"The fundamental cause of the trouble is that in the modern world the stupid are cocksure while the intelligent are full of doubt" (Russell, 1933, p. 28). One seldom hears doubt in the espousing of socio-civic, cultural, or political pronouncements. While the voices seem to always be “cocksure;” we first ask at what level is their objective knowledge and how well do they self-assess that knowledge? We explore how ideological positioning is related to self-assessment and objective knowledge. We conducted a non-comparative (absolute) quantitative study through an email survey of 330 residents of the U.S. over the age of 18 that examined objective socio-civic knowledge and self-assessed ideology and wokeness. The experimental results confirmed misestimations consistent with Dunning-Kruger Effects.

Teacher-centered approaches, such as direct instruction, can be efficient at delivering information but may not promote deep learning or engagement. Student-centered approaches, like project-based learning and inquiry methods, can foster critical thinking and engagement, but can be more resource-intensive for teachers. Educators and administrators can encourage the use of student-centered approaches by providing professional development and support, promoting collaboration and networking, modeling, and encouraging self-reflection. It is important for teachers to use a variety of teaching methods that facilitate active learning.