What’s been happening in the news?
- Would you buy into a computer game that is said to ‘vaccinate’ players against misinformation?
A collaboration between Cambridge researchers and Dutch media collective DROG, is launching an English version of a fake news game online at www.fakenewsgame.org.
The psychological theory behind the research is “inoculation” and Dr Sander van der Linden, Director of Cambridge University’s Social Decision-Making Lab says,
A biological vaccine administers a small dose of the disease to build immunity. Similarly, inoculation theory suggests that exposure to a weak or demystified version of an argument makes it easier to refute when confronted with more persuasive claims. If you know what it is like to walk in the shoes of someone who is actively trying to deceive you, it should increase your ability to spot and resist the techniques of deceit. We want to help grow ‘mental antibodies’ that can provide some immunity against the rapid spread of misinformation.
- A 98% Muslim school in Birmingham is pioneering a new way to counter extremism. Andrew Moffat, assistant headteacher at Parkfield Community Primary School uses age-appropriate books and world events to teach children that at school there are “no outsiders”. Read his book Reclaiming Radical Ideas in Schools: Preparing Young Children for Life in Modern Britain to find out lots of practical and tried-and-tested strategies to help primary schools work together to create an inclusive environment that focuses on reducing radicalisation and radical ideas.
- There is a “chronic shortage” of Religious Education teachers. The Chief Executive of the Religious Education Council of England and Wales, Rudolf Eliott Lockhart, says specialist RE teachers are crucial for keeping young people properly informed.”Without good quality religious education delivered by a qualified RE teacher, who provides accurate and balanced information about the array of different world views that make up modern Britain, young people are placed at risk.
- North Lanarkshire Council will be the first local authority in Scotland to introduce free meals throughout its area during to holidays to tackle weekend and holiday hunger to cover the 175 days a year when pupils aren’t at school.
- Do you know what 8 x 9 is? Schools Minister Nick Gibb refused to answer this on live TV and has been ridiculed ever since.
- A study published in The BMJ tests the effectiveness of a school and family based healthy lifestyle intervention (WAVES) in preventing childhood obesity. The results suggest that schools alone may not be effective in preventing childhood obesity.
- The Government has announced that revised frameworks for assessing writing will continue from 2019 onwards.
- The number of independent schools judged “inadequate” by Ofsted continues to rise.