By Peter Jančárik, Seznam.cz, Czechia.
Seznam.cz might be small globally, but it is one of the largest internet companies in the Czech Republic reaching 90% of the Czech internet population, and offering a wide range of services including a search engine, news portal, email, and more. It is also committed to providing trustworthy information and push back on online toxicity, falsehoods and disinformation.
Media literacy training is one of the key pillars of its efforts in making the information space in the country a bit healthier.
Back in 2019, Seznam.cz kicked off a cool project called Seznam se s médii (Get to Know Media) to help teachers and librarians get better at media literacy. The programme offers:
- Online Courses: Teachers from all over Czechia can join free 90-minute online courses. They get to learn about different modules and teaching methods, which they can use in their own classes. Right now, there are 17 different methodologies available for download.
- Media Education Festival: Every summer, Seznam.cz hosts this unique festival just for educators and librarians. More than 200 teachers and librarians have already attended three days packed with workshops, demo lessons, and visits to local newsrooms.
- Media Education Academy: This academy is perfect for teachers who have some basic background in media education but haven’t started using it in their classes yet.
- Seznam se s médii Newsletter: A monthly newsletter that keeps readers updated on traditional and new media, social networks, and AI.
- Guided tours: Seznam offer guided tours for journalism students and media educators from all around the world to discuss hot topics such as disinformation or AI, but also to visit studios and meet journalists.
Seznam’s media literacy programs are all about helping Czech people think critically and stay informed in today’s media landscape. They are a natural addition to Seznam’s commitments to provide trusted news, search results, and platforms to exchange ideas in a safe environment.
Author
Peter Jančárik, coordinator of anti-disinformation projects, Seznam.cz
