by Dr Klinta Ločmele, University of Latvia, Latvia.
When I first introduced the course Journalism in the Era of Disinformation at the University of Latvia in 2020, it was developed within the framework of the IREX Baltic Media Literacy Programme, funded by the U.S. Department of State. The course adapted key ideas from IREX’s program to the Latvian context. After being invited to design and teach it, I decided that the final exam would not be a theoretical test but a hands-on project where students act as media literacy ambassadors – they design and implement educational initiatives for real audiences.
Over four years, students have created 80 small-scale media literacy initiatives in groups, and the results have been creative, playful and surprisingly insightful. They have produced short films, TikTok video series, podcasts, brochures, and board games, and even theatrical performances, such as the live performance Informative Restaurant “Clickbait,” where a waiter and chef “served” various types of disinformation to the audience, sparking a discussion about how we “consume” information. Several groups also chose to work directly with communities, leading practical media literacy workshops for senior associations, children in orphanages and other vulnerable groups.
Some groups even turned to music as a way to engage their audiences. One group wrote, recorded and filmed a hip-hop video about deepfakes, using humour to make the message memorable. Another group created an animated video clip with a playful song about media literacy (listen here, in Latvian), proving that media literacy education can be both informative and entertaining.
Some groups chose to make short movies. One of the most memorable was Cool Girls Like Media Literate Guys 😉 – a tongue-in-cheek film about how media literacy skills can actually make someone more attractive, told through the story of a girl choosing between two suitors. Another group addressed online safety for children with a 21-minute drama designed for parents to watch together with their kids.
One early group even created a podcast called Info-dēmija during the pandemic, which was later picked up by a radio station and grew into more than 25 episodes featuring interviews with experts about media literacy from different perspectives. It is still available on Spotify (listen here, in Latvian). I use this example to motivate students by showing that a classroom project can grow into a meaningful, long-term initiative.
An important part of the process was letting students choose their own format and level of public exposure. This point came up in the “Media & Learning 2025” conference discussion, where some colleagues worried that students might be forced into a “public performance” before they were ready. My approach is to provide a safe but authentic environment: the projects are real, the audiences are real, but the level of exposure is student-controlled. That balance helps them take creative risks without fear of reputational harm. Students can choose to publish content on their personal profiles, create separate accounts for their campaigns, or avoid social media entirely by designing offline activities such as workshops or board games. To support quality and reduce risks, several weeks before the exam, students present their ideas in a seminar where we discuss their plans and they receive feedback – sometimes also from invited communication experts – and can consult with me at any stage of the process.
This approach forces students to think strategically about their audiences. They cannot simply produce only what they like – they must consider who will watch, listen, or play, and how to keep that audience engaged. For many, this is the first time they have to measure engagement and gather feedback.
Some of the most valuable lessons came from projects that seemed “easy” at first. Students who initially thought that making TikTok videos would be the simplest choice soon learned that viewers often drop off after only a few seconds, so keeping attention requires skill – planning strong hooks, using trending music, and other engagement tactics.
Of course, there are formal assessment criteria, and students must present their work, reflect on what they would do differently with the benefit of experience, and critically evaluate their own results. For me, the challenge is to create fair grading criteria that can apply to such different outputs – from songs to podcasts to workshops – and to find the time to review long-form content such as 30+ minute podcasts or full-length workshop recordings. The learning outcomes are well worth the effort – this is not just an exam to “tick the box,” but practical training that helps students make a small but real contribution to media literacy in society.
Dr Klinta Ločmele, University of Latvia, Latvia.
