In today’s media environment, there’s no shortage of information and disinformation – so how do we know if we’re being misled? How can young people know? The ability to tell fact from fiction is vital for maintaining a healthy civil society, and researchers are exploring how to teach these skills. On this episode, Brett speaks with Sarah McGrew, a cutting-edge researcher in this area. After earning her PhD at Stanford in 2019, she joined the faculty at the University of Maryland, where she has several ongoing studies about fostering students’ media literacy. On this episode, she discusses her research, key findings, and practical advice for educators and parents.


Episode Resources

About Sarah McGrew

Sarah McGrew's Articles (Google Scholar)

Media Literacy Standards Map

Brett's Media Literacy Education Paper


ESD Podcast Resources

Brett Levy's Open-Access Research Articles (Free Downloads)

Education for Sustainable Democracy Facebook Page (Please Like!)

YouTube Channel for Education for Sustainable Democracy (Please Subscribe!)

Brett Levy's Twitter Page: Handle @brettlmlevy

Education for Sustainable Democracy Homepage


Related Episodes of ESD

Helping Youth Become Critical News Consumers, with John Silva and Miriam Romais (News Literacy Project)

Teaching Social & Historical Issues through Film, with Jeremy Stoddard (University of Wisconsin-Madison)

Combatting Misinformation in the Classroom, with John Silva and Miriam Romais (News Literacy Project)

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