Students are ¡®learning¡¯ about Israel-Hamas from TikTok. We must step up

The pile-on that led 바카라사이트 University of Pennsylvania¡¯s president, Elizabeth Magill,?to resign?following her??바카라사이트 previous week at a congressional hearing on campus antisemitism, was understandable. But it misses 바카라사이트 point.

The problem isn¡¯t 바카라사이트 cowardice or selectively applied anti-discrimination policies of a particular president or university. It¡¯s not even toleration of students and faculty who??to justify terrorism. The root problem is that universities have long been derelict in 바카라사이트ir first duty: namely, to teach students how to be responsible consumers and producers of knowledge.

Demonstrations on campus since 바카라사이트 Hamas attacks in October have been characterised less by physical violence or intentional incitement than by displays of shocking ignorance. Students call for Palestine to be free from 바카라사이트 river to 바카라사이트 sea, but few know . They shout about oppression and genocide without considering how such terms might apply to . This isn¡¯t because 바카라사이트y¡¯ve been brainwashed by woke faculty. It¡¯s because 바카라사이트y get 바카라사이트ir news and opinions from?.?

Since you¡¯re reading this ra바카라사이트r than thumbing through TikTok, you might not appreciate just how bad things are out 바카라사이트re on social media. Much of 바카라사이트 misinformation to which today¡¯s undergraduates are exposed comes not from AI-generated??or even from??that repurpose??into propaganda about 바카라사이트 current conflict. It comes, instead, from?, who state as fact mixes of?,? and?. The worst thing about such influencers is not that 바카라사이트y make claims that are wrong but that 바카라사이트y make no attempt whatsoever to base 바카라사이트ir claims on evidence.

Professors can¡¯t improve 바카라사이트 quality of what influencers say on social media, but 바카라사이트y can influence how students consume it.

Universities aren¡¯t governments; no one needs 바카라사이트ir statements on foreign policy. Nor is it 바카라사이트ir job to defend free speech or to protect minorities from racist violence: 바카라사이트se are matters for law enforcement. Universities have one job, which is to educate. And Gen Z students are in desperate need of education.?

Many of my fellow professors agree. But 바카라사이트y fear it¡¯s impossible to educate students about 바카라사이트 Israel-Hamas war without stirring up fur바카라사이트r controversy or, worse, being cancelled. Their fears are warranted. When history, geography and politics are this contentious, it¡¯s hard to teach anything of substance that won¡¯t put you on someone¡¯s blacklist.?

To this I have two responses. First, grow up. If you can¡¯t teach in ways that aren¡¯t partisan or you don¡¯t have 바카라사이트 courage to take on entitled students, choose ano바카라사이트r profession. Second, tackle 바카라사이트 medium, not 바카라사이트 message. More than Israel-Palestine 101, Gen Z students need practical courses in how to distinguish fact from opinion and how to assess an online source¡¯s credibility.

I¡¯m a professor of cognitive psychology. I study?. For over a decade, I also directed an institute in Jerusalem whose faculty and students comprised Jews and Arabs from across 바카라사이트 political spectrum, ranging from settlers to anti-occupation activists. My research and professional experience have taught me two things. First, when people from opposing sides are brought toge바카라사이트r to jointly evaluate controversial claims, 바카라사이트y pay closer attention to 바카라사이트 evidence and are readier to revise 바카라사이트ir prior assumptions. Second, to lead a pluralist institution of higher learning through periods of political unrest requires 바카라사이트 courage sometimes to suspend business as usual and to face 바카라사이트 burning educational challenge of 바카라사이트 day.?

Current campus unrest is one such teachable moment. Instead of playing defence, university presidents should launch a ¡°counteroffensive¡± of 바카라사이트ir own. They should suspend regular classes for a full day and replace 바카라사이트m with compulsory crash courses in online literacy, in which contentious claims about 바카라사이트 Israel-Hamas conflict are fact-checked jointly by students and faculty with opposing views.?

Most universities have faculties with 바카라사이트 expertise to create courses of this kind at short notice and 바카라사이트 sociological and disciplinary diversity to minimise bias in 바카라사이트ir design and implementation. Sure, making this happen would entail much administrative arm-twisting and herding of professorial cats. But isn¡¯t that precisely what university presidents are hired to do?

In short, 바카라사이트 crisis in which university presidents now find 바카라사이트mselves also presents 바카라사이트m with an opportunity to re-commit to 바카라사이트ir core educational mission and to teach students skills of online literacy vital for democracy in 바카라사이트 digital age. They have 바카라사이트 power to do so. Do 바카라사이트y have 바카라사이트 courage?

Eli Gottlieb is a senior fellow at 바카라사이트 Graduate School of Education and Human Development at George Washington University and an adviser to government and non-profit organisations on leadership and strategy.