Introduction

Disinformation today is a complex and evolving phenomenon shaped by rapid technological change and the pervasive influence of social media platforms (Singer & Brooking, 2018; Hameleers, 2023). Traditional, individual-focused media literacy approaches, emphasizing fact-checking, source evaluation, and critical consumption (boyd, 2018; Mozdeika, 2024), often fail to address the deeper social, emotional, and ideological dimensions that make disinformation so powerful (Tufekci, 2018; Mahl et al., 2023; Sutton & Douglas, 2022). While studies on echo chambers and algorithmic influence have been valuable (Sasahara et al., 2021; Phillips & Milner, 2021), recent research shows that people engage with conspiracy narratives not only in search of facts, but also for entertainment, identity, and belonging (De Wildt & Aupers, 2024; Mahl et al., 2023).

These dynamics reveal the need for a more comprehensive and context-sensitive approach to disinformation education. Rather than treating misinformation as an isolated or purely technical problem, educators must consider its ideological, cultural, and emotional roots (Buckingham, 2019). Building lasting resilience requires shifting from individual responsibility to collective strategies that are participatory, interdisciplinary, and responsive to learners’ lived experiences (Haider & Sundin, 2022; Fabbro & Gabbi, 2024). In higher education, and increasingly across all levels, this calls for the integration of Critical Digital Literacy (CDL) into teaching practices, supported by robust pedagogical frameworks aligned with academic and professional demands.

To meet this challenge, the SHIELD Educators’ e‑Toolkit (Ee-toolkit) offers a practical, research-based solution. Developed through interdisciplinary collaboration, the Ee-toolkit translates these broader insights into accessible, adaptable teaching materials. It equips educators at all level, from primary to higher education, with the tools to integrate CDL and disinformation awareness into their classrooms. Whether teaching science, media, health, civics, or digital ethics, educators can draw on the Ee-toolkit’s flexible structure to design both short lessons and comprehensive courses. With themes, activities, and assessments that are easy to tailor to specific contexts, the SHIELD Ee‑Toolkit—together with the supporting resources of the General Curriculum and the Anthology – available in the Deliverables section of this webpage – supports meaningful learning and empowers students to navigate the complexities of the digital information landscape.

What This Ee-toolkit Offers:

• Practical, research-based resources to teach about disinformation
• Flexible activities, objectives, and materials adaptable to any subject

Who Is This For?

Teachers, lecturers, and educators at any level or discipline—from primary and secondary schools to universities. Whether you’re in media, health, ICT, politics, social sciences, or education, the Ee-toolkit is designed to work for you.

References

Boyd, d. (2018). You think you want media literacy… Do you? Data & Society. Retrieved from https://medium.com/datasociety-points/you-think-you-want-media-literacy-do-you7cad6af18ec2 

Buckingham, D. (2019). Teaching media in a ‘post-truth’ age: Fake news, media bias and the challenge for media/digital literacy. Cultura y Educacion, 31(2), 213-231.

De Wildt, L., Aupers, S. (2024). Participatory conspiracy culture: Believing, doubting and playing with conspiracy theories on Reddit. Convergence: The International Journal of Research into New Media Technologies, 30(1), 329–346.

Fabbro, F., Gabbi, E. (2024). Addressing conspiracy theories through media and data literacy education:An exploratory case study. Journal of Media Literacy Education, 16(1), 19-36.

Haider, J., Sundin, O. (2022). Paradoxes of media and information literacy: The crisis of information. Routledge.

Hameleers, M. (2023). Disinformation as a context-bound phenomenon: toward a conceptual clarification integrating actors, intentions and techniques of creation and dissemination. Communication Theory, 33(1). https://doi.org/10.1093/ct/qtac021

Mahl, D., Zeng, J., and Schäfer, M. S. (2023). Conceptualizing platformed conspiracism: Analytical framework and empirical case study of BitChute and Gab. New Media & Society, 0(0), 1–20.

Mozdeika, L. (2024) Playing with misinformation, lying with truth: satirical conspiracy theories and sacred seriousness of play in online imageboard cultures, Continuum, 38 (2), 270-282, DOI: 10.1080/10304312.2024.2354241

Sasahara, K., Chen, W., Peng, H., Ciampaglia, G.L., Flammini, A., Menczer, F. (2021). Social influence and unfollowing accelerate the emergence of echo chambers. Journal of Computational Social Science, 4, 381–402.

Phillips, W., Milner, R. M. (2021). You Are Here: A Field Guide for Navigating Polarized Speech, Conspiracy Theories, and Our Polluted Media Landscape. MIT Press.

Singer, P. W., & Brooking, E. T. (2018). LikeWar: The weaponization of social media. EamonDolan/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Sutton, R. M., Douglas, K. M. (2022). Rabbit hole syndrome: Inadvertent, accelerating, and entrenched commitment to conspiracy beliefs. Current Opinion in Psychology, 48. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2022.101462

Tufekci, Z. (2018). How social media took us from Tahrir Square to Donald Trump. MIT Technology Review. Retrieved from: https://www.technologyreview.com/2018/08/14/240325/how-social-media-took-usfrom-tahrir-square-to-donald-trump/