Scenario planning and simulations as a teaching aid for ‘fake news’ and information warfare

Summary of best practices from applied simulations (i.e. wargames) used in teaching information literacy and how to combat ‘fake news’ and related cyber threats.

This presentation briefly illustrates teaching methods adapted from professional military education to students in Kosovo, where in an Information & Communications Policy course, they are tasked with learning digital literacy of open-source information. This includes use of a simulation (“wargame”) forcing students to apply knowledge as key actors in an 8-week crisis scenario, where they must assess legitimacy of knowledge, produce information frameworks, and how to defend against misinformation campaigns. Originally tested in 2016 in Kosovo, this approach is now central to the course, which includes both civilian students and military cadets.