Centre for Digital Information Literacy in Schools (CDILS)
Status
In Progress
Timeline:
September 2025 to 2029
Project overview
The Centre for Digital Information Literacy in Schools (CDILS) was launched by the National Institute of Teaching (NIoT) in July 2025, with generous support from the Pears Foundation. Its purpose is to tackle the growing challenge of online conspiracy, disinformation and misinformation in schools. The Centre will aim to understand how to best help educators – from trainee teachers to senior leaders and governors – build the knowledge, confidence, and tools they need to teach and lead effectively in an age of misinformation.
What are the intended outcomes?
- Increased educator confidence and capability
- System-wide reach and adoption of training on countering misinformation
- A national conversation on trust and truth in education
Latest news and outputs
Navigating conspiracies and misinformation in schools
Eight points for teachers and leaders to reflect on
Project team
- Pip Sanderson, Head of the Centre for Digital Information Literacy in Schools
- Kahil Ali, Programme Lead
- Rob Nash, Head of Psychological Research
- Amrita Bains, Research Fellow
- Sophie Marshall, Research Fellow
- Hadeel Dawod, Project Administrator
- Steven Jefferies, PR and Policy Manager
Strategic Advisory Group
- Amy Braier, Pears Foundation
- Dame Rachel De Souza, Children’s Commissioner for England
- Dr Dan Jolley, University of Nottingham
- Elisabeth Bowling, Inspiration Trust
- Eliot Higgins, Bellingcat
- Jennese Alozie, University of Chichester Academy Trust
- Jeremy Hayward, University College London
- Professor Carl Hendrick, Academica University of Applied Sciences
- Professor Sander Van Der Linden, University of Cambridge
- Shuab Gamote, Independent Researcher & Policy Adviser
FAQs
To find out more about CDILS, read our FAQs.
Get involved
At CDILS, we’re inviting colleagues to work with us, to test ideas, and to help us ask the right questions so that together we can build something that reflects real classroom experience and strengthens professional judgement across the system. Your insights and feedback will help ensure this work is grounded, practical, and genuinely useful to schools in navigating an increasingly complex information landscape.
If you would like to take part or learn more, please email us: [email protected]