Media literacy is a “catchy” term nowadays but not much of ground-work is done to support the ability for conscious consumption of media-distributed messages among adults. This was stated during recent gathering of EC body, Media Literacy Expert Group. "Media literacy" is defined by MLEG as umbrella expression including all technical, cognitive, social, civic and creative capacities that allow a citizen to access the media, have critical understanding and to interact with it. All these capacities enable citizens to participate in economic, social and cultural aspects of society and play active role in democratic processes. MLEG in June 2018 summarised the research carried out among EU citizens and concluded that there is a “need for strengthening efforts in increasing media literacy at all levels”. A. Hellman, Deputy Head of MLEG, after listing a few initiatives, concluded “But this is not enough” and one recommendation was to “provide educational material to educators”. Adult educators acting on behalf of learners as part of civil society need to learn how to recognise, analyse and explain to their learners key terms and ideas for understanding disinformation with media literacy principles. The project addresses both, learners and educators. It is based on reports and statistics review at national and EU levels and own partners research. It is a response to the need to integrate “critical thinking, information evaluation and media literacy as some of the top skills for the 21st century” into educational systems. This need is expressed in the publication “10 trends transforming education as we know it” by EU Political Strategy Centre “Media literacy wanted” (2017). Media literacy practitioners need to develop innovative strategies to inform citizens of issues arising from disinformation. To achieve this, the EU encourages effective cooperation among educational institutions to provide educational and training materials to schools and educators. This is expressly mentioned in the section '3.3.Fostering education and media literacy' (p.13) of the EC's 'Communication on Tackling online disinformation'. In order to answer the need, aims of IMEDIAL project are to: - extend and develop of adult educators’ media literacy skills and competences in effective teaching of those skills (especially those who work with disadvantaged learners) - to increase media literacy skills of adult learners (especially disadvantaged). The aims will be achieved through development of: - IMEDIAL workbook and cards for educators - IMEDIAL cards for learners - IMEDIAL mobile APP for both groups and through wide dissemination of results. Target groups: - adult educators especially those that work in non-formal education settings, adult education centres, social centres, NGOs, associations and freelancers working with disadvantaged learners - learners from disadvantaged groups, including persons with low skills and with lower level qualifications, with low income, from remote areas; unemployed, women, immigrants The main impact on adult educators is in strengthening their media literacy skills and capacities to offer media literacy training based on innovative IMEDIAL results (workbook, cards for learners and mobile APP) dedicated especially to those that come from disadvantaged backgrounds. The main impact on low-skilled adult learners, especially those coming from disadvantaged backgrounds, is upgrading of their media literacy and digital skills which will allow them to have critical understanding of media, be able to identify fake news, manage information they receive and in effect develop trust in media. The project will also have its impact on the stakeholders, participants and participating organisations.
Within the IMEDIAL project, partners wanted to achieve the fulfilment of its two aims which were: - to extend and develop of adult educators’ media literacy skills and competences in effective teaching of those skills (especially those who work with disadvantaged learners), - to increase media literacy skills of adult learners (especially disadvantaged).
The partnership applied for this project because it members, partner organisations, are adult education providers aware of the needs of adult educators and their learners. Partners were aware of how media literacy skills are crucial in today’s world for identifying fake news and disinformation and that citizens need tools to identify fake news, improve trust online, and manage information they receive. Media literate persons are better prepared for recognising dangerous content and defend themselves and their relatives from cyberbullying. On the other hand, working with adult educators and their learners on daily basis, partners were aware of the need of media literacy skills of adult educators in order to develop innovative strategies to inform citizens of issues arising from disinformation. The needs were: - Development of adult educators’ media literacy skills and competences in effective teaching of these skills. - Provision of necessary knowledge and skills for adult learners, especially those that are disadvantaged, in the area of media literacy. Important reason was also that partners wanted to have innovative didactic tools in the form of workbook, cards and mobile APP, which they could develop themselves.