Students are plagued by misinformation and disinformation online, and social media and the rise of AI may only exacerbate this trend. It’s no question then that teaching digital media literacy is the next evolution in a student’s education, two leaders from Gale, the school curriculum database, say on this special episode of the “Talking Out of School Podcast” recorded at FETC.

“The hope is that students gain experience looking for and evaluating information—and that they learn to do so in an environment that’s safer and saner than in the wild,” says Liz Collins, senior product manager in Gale’s K12 division.

To do this, school districts must onramp students slowly, curating content appropriate to each student depending on their grade level. But entering high school, it’s vital to relax guardrails and allow students to consume content geared toward the general public.