Mike Evans taught American Government 1101 at Georgia State University and observed students arriving with fewer factual foundations and more conspiracy theories. Social media platforms such as TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram became primary information sources for Generation Z and amplified misleading beliefs. An anonymously posted video that many teens deemed "strong evidence" of U.S. voter fraud was actually shot in Russia, illustrating how easily context can be missed. Revamping a required course serving over 4,000 students across many sections posed logistical challenges. Evans adopted elements of the Civic Online Reasoning curriculum, which teaches professional fact-checker strategies and is freely available, to integrate digital-misinformation skills without overhauling the course.
Mike Evans knew something had to change. As the lead instructor for American Government 1101 at Georgia State University in 2021, Evans had watched his students over the years show up with fewer facts and more conspiracy theories. Gone were the days when students arrived on campus with dim memories of high school civics. Now they came armed with bold, often misleading beliefs shaped by hours spent each day on TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram.
That's when Evans, a political scientist, came across the Civic Online Reasoning curriculum, developed by the research group I used to lead at Stanford University. The curriculum, which is freely available to anyone, teaches a set of strategies based on how professional fact-checkers evaluate online information. In fall 2021, he reached out with a question: Could aspects of the curriculum be incorporated into American Government 1101 without turning the whole course on its head? My team and I thought so.
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