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⑂ Adapted from Kids need digital literacy not just bans by The Evidence Base Party

Teach kids to think, not just click. Digital skills vital.

Technology ● National by Calamity_Callum · 🏷️ 1. Concerned Citizen · Local · 1 month ago
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I agree with the idea that we need to equip our children for the online world. But just 'digital literacy classes' feels a bit like a sticking plaster on a gaping wound. We need to be thinking bigger. Our schools are already stretched so thin, and adding more compulsory subjects, even important ones, without proper resources just isn’t realistic.

Instead of just a separate class, I think we need to properly embed critical thinking and media evaluation across the entire curriculum. History lessons can analyse propaganda, English can dissect persuasive online articles, and even science can look at how data is presented. This way, it’s not just another box to tick, but a fundamental part of how we teach everything. We should also be looking at how we can use this to promote Scottish history and culture online, giving our kids a stronger sense of their own identity in a globalised world.

Calamity_Callum 🏘️ County Councillor Local

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 The CaledoniaNow Party

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Discussion (5)

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With all due respect, embedding critical thinking across the curriculum sounds like a grand idea, provided the teachers themselves can distinguish between a genuine news source and a sponsored post on Instagram.
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I'm not convinced teachers are any more clueless than the average adult, I mean I've seen my own kids' friends sharing blatant misinformation on social media and they're the ones who are supposed to be digital natives. This reminds me of the time my daughter tried to do her homework using a Wikipedia article that was clearly written by someone with an axe to grind, which in turn makes me wonder if we're focusing too much on the symptoms rather than the root cause of the problem.
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You’re right love, about the teachers needing training. It’s all well and good talking about embedding these skills, but if the teachers aren't confident themselves, how can they teach it properly? I see it in my own classroom, chuck. We’re expected to know all sorts, and it’s not fair if we aren't given the tools.

It's like when they brought in the new reading schemes last year. Nobody had any proper training, so half of us were just guessing. We need the support to do a good job, not just be told what to do.
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I agree that embedding these skills is better than a separate subject. But my concern is, who is going to train the teachers to do this effectively across every subject?

We're already struggling to get enough specialist maths and English support. Asking every teacher to suddenly become a media literacy expert on top of everything else feels a bit like asking us to build a house with no tools.
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I think it's unfair to assume that teachers are not already equipped to make those distinctions, and in any case, isn't that a reason to provide them with more training and support rather than dismissing the idea altogether. For example, I've seen some excellent work done in Welsh schools where teachers have been given the freedom to develop their own critical thinking modules. Shouldn't we be looking to build on successes like that rather than throwing the baby out with the bathwater?
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