This term paper seeks to investigate to what extent "The Bad News Game" is suitable to sensitize students to fake news and disinformation on the Internet through the presentation of a teaching unit consisting of one double lesson. The first part of the term paper addresses three empirical studies with a respective distance of one year, which deal with the game and its effect on the players. Afterwards, the theoretical second part will focus on the potentials and challenges in the EFL classroom, which serves as a transition to the teaching unit. The teaching unit will present a possible lesson design for English classes, developed with the core curriculum for the upper secondary school English lessons of the Hessian Ministry of Education in mind. Finally, the conclusion summarizes the results of the chapters.
"The Bad News Game" is an excellent choice for the classroom, as it addresses crucial manipulation techniques, and is well suited as a discussion starter to strengthen students’ media literacy. Besides, it improves resistance to disinformation, making it a good introduction to the complex topic. The students’ awareness for fake news and disinformation on the Internet can be raised with the help of interactive and narrative elements, that occur in the game, and encourage constructive discussion. The teaching unit, which comprises a total of 1 double lesson, serves to introduce the topic of fake news and disinformation and to get to know the prevailing problem as well as the linguistic characteristics. In addition, it is interesting to find out how students define fake news and whether they have encountered them before.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Literature Review
2.1 Survey of Empirical Studies on The Bad News Game
3. Get Bad News
3.1 Game Theory
3.2 Potential for the EFL-Classroom
3.3 Challenges and Difficulties
3.4 Embedding the Game in the Classroom
4. Conclusion
Objectives & Core Topics
This paper investigates the suitability of "The Bad News Game" as a tool to sensitize students to fake news and disinformation online, specifically through the design of a double-lesson teaching unit for English language classrooms.
- Empirical evaluation of "The Bad News Game" regarding user awareness.
- Application of psychological inoculation theory in digital serious games.
- Integration of media literacy into the EFL (English as a Foreign Language) curriculum.
- Practical lesson design for upper secondary school English classes.
- Analysis of the potential and limitations of gamified learning in disinformation education.
Excerpt from the Book
3.1 Game Theory
The Bad News Game is a game developed by the Dutch company DROG with the help of researchers from the University of Cambridge. „From fake news to chaos! How bad are you? Get as many followers as you can!“ reads the invitation on the game’s homepage, with keywords such as twist, intrigue or frighten appearing. The game aims to raise awareness against fake news and disinformation by introducing players to the world of fake news producers, trolls, and conspirators, giving them insight into the different tactics and methods used to spread fake news (cf. DROG, 2018: 5). They switch sides to receive an impression of what it is like to create and spread fake news.
Players learn six techniques which they must master by the end: impersonation, emotion, polarization, conspiracy, discredit and trolling. The game is structured in such a way that, in an interactive and simulated social media environment, players choose from a list of short texts (posts) or images from which to post a controversial headline aimed at manipulating people. Moreover, simple and accessible topics are represented that students aged 16-18 are familiar with, such as vaccinations, climate change, or Donald Trump. This simplifies the illustration of the methods and techniques followed by many fake news producers and conspirators and makes the game apperceptive.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Outlines the rise of disinformation and the necessity of teaching media literacy in English classrooms using the game.
2. Literature Review: Provides a summary of three empirical studies demonstrating how the game increases psychological resistance to misinformation.
3. Get Bad News: Details the theory behind the game, its application in EFL classrooms, procedural challenges, and the structured teaching sequence.
4. Conclusion: Synthesizes that while the game is an excellent introductory tool, it requires pedagogical guidance to foster lasting media competence.
Key Words
Fake news, Disinformation, Media literacy, EFL classroom, Inoculation theory, Serious games, Manipulation techniques, Digital competencies, Game theory, Critical thinking, Lesson design, Language awareness, Propaganda, Social media, Pedagogical approach.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this work?
This work examines the educational value of "The Bad News Game" as a pedagogical tool to improve students' ability to recognize and critically evaluate disinformation in the English language classroom.
What are the core thematic fields?
The central themes include digital media literacy, the application of inoculation theory in serious games, and the integration of these concepts into the curriculum for upper secondary English education.
What is the main research question?
The research investigates to what extent "The Bad News Game" is suitable for sensitizing students to online fake news and how this can be implemented in a practical double-lesson design.
Which scientific methods are employed?
The paper utilizes a literature review of empirical studies regarding the game's efficacy, combined with didactic analysis to create a tailored teaching unit based on Hessian educational standards.
What does the main body cover?
The main body covers a literature review of psychological studies on the game, an analysis of the game's mechanisms (Game Theory), its potential for the classroom, inherent challenges, and a structured, detailed teaching plan.
Which keywords characterize the work?
Key terms include Disinformation, Media literacy, EFL-Classroom, Inoculation theory, and Serious games.
Why is the game considered a "broadband vaccine"?
Researchers use this term to describe how the game's inoculation approach helps players identify a wide variety of misinformation strategies, rather than teaching them to recognize only specific, isolated examples.
What are the identified limitations of using the game in school?
The author notes that teaching media literacy remains a complex task for educators, and the game is merely an introduction; it can overestimate user gullibility and lacks the nuances of real-world social media dynamics.
How does the game relate to "language awareness" in English lessons?
The game forces students to engage with rhetorical devices and argumentative patterns, which helps them recognize how language is used to manipulate and convince, thereby improving their critical reading and writing skills.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Anonym (Autor:in), 2022, Fighting Fake News in the EFL-classroom through "The Bad News Game". Potential and Challenges, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/1417824
