- Ofcom and Shout Out UK have launched a three-part media literacy for professionals working with young people.
- 34 per cent of young people in the UK aged 12 to 15 have been exposed to deliberately untrue or misleading news online
- The three-part training will utilise the EU Digital Competences framework and will run from the 1st Oct 2023 – 31st March 2024
Ofcom and Shout Out UK are collaborating to deliver ‘Train the Trainer’ Media Literacy programmes across the country, running from October 1 until March 31, 2024. In just three concise lessons, teachers and youth professionals can acquire the confidence needed to develop their digital resilience and online safety skills to help safeguard vulnerable young people and promote active and positive digital citizenship.
Data for 2023, reveals that 34 per cent of young people in the UK aged 12 to 15 have been exposed to deliberately untrue or misleading news online. Given the ubiquity of social media and the ease of accessing unverified and fake news online, the burden is on us, society, to help young people navigate the maze of information and resist the tide of mis and disinformation.
The Media Literacy programme for adults has been designed specifically with the above in mind.
Lesson 1: Media Literacy and its Core Concepts focuses on explaining the relationship between media literacy, extremism and radicalisation. We examine the meaning of misinformation, disinformation and malinformation, how these tools are used to undermine democracy, and what counterforce we have against them.
Lesson 2: Digital Empowerment and Responsible Citizenship looks at the importance of developing digital skills for active civic participation while also introducing various techniques of responsible information sharing.
Lesson 3: Digital Safety and Safe Online Participation is all about safeguarding children and young adults from serious online threats, such as identity theft and cyberbullying. We will explore the idea of building digital resilience and the strategies at our disposal.
Having completed all three sessions, learners will be able to spot conspiracy theories, identify the presence of various forms of false information, and employ effective methods to protect children from online harms.
False information has the power to divide society and inhibit learning. Only a sound understanding of Media Literacy can effectively challenge these threats, which is why being media literate is arguably the single most important skill a teacher can add to their professional toolbox.
Claire Levens, Head of Media Literacy Policy, Ofcom: ‘We are thrilled to be working with Shout Out UK to ensure children have the skills they need to flourish in an online world. By Mar 2024 this programme will have trained 1,000 education and health professionals, helping to ensure that the adults supporting a child’s development have the up-to-date media literacy knowledge and skills they need to support children effectively with their online lives.’ — Claire Levens, Head of Media Literacy Policy
Matteo Bergamini, CEO/ Founder, Shout Out UK: “Our mission as an organisation is to strengthen democracy by providing training and programmes on media literacy and political literacy. Both are vital skills in tackling disinformation and promoting positive digital citizenship. We welcome this collaboration with Ofcom as a vital step to finally bringing effective media literacy education to professionals working with young people in as many places as possible! We all have a right to accurate information and a duty to ensure we do not spread misinformation, this needs to start with education.”
DISCLAIMER: The articles on our website are not endorsed by, or the opinions of Shout Out UK (SOUK), but exclusively the views of the author.
