English and Digital Technologies, equipping students to critically analyse, create and communicate media content in an age where misinformation can spread faster than facts.
“Whether it’s a news story, a television show, an online video or a social media post, our young people need to learn how to sort fact from fiction and work out whether something is credible or not,” ACARA CEO, Stephen Gniel said in a statement.
“We need to ensure students can develop the critical and analytical thinking needed to contend with an ever-evolving digital media landscape.”
Built in partnership with media literacy leaders—including the Australian Media Literacy Alliance (AMLA), the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI), and Australian Teachers of Media (ATOM)—the tool allows teachers to customise learning by year level, subject area, and curriculum priority.
The content focuses on four core capabilities: analysing and interpreting media; creating media content; communicating and sharing responsibly; and thinking critically and ethically about the messages we consume and produce.
‘Media literacy is essential for participation in our society’
Associate Professor Tanya Notley from Western Sydney University, who co-founded AMLA, was one of the key media literacy experts involved in developing this resource.
“Media literacy is essential for participation in our society,” Associate Professor Notley said.”
“By increasing media literacy, schools can support students to find, verify, analyse, share and create media across their lifetime. In addition, media literacy can support students to connect with others, engage with democracy and participate in communities.”
Associate Professor Notley said the resource is timely given the research that shows most Australian school students need more ongoing media literacy support in school to help them access and create trustworthy media.
“I’m thrilled to see this new resource and support from ACARA to help address this. ACARA’s Curriculum connection: Media consumers and creators will guide and help teachers to ensure that every child is given the opportunity to increase their media literacy throughout their school years.”
‘An essential classroom resource for teachers’
Greg Pierce, Executive Principal at Brisbane State High School, which has well-established and popular media literacy courses as part of its Arts program, also welcomed the release of the new resource.
“Media education is crucial, because it helps young people critically analyse information, identify biases, and distinguish between reliable and misleading content – which is very important in our current world,” Pierce said. “It fosters digital literacy, enabling responsible media consumption and content creation.”
Pierce said understanding how media is made and influences people supports informed decision-making, protects against misinformation, and encourages active engagement in social, cultural, educational and political discussions.
“I believe ACARA’s new Curriculum connection: Media consumers and creators will become an essential classroom resource for teachers as they help students become informed, responsible and imaginative creators and consumers of media.”