Media Literacy

Photo collage of three diverse teens looking at their phones with social apps ghosted in dark blue background
Collage by Gina Tomko/Education Week + Canva
Student Well-Being & Movement What SEL Can Do to Help Kids Manage Their Online Lives
It's important to show students how social media can be helpful and harmful.
Arianna Prothero, April 30, 2026
4 min read
EdWeek Toxic Mix of Social Media and AI
Taylor Callery for Education Week
Artificial Intelligence Schools Play Game of Media Literacy Catch-Up as AI Use Rises
Students are now seeing more AI-generated social media content that is problematic.
Jennifer Vilcarino, April 20, 2026
6 min read
Katrina Sacurom, a 5th grade teacher at Shawnee Trail Elementary School in Frisco, Tx., hosts the school's journalism crew after school activity on Feb. 3, 2026.
Katrina Sacurom, a 5th grade teacher at Shawnee Trail Elementary School in Frisco, Tx., hosts the school's journalism crew after school activity on Feb. 3, 2026.
Kaylee Domzalski/Education Week
Teaching Profession Video A Gen Z Teacher Helps Her Students Use Tech for Good
Gen Z teacher Katrina Sacurom talks about overcoming the challenges new teachers face.
Kaylee Domzalski, March 4, 2026
1 min read
Ballard High School students work together to solve an exercise at MisinfoDay, an event hosted by the University of Washington to help high school students identify and avoid misinformation, Tuesday, March 14, 2023, in Seattle. Educators around the country are pushing for greater digital media literacy education.
Students at Ballard High School in Washington state work to solve an exercise at MisinfoDay, a March 2023 event hosted by the University of Washington to help high school students identify and avoid misinformation.
Manuel Valdes/AP
Curriculum Why Media Literacy Efforts Are Failing to Keep Up With Misinformation
Classroom educators need support from district and school leaders in addressing flashpoint topics.
Alyson Klein, February 19, 2026
5 min read
Halftone collage banner with two smartphones and mouth speaks into ear and strip with text - fake news. Halftone collage poster. Concept of fake news, disinformation or propaganda.
iStock/Getty + Education Week
Curriculum Opinion Kim Kardashian Says the Moon Landing Was Fake. There's a Lesson Here for Schools
Teachers can use popular conspiracies to help students scrutinize what they see online.
Sam Wineburg & Nadav Ziv, February 17, 2026
5 min read
Hand holding sieve to filter truth from lies, facts from fakes. Concept of media literacy, fake news detection, and critical thinking in digital age.
iStock/Getty
Classroom Technology More States Are Pairing Cellphone Bans With Media Literacy Instruction
Students need to develop the skills to critically analyze the content they view on their phones.
Alyson Klein, January 21, 2026
2 min read
girl with a laptop sitting on newspapers
iStock/Getty
Curriculum 84% of Teens Distrust the News. Why That Matters for Schools
Teenagers' distrust of the media could have disastrous consequences, new report says.
Alyson Klein, November 6, 2025
5 min read
Human and AI robot completing a jigsaw puzzle, the human is holding the right piece
iStock/Getty Images + Education Week
Artificial Intelligence Opinion AI Is Trained to Avoid These 3 Words That Are Essential to Learning
Chatbots aren’t designed to model the type of thinking we expect from our students.
Sam Wineburg & Nadav Ziv, October 15, 2025
5 min read
Conceptual illustration of classroom conversations and fragmented education elements coming together to form a cohesive picture of a book of classroom knowledge.
Sonia Pulido for Education Week
Social Studies Opinion Over Half My Students Saw Video of Charlie Kirk’s Murder. Here’s How I Responded
An established classroom routine to discuss current events can help educators navigate hard conversations with their students.
Larry Ferlazzo, September 16, 2025
4 min read
People look at a photo of Charlie Kirk, the CEO and co-founder of Turning Point USA who was shot and killed, at a vigil in his memory, Sept. 11, 2025, in Orem, Utah.
People look at a photo of Charlie Kirk, the CEO and co-founder of Turning Point USA, who was shot and killed, at a vigil in his memory, Sept. 11, 2025, in Orem, Utah. Talking in class about incidents like Kirk's assassination takes careful planning.
Lindsey Wasson/AP
Classroom Technology How Teachers Can Talk to Students About Charlie Kirk's Assassination
Avoiding discussion of difficult topics in school is a missed learning opportunity.
Alyson Klein & Jennifer Vilcarino, September 12, 2025
6 min read
Classroom Technology Professional Learning Guide Your Guide to Digital & Media Literacy
Prepare your students for today’s media-driven world with this professional learning guide.
August 6, 2025
This image portrays a young woman deeply engaged with her smartphone, seen through a distorted, swirling blur effect. The artistic composition highlights the concept of doomscrolling, brainrot, digital addiction, social media immersion, and the modern reliance on technology. The surreal perspective creates a sense of detachment, illustrating how screens can shape and blur reality.
E+/Getty
Student Well-Being & Movement Opinion Social Media Is Awash With Bad Health Advice. This Lesson Can Help
Why a librarian and health educator teamed up to teach students the red flags of misleading claims.
Nicole Murphy & Cynthia Sandler, May 30, 2025
4 min read
Curriculum Video These Two Key Questions Form the Heart of Digital Literacy Instruction
Crucial lessons around digital literacy and digital safety can be framed around these two questions.
Olina Banerji & Sam Mallon, May 22, 2025
1 min read
Conceptual illustration of classroom conversations and fragmented education elements coming together to form a cohesive picture of a book of classroom knowledge.
Sonia Pulido for Education Week
Teaching Opinion Students Are Regularly Exposed to Sexist Content Online. What Should Teachers Do
Andrew Tate's messaging about the "manosphere" is just one example of the dangerous messages students are receiving.
Larry Ferlazzo, May 20, 2025
5 min read