Every Illinois Global Scholar capstone project starts with a question. It’s a program aimed at helping students operate in cultural contexts beyond their own and enact change on a global scale. Braden Hajer’s was a bit unusual: Can misinformation be used…for positive purposes?
The 2021 high school graduate quickly discovered the answer was a resounding “no.” But with a semester still left to try and make tangible change, he quickly altered course.
“To not fall for misinformation, you need to understand how it works. So that’s where we’re like, ‘Huh, that’s a job for education. If it’s a job for education, that’s a job for legislation,” he said.
So, he thought, does Illinois have any laws mandating media literacy in schools? It didn’t.
September 28, 2021