InTACT: inspiring teachers against conspiracy theories

We want to strengthen teachers' knowledge and skills on conspiracy theories. How do you discuss and debunk conspiracy theories in the classroom? As a teacher, how do you respond to polarising statements? Based on self-assessment, teachers and students can test their own susceptibility to conspiracy theories.

Research theme: Young makers

Field of interest: Education

Duration: 30/11/2021 - 30/09/2024

Financing: Erasmus+

Building on research on fake news

We build on our insights from an earlier Erasmus+ project 'DeFacto'. Here, we mapped disinformation in general and answered the important question: 'Why do we believe fake news?'

Danger of conspiracy theories

Disinformation and conspiracy theories in particular are known to aim to undermine public confidence in institutions by creating confusion, fear and uncertainty.

How can you debunk conspiracy theories?

Deconstructing individual theories has a very limited scope and is not sustainable. Therefore, we facilitate the deconstruction of conspiracy theories to engage with them in general.

Conspiracy theories are a subset of disinformation. At InTACT (inspiring teachers against conspiracy theories), we study in detail:

the typology;
specific characteristics;
cognitive mechanisms;
effects of conspiracy theories.

By developing our own version of a gullibility test, we aim to reveal the extent of potential and/or real harm. So there is a direct link to active citizenship.

Objectives

Our main objectives:

increase understanding of conspiracy theories;
create more awareness around cognitive mechanisms;
expose the impact of conspiracy theories on public systems, policies and trust in society;
contribute to active citizenship, critical thinking and media literacy;
be able to respond to polarising statements.

Methods

development of a self-assessment test for teachers and students to assess their own gullibility;
impact measurement of conspiracy theories on education and other social systems;
design of an (online) training for teachers and educators on conspiracy theories;
method to deconstruct conspiracy theories;
providing communication strategy.