The LLLPlatform is partner in the two-year Erasmus+ KA2 project “Open Your Eyes: Fake News for Dummies” involving seven partners from six European countries, which seeks to improve the digital literacy of adult learners by providing them with tools to identify fake news and fight the spread of disinformation online. After compiling a database of best practices, the partners trained adult educators by delivering “Check IT Out” Labs to willing adult learners. The data and initiatives collected are available on the project website, together with policy recommendations.
In the New Media Age, we are constantly surrounded by all kinds of information, from political issues to advertisements and marketing, which gets to us with no filter other than our own capacity to critically assess the validity of the received information.
Biased information appears to be particularly difficult to decode for the less media-literate demographics; while the rates of digital literacy have proved to disregard age or educational level, the project targets specifically adult learners and educators, in the hopes of improving their digital skills, raising awareness of the concept of fake news and providing the tools to combat it.
The project intends to deliver two main outputs:
“Check IT Out” Database: after thorough comparative research, the partners compile a collection of scientific data, best practices and initiatives that enables users to develop a critical approach to news consumption and hopefully trigger their critical sense towards this issue. Research is conducted in a selection of European countries interested by phenomena such as separatism and rising disinformation, particularly around the time of national and European elections, and allows future users to design individual strategies to confront disinformation based on what worked best in other countries.
“Check IT Out” Labs: held by especially-trained adult educators and based on the previously developed database, the Labs target groups of 10+ adult learners in partner countries with the objective of developing their critical and digital skills, bringing them closer to the concept of fake news and ultimately spreading awareness about the topic within their network. The developed Handbook for Adult Educators includes 3 modules: Module 1 - Common understanding of Media Literacy in the EU context, Module 2 - Conceptualising disinformation and Module 3 -How to tackle disinformation: tools and methodologies.
Coordinator: Nikanor – Bulgaria
Partners: OpenEurope – Spain; UPI – Slovenia; ADR Nord-Est – Romania; EU DisinfoLab – Belgium; LLLPlatform – Belgium; DLearn – Italy
Website:http://www.openyoureyes.info/