The digitalization, the Internet and the broad availability of mobile devices have fundamentally changed the media world in the meantime. The convergence of old and new media, their universal availability and interactive media offerings, social online networks and media-based contents and services generate new opportunities for acquisition of information, but also lead to new challenges. On the one side, in addition to the traditional function of media, among others, to inform and report, media have a versatile didactical-methodological potential for teaching and learning, which include visual evidence, attractive contents and the formal quality. It is able to support self-regulated learning regardless of temporal or geographical limitations, and cooperative learning through collaborative online platforms or educational tools as well. On the other side, the media world brings for the society and individual as well, risks and dangers. This means upon others, the increased potential of negligent use of media technologies and services, of reckless or irresponsible handling of personal data and of non-observance of copyright principles. Additionally, through the increased presence of the media in our everyday life, it has become a constant socialisation instance. The increasingly networked media offerings, with their dynamic symbolic and life-worlds, open up new experiences and adventure areas to youth but it has an influence on their personality too. Youth develop their moral standards, ethical orientations and aesthetic judgments in their personal and social environment, as well as in the media. Medial models, heroic figures and idols accompany childhood and youth; Self- and world pictures, argument and action pattern, role understandings and behaviours are often taken from media contexts. Therefore, from the technical and contextual point of view, the young generation need an adequate media education to be able to foster the development of their age-appropriate abilities to critically and constructively reflect the growing media offer, to choose from these offers meaningful and needs-driven and to use media appropriately, creatively and socially responsible for the development of one's own personality. Media education creates the prerequisite for analysing and understanding media design elements, expressions and codes as well as deciphering media messages and evaluating their intentions. Rapid changes in the uses of information and communication technologies changes our information consumption and the adoption of digital networks. New information and communication technologies substantially modifies media forms and content, as well as users’ relationship with information too. At every level of education, media and digital literacies are often approached from a strictly technical perspective, resulting in a goal of literacy competencies based on the way that hardware and software applications can be mastered and directly applied to traditional learning environments. As a result, media education is often associated with simply attaining the applied skills needed to navigate computer networks, virtual worlds, software platforms, social networks or media production tools and editing devices. The current project goes beyond these aims and target the media education related to the critical analysis and practices as essential requirement for a social participation, equal opportunities and personal and professional development. The project follows a holistic approach on fostering media competences of youth and educators. At first, common up-to-date standards on media education based on the technical, ethical, democratic, social, legal, affective, aesthetical and behavioural dimensions of media competence will be elaborated among the partners, considering the country specific circumstances and challenges. Based on these standards e-learning training for educators will be developed to up-skill their media competences and offer options for action for their teaching environment. Following the holistic approach of the project, the project aims to develop age-proper e-learning modules on media education for youth, also based on the previously developed standards on media education. The real piloting of the e-learning modules by educators and youth and the elaboration of criteria and tools for the assessment of media competences round up the objectives of the project. The e-learning modules can be used substituting or supplementing the current curricula or other media related educational offers. The outcomes will be available for the public, and accessible on all mainly recognised electronic devices (computer, smart phone and tablet). The innovative character of the outcomes lays in the holistic approach considering not only the media literacy regarding the use of technical devices but also the critical thinking for „socialising and become active citizens“ (UNSECO 2013).
The objective of the project was to improve the knowledge and related skills of vocational education and secondary education teachers and their students in dealing with media. The project was based on the observation that 21st century rapid media change is unmatched with the skills of the users in regards to the ethical side of media consumption and production. The categorical dividing line between the media-mediated communication and the direct personal communication of the conversation was canceled in the course of the development of information and communication technology. With the introduction of the World Wide Web, one-sided mass communication became interactive. This possibility was increased by "Web 2.0". Considering that media is our window to the world and decisive part of opinion formation and participation in society it is necessary to be informed of the pitfalls that digital media bring with them. In order to enable young people who are more often fond of the technical side of digital media, to also use media and its content competently, responsibly and in accordance with their own goals and needs, they need to be taught how. In order to accordingly up-skill the media competencies of teachers the project created a low-threshold e-learning offer, which provides basic information on the most important issues regarding ethical media use in conjunction with the four dimensions of media competence: media criticism, media studies, media use and media design. The e-learing course is designed for use according to individual upskilling needs. The units can be accessed independently of each other. After each unit the user can assess his/her gained knowledge through an assessment. The course comprises six units and 23 subunits. Each subunit is followed by ready to use classroom activities, which can be dowloaded. The course is available in English, German, Spanish and Hungarian. The course targets teachers, youth workers and anyone who works with young people between 15 and 25 and beyond. A recent German study confirmed the need for ethical media education, therefore our course makes a valuable contribution to a societal need. This is reflected also in the high access rates of the e-learning course so far. The course in its different language versions has been accessed 13.000 times up to now. The long term benefit to teachers and their audiences is a broadened knowledge on ethical media usage and thus higher competencies in making informed choices in media behaviour and thus becoming a responsible and active citizen of modern day democracies.