Coping Strategies Against Information Disorders

<< Background >>The applicant VJI, with partners INTEGRA and QUALED, built valuable expertise from their previous Erasmus+ YCARE project, which trained educators and youth counsellors to counter youth radicalization. Since then, we have sustained this work via seminars, courses, and guidance, remaining active in the Radicalisation Awareness Network (RAN). Through RAN’s education group, we identified an urgent new challenge: the need to tackle fake news, conspiracy theories, and propaganda in schools.This realisation led us to apply for a new Erasmus partnership focused on creating a modular media literacy toolbox. Our project directly addresses the need to equip educators with skills to recognize and counteract misinformation. By fostering critical thinking and informed decision-making among youth, the project contributes to a more resilient and informed society prepared to withstand the influence of information disorder.Through practical resources, educators can now manage these complex issues effectively, supporting democratic values and enhancing students' understanding of today's media landscape.<< Objectives >>The project aims to counter the growing challenges of disinformation, misinformation, fake news, and conspiracy theories, collectively known as information disorder, which undermine democratic processes and societal debates. We seek to raise awareness and build societal resilience against these harmful effects.The primary objective is to empower educators, teachers, and youth counselors with enhanced media literacy, helping them manage misinformation and conspiracy theories in educational settings. The project addresses three main challenges:- Disinformation undermines teaching by rejecting mainstream content.- It destabilizes educators, creating insecurity about how to address contentious topics.- Teachers may not recognize the conspiracy theories influencing students.To meet these goals, the project will develop comprehensive guidelines and an interactive toolbox, accessible via an e-platform and mobile apps. These resources aim to improve digital readiness and resilience, aligning with the priorities of promoting democratic values, civic engagement, and innovation in vocational education and training. Ultimately, the project equips educators with the skills to foster a more informed and resilient society.<< Implementation >>The project implemented key activities across work packages. WP1 (Project Management) included partner coordination and staying in contact with NA, quality management, periodic monitoring, financial management, and reporting. WP2 (Course Development) focused on creating a didactic structure, creating elaborate guidelines, designing and translating e-learning content, as well as modifying the products after validation and creating audio versions of the products. WP3 (E-platform and Mobile Applications) covered the platform's structure, app design, and uploading multilingual and audio formats. WP4 (Validation and Pilot Testing) involved creating testing guidelines, testing the e-platform's functionality, piloting content, and gathering feedback. WP5 (Networking, Dissemination, Exploitation) included creating a dissemination plan, developing a website, producing flyers/newsletters, organizing multiplier activities, and establishing a deployment plan.<< Results >>The project will deliver a comprehensive Guidelines document and Interactive Toolbox to help educators tackle disinformation, misinformation, and conspiracy theories in educational contexts. The Guidelines, based on extensive research, span five chapters: Understanding ‘Fake News,’ Actions & Skills, Technology & Tools, Journalism & Media, and Culture & Education. The guidelines are in total 100+ pages long and formatted as text documents including some images. The Interactive Toolbox includes seven modules—Awareness, Critical Thinking, Conflict Solving, Dialogue, Ethics, Reflective Skills, and Digital Skills—with each module containing a presentation with important information on information disorder and its link to the specific subject, and varied activities for different group sizes and durations to be used during training sessions or lessons.All materials are available in partners’ native languages and English, with audio versions for easier access. The project also includes a digital platform and a mobile app, supporting Alexa for versatile, on-the-go learning. Educators can use these resources modularly or fully, depending on lesson needs, to foster resilience against information disorder in students.