Kaitiaki Pūtaiao: Observation: Misinformation spreads faster than verified facts. Hypothesis: It's engineered to do so. Today, we will deconstruct the mechanics of misinformation. We will analyse its structure and identify its weak points. This is a systems analysis problem.
Kaitiaki Hauora: And it's a Taha Hinengaro problem. Misinformation isn't designed to appeal to our logic; it's designed to target our feelings—our anger, our fear, our hope. Understanding our own emotional response is the first step to building a defence against it. Let's learn to listen to our gut feelings.
Knowledge (Māramatanga)
- Define misinformation as false or inaccurate information, especially that which is deliberately intended to deceive.
- Identify common tactics used in misinformation (e.g., strong emotional language, fake experts, scapegoating).
- Understand that misinformation is designed to provoke an emotional, not a logical, response.
Skills (Pūkenga)
- Analyse a piece of content to identify red flags for misinformation.
- Evaluate the emotional impact of headlines and images.
- Apply a simple checklist (like the S.I.F.T. method) to verify information.
Values (Wairuatanga)
- Value truth and accuracy (pono me te tika).
- Develop a healthy skepticism towards information presented online.
- Feel a sense of responsibility to avoid sharing unverified information (kaitiakitanga).
Media Anchor | Watch & Discuss (10 minutes)
Video Anchor: Algorithms of Oppression and AI Bias
Use this as a bridge into misinformation systems: ranking, recommendation, and trust distortion.
- How do recommendation systems shape what feels true to users?
- What verification routine should students run before sharing a claim?
Whakatūwhera | The Feeling of 'Fake' (15 minutes)
Main Activity: Headline Gut Check
- Setup (5 mins): The teacher prepares two headlines. One is a real, factual, but slightly boring headline. The other is a fake, sensational, and emotionally charged headline.
- Activity (10 mins): The teacher shows the class the fake headline first and asks: "How does this headline make you feel? Angry? Scared? Excited?" Then, show the real headline and ask the same question. Discuss the difference. Kaitiaki Hauora's point is that misinformation often feels more interesting because it's designed to.
Main Learning | Deconstructing the Fake (35 minutes)
Main Activity: Misinformation Autopsy
- Introducing the Red Flags (10 mins): The teacher introduces common tactics used in misinformation, using the 'Misinformation Analysis' handout as a guide (e.g., appeals to strong emotion, lack of sources, "us vs. them" language).
- Group Analysis (20 mins): In small groups, students receive a sample piece of fake news (prepared by the teacher). Using the handout, they conduct an "autopsy," identifying the specific tactics used in their example.
- Sharing Findings (5 mins): Each group shares the number one red flag they identified in their sample.
Consolidation | The S.I.F.T. Method (20 minutes)
Main Activity: A Tool for Truth
- Introducing S.I.F.T. (10 mins): Kaitiaki Pūtaiao introduces a simple, powerful tool for verification:
- S - Stop: Before you share, just stop. Pause.
- I - Investigate the Source: Who is telling you this? Are they credible?
- F - Find Better Coverage: Can you find this story on a trusted news site?
- T - Trace Claims to the Original: Find the original source of the claim.
- Practice (10 mins): As a class, apply the S.I.F.T. method to one of the fake news examples from the earlier activity. Walk through the steps together.
Whakakapi | Kaitiaki of Kōrero (5 minutes)
Main Activity: Final Pledge
- The teacher concludes: "The whakataukī reminds us that people are the most important thing. Misinformation can harm people by turning them against each other. By choosing to stop, investigate, and only share what is true, you are a kaitiaki—a guardian. You are protecting the Taha Hinengaro of our people."
Curriculum alignment
- Organism Diversity — Practices: Investigating and recording the structure of cells, identifying the main cellular components visible (cell wall, cell membrane, cytoplasm, nucleus, vacuoles, chloroplast), and…
- Motion and Forces — Knowledge: The shape and design of a tool determine its effect when pressure is applied.
- Body Systems — Knowledge: The sugars made during photosynthesis can be stored as starch (for fuel) or used to build materials like cellulose (which gives plants strength and structure).
📋 Teacher Planning Snapshot
Ngā Whāinga Ako — Learning Intentions
Students will engage with this resource to explore digital kaitiakitanga — applying tikanga Māori principles of guardianship, manaakitanga, and whanaungatanga to their digital lives, spaces, and technologies.
Ngā Paearu Angitū — Success Criteria
- ✅ Students can explain how kaitiakitanga applies to digital environments and online communities.
- ✅ Students can connect tikanga Māori values to ethical decision-making in digital contexts.
Differentiation & Inclusion
Scaffold support: Provide sentence starters and visual frameworks to scaffold access at the entry level. Offer extension tasks that deepen ethical analysis — for example, comparing digital tikanga principles to international AI ethics frameworks.
ELL / ESOL: Pre-teach key kupu (kaitiakitanga, manaakitanga, whanaungatanga, tikanga) with bilingual glossaries. Allow students to express ideas in their home language first before translating to English.
Inclusion: Chunk tasks and provide clear visual instructions. Neurodiverse learners benefit from structured choice in how they demonstrate understanding (e.g., verbal, written, or visual). Affirm diverse digital experiences as valid starting points.
Mātauranga Māori lens: Digital kaitiakitanga frames technology through Te Ao Māori — our digital spaces are extensions of our marae, our data is part of our whakapapa, and our online behaviour reflects our mana. Tikanga Māori provides a powerful ethical compass for navigating the digital world.
Prior knowledge: No specialist digital technology knowledge required for entry-level engagement. Best used after introductory lessons on tikanga Māori or as part of a digital technologies unit.
Curriculum alignment
- Te Mātaiaho (2025) · Technology · Phase 4 (Years 9–10) · Design, Make, and Innovate (Knowledge): “Algorithms influence what people see online, shaping opinions and behaviours.”
- NZC (2007) · Technology · Level 5: “Understand how people’s perceptions and acceptance of technology impact on technological developments and how and why technological knowledge becomes codified.”