Authored by John Snell, Open Minds Education Expert Having worked in schools for over 25 years,...
Open Minds Foundation
Are algorithms affecting how we think?
It is no secret that the majority of modern media platforms exist and operate thanks to...
Art or lies? Does television contribute to misinformation?
One television programme coming under fire currently is The Crown on Netflix, which taps into a...
Is modern media killing critical thinking?
Thanks to the marvels of modern technology, we can now see exactly how many hours and minutes we...
Supporting children with their wellbeing
Authored by John Snell, Open Minds Education Expert There is a wealth of information and data...
Tackling the rising tide of misinformation
In a world where the 2016 Oxford Dictionaries word of the year was “post-truth” pertaining to...
Critical thinking: simple strategies promise significant gains
[Opinion piece] There is growing research supporting not only the personal value of improved...
The power of lateral reading
How we consume and read content has changed, in large part because the way that content is...
A license to kill people socially
Authored by Patrick Haeck [This blog provides an update to Patrick's previous experience in a...
The meaning between the words
When considering our tendency to “Truth Bias”, it is no surprise that what people say, and how the...
The role of “illusory truth” in misinformation
Building on the notion of truth bias, the illusory truth effect (ITE) demonstrates the crucialness...
Why we believe in truth and honesty, even when we shouldn’t
There is a phenomenon called “truth bias” which leads us to believe people are telling us the...
Jehovah’s Witnesses appeal: shunning is a crime
Following success in the courts of Belgium in getting religious shunning recognised as a crime, a...
Critical thinking: is Estonia offering a model education system?
Authored by Educational Leader John Snell, UK Headteacher, & advisor to the Open Minds...
Do you know the signs of gaslighting?
If a friend, colleague, or family member starts to change their behaviour, then it could be a sign...
White Supremacists on Trial: racial radicalisation in the US
On 11 August 2017 the “Unite the Right” white supremacist rally began in Charlottesville,...
That statistic: is it true?
Authored by Victoria Petkovic-Short When you see a claim backed up by statistics, how do you know...
The problem with statistics…
A statistic is defined as “a fact or piece of data obtained from a study of a large quantity of...
The key to eliminating coercion, lies in critical thinking
Author: Richard Kelly | January 2022 The mission for the Open Minds Foundation is “to create...
Critical thinking: a practical group exercise for the classroom
Tackling the challenge of classroom groupthink One of the core challenges of working with young...
Coercion at its Worst: Religious Mandated SHUNNING
By Patrick Haeck | January 2022 One of the most onerous forms of coercive control is mandated...
What is confirmation bias?
Confirmation bias (also referred to as myside bias) is a broad term encompassing a number of...
Combatting misinformation with the rule of five
Hands up who has a favourite news resource that they refer to? It could be a news website, a...
Critical Thinking in Primary Schools
Authored by John Snell Developing critical thinking skills in primary schools can appear to be a...
The power of propaganda and how to fight it
Under scrutiny until at least January 2022, the oldest defendant to stand trial so far will be...
What is groupthink?
Groupthink occurs when a group of people reach full consensus on an issue or decision, without...
Welcome to Open Minds 2.0
Following our very gentle relaunch last week, we’ve been overwhelmed with the response, comments,...