'Bad News' in the Civics Classroom: How Serious Gameplay Fosters Teenagers' Ability to Discern Misinformation Techniques
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| Title: | 'Bad News' in the Civics Classroom: How Serious Gameplay Fosters Teenagers' Ability to Discern Misinformation Techniques |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Carl-Anton Werner Axelsson (ORCID |
| Source: | Journal of Research on Technology in Education. 2025 57(5):992-1018. |
| Availability: | Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 27 |
| Publication Date: | 2025 |
| Intended Audience: | Teachers |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research Tests/Questionnaires |
| Education Level: | Secondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Foreign Countries, Secondary School Students, Adolescents, Educational Games, Misinformation, Information Literacy, Positive Attitudes, Credibility, Student Attitudes, Cooperative Learning, Educational Strategies, Teaching Methods, Competition, Game Based Learning, Access to Information |
| Geographic Terms: | Sweden |
| DOI: | 10.1080/15391523.2024.2338451 |
| ISSN: | 1539-1523 1945-0818 |
| Abstract: | Although the serious game "Bad News" has been used to inoculate citizens against misinformation, it has not been formally evaluated in traditional classrooms. We therefore evaluated its impact on 516 upper-secondary Swedish students playing individually, paired, or with the whole class. Results show that students improved their ability to discern manipulation techniques in social media posts. Students with prior positive attitudes to credible news sources were better discerners, and this attitude became significantly more positive post-intervention. Rationales for identifying manipulative techniques increased among those who improved their credibility ratings pre- to post-intervention. Lastly, enjoyment of and interest in the intervention was higher in the whole-class setting. This study offers insights for educators on using serious games in formal teaching to foster media and information literacy. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2025 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1489778 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | Although the serious game "Bad News" has been used to inoculate citizens against misinformation, it has not been formally evaluated in traditional classrooms. We therefore evaluated its impact on 516 upper-secondary Swedish students playing individually, paired, or with the whole class. Results show that students improved their ability to discern manipulation techniques in social media posts. Students with prior positive attitudes to credible news sources were better discerners, and this attitude became significantly more positive post-intervention. Rationales for identifying manipulative techniques increased among those who improved their credibility ratings pre- to post-intervention. Lastly, enjoyment of and interest in the intervention was higher in the whole-class setting. This study offers insights for educators on using serious games in formal teaching to foster media and information literacy. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 1539-1523 1945-0818 |
| DOI: | 10.1080/15391523.2024.2338451 |
