A training package to be introduced by Leicester City Council for secondary schools to explore a “game-based approach to information literacy” has been scrapped.
The objective of this is to encourage youth to expand their critical skills and understanding the network of online information. Simply put, spotting inaccurate information and bias on Wikipedia. Yet, this comes at a price for the taxpayer at £30,000.
Wikipedia is often used by all walks of life, including children and young students, and it is imperative for the youth to critically analyse the information on the Internet. The city council even praised the project’s objectives, that citizens are properly able to seek and comprehend the information available online. Including for Wikipedia, where pupils can be empowered “to critically engage with Wikipedia." But this project only aims for one particular website, when critical thinking skills are important for all aspects of life, including analyzing statistics and working in an office environment.
Tory opposition councillor Ross Grant disagreed with the amount spent on educating children to critically analyse information on Wikipedia. Grant, alongside with Chris McGovern, chairman of the Campaign for Real Education, both agree that young people need to be taught about critically analyzing information online but the amount needed to aim for this, at £30,000, is simply too much.