A recent study conducted by researchers at Uppsala University and other institutions shows that a computer game called Bad News helped upper secondary school students become better at distinguishing between reliable and misleading news. The game, designed for research and teaching purposes, allows participants to take on the role of a spreader of misleading news. The study, published in the Journal of Research on Technology in Education, involved 516 Swedish upper secondary school students from four schools and investigated the effects of playing the game in a classroom setting. The students played the game individually, in pairs, or in whole-class groups, all of which had positive effects on their ability to identify manipulative techniques in social media posts and distinguish between reliable and misleading news.
Professor Thomas Nygren of Uppsala University highlights the importance of equipping young people with the necessary skills to navigate a world filled with disinformation. He emphasizes the need for individuals to become better at identifying manipulative strategies, known as prebunking, as it is becoming increasingly difficult to discern deep fakes and other AI-generated disinformation with the naked eye. The researchers were surprised to find that all three methods of playing the game (individually, in pairs, or in whole-class groups) had positive effects on the students’ ability to identify manipulative techniques and distinguish between reliable and misleading news.
The study also found that students who already had a positive attitude towards trustworthy news sources were better at distinguishing disinformation, and playing the game further improved their attitudes towards credibility. Many students also enhanced their ability to explain how they could identify manipulative techniques in a more sophisticated manner. The researchers observed that incorporating competitive elements into the game increased interest and enhanced its effectiveness. They suggest that teachers can use serious games like Bad News in formal instruction to promote media and information literacy among students, noting that gamification can be a valuable tool for enhancing learning experiences in school.
The researchers conclude that while some believe gamification can enhance learning in school, their results show that simply adding competitive elements does not guarantee that students will learn more. However, they note that gamification can make the learning process more enjoyable and engaging for students. The study provides insights for educators on how serious games can be used effectively in the classroom to improve media and information literacy. The study was conducted by researchers Carl-Anton Werner Axelsson, Thomas Nygren, Jon Roozenbeek, and Sander van der Linden from Mälardalen University, Uppsala University, and the University of Cambridge.
