Addressing conspiracy theories through Media and Data Literacy Education. An exploratory case study

Lately conspiracy theories (CT) are increasingly hovering over Education Studies, mostly as problems in search of a solution. This paper problematizes this educational solutionist discourse by reflecting critically on different framing of CT (i.e. epistemological and ethico-political) and some related educational responses, ranging from pre/debunking strategies to democratic discussion. In addition, Media Data Literacy Education (MDLE) is presented as a viable educational approach to address CT circulating onlife. The approach is empirically explored through an online workshop with a small group of social workers attending a course for socio-pedagogical educators at the University of Florence. A qualitative mixed methodology is used to explore the pedagogical relevance of the MDLE intervention in addressing the educational challenges posed by CT and to highlight a possible critical rethinking of participants on the CT and their data. Results suggests that participants see MDLE as a valid pedagogical strategy to guide different learners (adolescents, general public and themselves) in the critical evaluation of media (dis)information. In addition, although the workshop seems to have enhanced participants’ critical thinking about mediatisation and datafication of CT further research is needed to develop and evaluate this pedagogical strategy, especially in relation to multiperspectival thinking and democratic discussions of CT in formal educational contexts.