At Worksop College, we are passionate about preparing our pupils to engage thoughtfully with the world around them. This term, a new initiative – the Leadership for Change programme – has been launched to encourage pupils to explore issues such as social media, AI, fake news, and the challenges of living in a “post-truth” society.
We sat down with Mr Heeramun, Head of KS3, to find out what inspired the project, how it reflects the College’s values, and why he believes it will help pupils develop the skills they need to become creative, critical, and compassionate leaders of the future.
Mr Heeramun, what inspired you to launch the Leadership for Change programme here at Worksop College?
Two areas which we aim to nurture at the College are Leadership and Agency. This programme builds on both of these characteristics and allows pupils to collaborate on their ideas and work towards solutions for real world problems. It's a perfect example of a Supercurricular activity to push our learners.
How do you hope pupils will benefit from exploring issues such as social media, AI, and misinformation?
This is one area which our pupils know more about than their teachers and parents. They are the experts! So much of their life is based around information and social media is the mechanism which they digest this information. As we enter a post truth society, it has never been as important to critically view news sources as often the 'truth' is not what it seems. If everyone (including beyond the Worksop College Community) were able to look at information, think about where it came from and the motives of the people behind the messages, society would be in a better place.
The programme also asks pupils to lead their own ‘Projects for Change’. What kind of skills do you think they will gain from this experience?
Pupils get the opportunity to listen to industry experts to hear what news agencies are doing to engage through social media in a meaningful way. Pupils are developing their creativity, problem solving, and critical thinking skills. Many of the sessions are discussion led, creating more effective communicators in the process.
What kinds of topics can the pupils expect if they take part in the initiative?
So far pupils have looked at the post truth society, AI and Fake News and how social media can mislead and even be used to incite unrest. Far too often in the UK we have seen the public being misled by information circulating online which has no basis of truth. The overall project is to help to improve media literacy in our school or local community - they’ll help people to decode the news and work out what to trust.
How does this initiative reflect the values and ethos of Worksop College?
Unfortunately, a lot of what we read and see online does not come from a place of integrity. We want pupils to be able to decode the news, which allows us to filter out misinformation. With fake news and the echo chamber of social media, our society is becoming less compassionate. This project aims to address these societal trends.
Finally, what would you say to a pupil who might be unsure about getting involved in this competition?
Media Literacy is new to most of us! Your parents and grandparents grew up with only a handful of TV channels and newspapers and you are in a different world now. We are all starting as beginners here. Come along and have a go.