This webinar is part of a series for NSW secondary teachers that examines some of the most pressing civic, political and social issues in 2026.
Why does it feel like expert knowledge is under more pressure than ever, and what role do new information tools play in that shift? This session examines the cultural and political pushback against expertise, and how the idea that “everyone has access to knowledge”, through Wikipedia, Google, ChatGPT, and more, can both empower and mislead.
We explore how trust in knowledge is built and lost, why misinformation sticks, and how teachers can help students evaluate claims with greater rigour, without jumping to conclusions or reflexively dismissing expertise.
What can teachers take straight into lessons?
- A quick “trust test” students can apply to any claim: Who is the source? What evidence is used? What is the motivation? What would disprove it?
- A disciplined “multiple angles” method: students find two credible sources that disagree, write the strongest version of each argument, and only then choose a position.
- A practical rule for AI use in the classroom: use tools to generate questions and counterarguments, not answers, then verify claims with at least two external sources and cite them.
More webinars for teachers
This webinar will examine what is driving political polarisation, why it has intensified, and how it is changing elections and everyday civic debate.
This webinar gives teachers practical ways to teach privacy as a real-world HSIE issue, not just an online safety lesson.
This webinar offers a clear, teacher-friendly briefing on what the midterms are, what is emerging from the results, and what to watch for next.
