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Description
The project contributes to the educational activities of civil society. Thematically, we focus on media education and the development of media literacy in the Czech Republic. Media and technology are areas to which the practice of Czech schools cannot sufficiently respond. Recent research in the Czech Republic shows that not only pupils and students but also teachers have low media literacy. Primary school teachers are therefore our target group. The presented project builds on our previous two-year experience and results in this area. At the beginning of the project, we will prepare a 6-week online educational program for teachers and during the project we will educate a total of 240 teachers. In terms of content, we will focus primarily on prevention in the field of Internet safety (eg the principles of advertising, misinformation on the Internet, how people tracking works, etc.). In addition to program preparation and teacher training, one of the activities will be targeted promotion of the program. The output of the project will be the technical support of the program, press and evaluation reports and outputs of the program - webinars, online meetings with participants, electronic teaching materials. Our program will enable teachers to acquire knowledge and skills that are currently applicable and, above all, necessary for today''s school. The development of media literacy of teachers will have a positive effect on the development of media literacy of their students. Funding in the project will also allow us to develop our own organization - to improve the strategy of the organization, to educate our employees. Norwegian and Czech partners are involved in the project. The project will last 24 months, we are asking for a grant of 80,561 euros.
Summary of project results
Our project responds to two major problems of our time, which are closely related to the rapid development of technology and the Internet environment. The first of these problems is everyday life, which is increasingly interconnected with the Internet, social networks, and associated risks such as hacking, misinformation and addiction. The second problem is the lack of media education in Czech schools, which is particularly evident in primary and secondary schools, where media education (ME) often fails to fulfil its potential as a cross-cutting topic.
Despite the fact that approximately 90% of primary and secondary schools in the Czech Republic have media education included in their curricula, the findings of the Czech School Inspectorate in 2018 show that media literacy among 9th grade pupils is low. This is due to the lack of time and resources that teachers could devote to MV as a cross-cutting topic in their subjects. Some schools do not focus on MV at all, which leads to pupils being unprepared to face modern online threats.
Further research by Stemmark in 2020 revealed that online safety issues have been increasing over the last five years, which school prevention methodologists confirm. Educators are unable to respond effectively to the growing number of these problems due to inadequate and outdated training in media education. The research Czech Teacher in the World of Media 2021 also confirmed low media literacy among Czech teachers.
Our project focuses on training primary school teachers in online safety and media education. We help teachers develop the skills and knowledge necessary to convey relevant information to pupils, bridging the gap between the fast-changing reality of the online world and outdated educational approaches. We believe that by improving the media literacy of educators we can contribute to a safer and more informed environment for future generations.
The project "Safe on the Internet - a programme for primary school teachers" has achieved significant success and had a number of positive impacts.
Activities and Outcomes:
Webinars for teachers. Teachers learned to recognize different forms of information manipulation and misinformation, enabling them to more effectively guide students to think critically and behave responsibly online.
Strengthening relationships between educators and pupils: The quality of interaction and support on digital safety has improved thanks to trained educators who now better understand the needs and concerns of their pupils in the online environment.
Long-term social impact: The project has contributed to strengthening digital safety and privacy from an early age, thus having a positive impact on society as a whole.
Education of the organisation''s employees: Two employees gained new managerial and professional skills, bringing new knowledge and perspectives to the organisation. These new skills enable the organization to better adapt to new needs in the industry and strengthen its future development.
International cooperation with a Norwegian partner: Involving a Norwegian partner brought an international perspective and best practices from other countries to the project. This cooperation has enriched the training programme and enabled the transfer of know-how to the Czech environment.
Networking: The project became part of an international dialogue on digital literacy and internet safety. The cooperation with the Norwegian partner contributed to networking and sharing of experiences between different countries, thus strengthening the quality and sustainability of the project.
Summary: The project "Safe on the Internet - a programme for primary school teachers" has not only improved the digital literacy of teachers and strengthened the relationship between teachers and pupils, but also brought long-term positive changes in society. Thanks to the training of the organisation''s staff and international cooperation, the project has broadened its horizons and ensured its sustainability and wider reach in the European context. This project is an example of how effective educational programmes can have a profound and lasting impact on digital safety and literacy.
The project "Safely on the Internet - a programme for primary school teachers" has achieved a number of significant results that have positively influenced various target groups:
1) Educators: Increased digital literacy. This enables them to better guide students to think critically and behave responsibly online.
Improving the quality of teaching: Educators can now integrate up-to-date knowledge on digital safety into their lessons, which improves the quality of the educational process. Strengthening relationships with pupils: Trained teachers better understand the needs and concerns of their pupils in the online environment, leading to better communication and support on digital safety.
2) Pupils: Critical Thinking: With educated teachers, students are better prepared to recognize and respond to misinformation and other online threats. Online Safety: Pupils gain important knowledge and skills to behave safely online, reducing the risk of falling victim to online scams or cyberbullying.
3) Society: Long-term impact: The project contributes to strengthening digital safety and privacy in the digital space from an early age, thus having a positive impact on society as a whole.
Awareness and prevention: Raising awareness of digital threats among the general public leads to better prevention and protection against these threats.
4) Organisation:
Staff training: two staff members gained new managerial and professional skills, which strengthened the overall capacity and effectiveness of the organization.
International cooperation: Working with a Norwegian partner brought new perspectives and best practices that enriched the programme and ensured its sustainability and wider reach in the European context.
Summary:
The project "Safe on the Internet - a programme for primary school teachers" has produced significant results for teachers, pupils, society and the organisation itself. Increased digital literacy and improved quality of teaching has had a positive impact on teachers and pupils. Long-term impacts on society include better prevention and protection from digital threats. The organisation has benefited from staff development and international collaboration, which has strengthened its capabilities and extended the impact of the project.
Summary of bilateral results
Partnering with a Norwegian partner has brought a number of benefits to the project. The involvement of an international partner allowed the transfer of best practices and experiences from another country, which enriched the training programme with new perspectives and innovative approaches. The Norwegian partner contributed to the quality and scope of the training programme, which increased its effectiveness and impact. The international cooperation also brought the project organisation new contacts and opportunities for future cooperation at European level. Transfer of know-how: the Norwegian partner provided valuable knowledge and experience in digital literacy and security, which was integrated into the Czech training programme. Improved quality of the programme: Thanks to the international cooperation, the quality and content of the educational materials and training was improved, which led to a higher efficiency of the project.Networking: The cooperation with the Norwegian partner allowed the creation of new networking links and contacts, which strengthened the international dialogue on digital literacy and internet safety.Plans to continue bilateral cooperation:We intend to continue to maintain and develop our cooperation with our Norwegian partner. We plan to regularly exchange experiences and best practices in the field of digital literacy and security. We also intend to work together on new projects and initiatives to respond to current challenges in the digital environment. Continued bilateral cooperation will allow us to inspire each other and use innovative approaches to achieve our goals.