Elective · Media Literacy · Grades 5–11

Why school must teach how to spot fake news

Social media, algorithms, and artificial intelligence shape a teenager's worldview every single day. At Edville, we believe critical thinking must not be one of many abstract 'useful traits' — it must be taught as a dedicated learning track from Grade 1 via the Oxford Critical Thinking Pathway, and from Grade 5 within elective courses. One of those is 'Fake News'.

15+

other electives to choose from

in middle and high school

CONTEXT · INFORMATION ENVIRONMENT 2026

A conscious approach to navigating algorithms

TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube algorithms reward emotional, not truthful, content. The SMM industry is built to hold attention: clickbait, manipulative headlines, AI deepfakes, fake news factories, monetised hysteria.

Without critical thinking skills, a teenager absorbs this environment unfiltered. The result is clear: a distorted worldview, heightened anxiety, emotional dependency on likes, falling into information bubbles, and vulnerability to direct manipulation.

A parent cannot stand next to the screen 24/7. That is why media literacy must be embedded in the school curriculum, on a par with every other subject. At Edville, it is embedded from an early age.

APPROACH · TWO-LEVEL PREPARATION

Critical thinking from Grade 1 to 11

At Edville, media literacy does not appear suddenly in the senior years. We build it progressively: from foundational reasoning in Grade 1 to a deep elective in middle and high school.

Grades 1–4 · Primary school

Lessons inspired by the Oxford Critical Thinking Pathway

In primary school we use a format inspired by the Oxford Critical Thinking Pathway, one of the most respected international tools for assessing critical thinking in children.

Students learn to identify arguments in speech and text, distinguish fact from opinion, notice logical errors, evaluate the credibility of a source, and formulate their own reasoned response — all through game-based tasks, discussions, and real-life case studies.

Grades 5–11 · Middle & High school

An elective programme with freedom of choice

In middle and high school, each student builds an individual trajectory from elective courses. These are not extra clubs or tutoring — they are full subjects included in the timetable.

One such elective is 'Fake News' — an in-depth course on media and news, psychological resilience, and critical thinking in the age of social media and artificial intelligence.

In parallel, a student can choose an elective in business, investing, marketing, history, or cultural studies — all of which shape early career orientation well before university.

"In a world where a child will encounter their first piece of information manipulation by the age of 12, not teaching them to spot fake news is like not teaching them to cross the road."

— THE EDVILLE TEAM

STUDENT CHOICE · GRADES 5–11

The full list of electives in middle and high school

Beyond this elective, students can choose from more than 15 others to dive deep into different fields from school age. Each student builds an individual programme around their interests. Every elective is a complete course with projects, presentations, and an industry-practitioner instructor.

— 01 / 04

Business & Finance

11 courses · early entrepreneurship orientation

  1. 1Introduction to Business
  2. 2Venture I
  3. 3Venture II
  4. 4Marketing I
  5. 5Marketing II
  6. 6Marketing III
  7. 7Management I
  8. 8Management II
  9. 9Trading & Investing I
  10. 10Trading & Investing II
  11. 11Trading & Investing III

— 03 / 04

Humanities & Social Studies

5 courses · history, law, culture

  1. 1Sapiens Course
  2. 2Elections
  3. 3Soviet Films
  4. 4Soviet Architecture & Minecraft
  5. 5Courts of Kazakhstan

— 02 / 04

Media & Creative Industries

3 courses · digital environment, music & show business

  1. 1Fake News
  2. 2Show Business
  3. 3Music Technology

— 04 / 04

Digital Worlds

3 courses · esports, strategy & AI tools

  1. 1Counter Strike Foundations
  2. 2Strategic Online Games
  3. 3AI Tools Beyond ChatGPT

ELECTIVE INSTRUCTORS · NETWORK OF PROFESSIONALS

Electives are taught by practitionerswho love their subject

Edville works with a network of experts for whom their subject is not a job but a passion. This creates depth and engagement that a standard textbook can never produce.

The 'Fake News' elective is taught by a working journalist. 'Venture' is led by an active venture analyst. 'Courts of Kazakhstan' is run by a lawyer with courtroom experience and a love of the craft. 'Counter Strike Foundations' is taught by someone with real tournament experience. 'Sapiens' is led by a historian who reads Harari and his sources in the original.

We deliberately do not hire 'all-round teachers' for electives. We look for people who work on their topic every day and can convey it from the inside — with their own case studies, insights, and a real map of the industry.

This builds a living mentor network around each student while still at school — something that usually only happens at university or on the first job. At Edville, we change that status quo.

01Depth

Taught by someone who genuinely works in the industry and knows it inside and out: with failures, case studies, and nuances.

02Engagement

A teacher's enthusiasm is instantly readable and energises the whole class. It cannot be performed or faked from a manual.

03Networking from an early age

Students meet an active professional from a real industry — a potential mentor or future employer.

04Variety of topics

Unconventional courses — from Soviet cinema to esports — broaden horizons far beyond any school textbook.

Enrol your child
at Edville today

The first step is a 5-minute application. We will call, answer all your questions, and arrange an open day.