What Is the Responsibility of Literacy Education in the Post-Truth Era?

• In Event: Table 4: Equity and Antiracism

Abstract

Abstract: This paper explores how, in support of democracy, contemporary literacy education might respond to the post-truth era. Using literature on the post-truth phenomenon and critical literacies, we designed a study examining the ways high school students engage with information in both, academic and personal settings. Using a combination of in-class observations, surveys, and teacher and student interviews, we learned that the current conception of literacy curriculum lacks sufficient engagement with the key issues. This included a lack of awareness of technological manipulating factors such as filter bubbles and echo chambers. Both teachers and students expressed a strong desire for more learning in this space, which suggests that next steps should include curriculum development, teacher training, and further research.

Authors

• Lana Parker, University of Windsor

• Kristy Smith, York University