This interview is part of the ”Digital Media Literacy in EDMO Round Table’‘ interview series that is published every month to highlight the work of the 14 EDMO hubs.
BROD – Bulgarian-Romanian Observatory of Digital Media
Andy Stoycheff, NTCenter, Bulgaria; Bianca Rus, CIJ, Romania and Keith Peter Kiely, GATE Institute, Bulgaria.
Can you give us an update on your media literacy activities since our last interview?
In Bulgaria, BROD partner NTCenter has created a partnership with Zaedno v chas for teacher training, with the first webinar successfully completed. The initiative is a pilot training program for high school students, whose reliance on platforms for news consumption makes them susceptible to false or misleading narratives. NTCenter also has extended partnership with EDMO BELUX which is focused on localising the TeaMLit course in Bulgaria (underway). As part of BROD’s broader efforts to lead regional cooperation, we have also agreed to a knowledge exchange partnership with BECID on media literacy interventions and resources.
In Romania, The Center for Independent Journalism (CIJ) has trained more than 270 high school teachers since the beginning of the project (2022). Over the summer, CIJ has been developing a training design focused on digital media literacy for high school and secondary school teachers. We will pilot the first course for high school teachers during a summer school in August. Mid October, CIJ expects to train 75 secondary school teachers.
Other MIL activities done over the past couple of months were in relation to the elections. CIJ held 4 workshops with first-time voters about MIL in the electoral context, reaching over 200 young people.
Moreover, CIJ has been working on a national statistically relevant study regarding children’s and young people’s consumption habits and relationship with information online, which will be published in the upcoming months.
How do you define what constitutes an effective media literacy initiative in your context?
For us, at BROD, an effective media literacy initiative puts the needs of the target group at its core. We see data-informed design as being a must, supported by evaluation, trial and error and constant feedback integration, with a clear goal of awareness/competence development for the citizens of tomorrow. It is vital to incorporate diverse media literacy skills helping those at risk to navigate the complex media landscape effectively with the local context in mind. In addition, developing metacognitive reflective strategies to critically analyze media content and context is also important. We also believe that strategies that strengthen civic literacy through digital literacy can be effective in promoting informed citizenship. Media literacy must be seen as an empowering tool, rather than a top-down remedy for the problem of disinformation. If media literacy is to be an effective solution it needs to encourage people to think for themselves and care must be taken to ensure it is not weaponized in an attempt to enforce ideological consistency.
Which group do you target most often with your media literacy initiatives? (e.g. teachers, librarians, journalists, youth workers, young people, older people) What is the motivation for targeting these groups, and how do you reach them?
In Bulgaria, partner NTCenter is working mostly with teachers and students. GATE and NTCenter also wish to target Librarians and help them to disseminate media literacy skills to their patrons. GATE is also developing a media literacy training course which will be aimed at policymakers, NGOs and SMEs. As part of a comprehensive approach to media literacy, Data literacy and Digital literacy skills are seen as vital and these training programs will also include elements of these.
In Romania, CIJ’s approach tries to create an ecosystem, targeting multiple groups on different layers and through different interventions. Our belief is that a strong democratic society that values journalism, supports and protects it, needs media literate citizens.
Within the Media Literacy Programme, one direction is formal education, where CIJ works primarily with in-service teachers, training them to integrate MIL concepts in their regular subjects and classes, with the ultimate goal to develop the student’s MIL competences. The teachers participate in an online course held by CIJ and accredited by the Ministry of Education, and benefit from long term assistance and mentoring.
CIJ is also making efforts to reach pre-service teachers through the introduction of MIL courses in Faculties of Letters throughout the country. At the moment, it is collaborating with multiple universities and piloting various formats.
The other intervention direction caters to non-formal and informal education. CIJ also works directly with young people in thematic workshops or summer/winter bootcamps and organises nation-wide events (World Largest Lesson inspired) to reach as many as possible.
Is there potential for collaboration with those outside civil society in your country/ies? For example, with policymakers, regulatory authorities or the tech industry. If so, what form does such collaboration take?
Finally, for a couple of years now, CIJ has been offering MIL training and mentoring to local NGOs, striving to increase the MIL awareness in local communities.
In Bulgaria, partner NTCenter just started a collaboration with the AI company Identrics on media analysis, conspiracy theories and narratives. This is based on collaboration and shared development of concepts and tools. In addition, GATE is also developing a media literacy training course which will be aimed at policymakers, local businesses and SMEs.
In Romania, CIJ’s experience led it towards a partnership with the Ministry of Education for the implementation of some of the activities within CIJ’s Media Literacy Programme.
Where do you think the best opportunities lie for you going forward in promoting media literacy and tackling disinformation in your country/ies?
In Bulgaria, we believe that improving our media and information literacy approach that relies on collaboration, stakeholder participation, expanded worldview, improved technical skills and understanding, science-based model anchored in cognitive science. Additionally, media literacy must incorporate elements of digital and data literacy skills, especially with the development of legislative aspects such as the Digital Services Act, the Code of Practice on Disinformation and the upcoming EU AI Act.
CIJ is committed to its goal of supporting systemic change from within. That is the reason why CIJ’s work is and will continue to be focused on working together with teachers in order to reach as many students as possible. At the moment, we are exploring collaboration with the national network of educational institutions and structures that provide teacher training, to start scaling one direction of training within the Media Literacy Programme (the MIL infusion accredited course for high school teachers).
