The internet has enabled vast amounts of information and ideas to be created, shared and discussed online. The velocity and scale of this process is unprecedented, and one effect has been the widespread sharing of disinformation, conspiracy theories and dangerous ideas. This process raises profound questions and challenges for liberal democracies and correspondingly for the nature of education in this new era. This session draws on ideas from philosophy and political psychology to consider some changes that education might need to make, but also discusses practical approaches to help teachers respond to conspiracy, disinformation, and dangerous ideas in the classroom.
Jeremy Hayward is an Associate Professor at the Institute of Education, UCL specialising in the field of citizenship education. A former teacher, he has been involved in teacher education for the last 20 years, including leading the citizenship PGCE for over 10 years and currently leads the MA Citizenship Education, which includes the popular module Teaching Controversial Issues. He has written numerous textbooks, resources and guidance for schools in the areas of philosophy and citizenship – including recent guidance for schools on how to respond to conspiracy theories raised in the classroom.
