IMAGENDER- promoting digital IMAge education to contrast GENDER stereotypes

<< Background >>Taking the value of the Gender Equality Index, elaborated by the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) and considering it as a comparative element between the countries involved in the project, it is possible to trace different positions and approaches about this kind of topic. Some countries are more virtuous and some are less. Sweden and Finland, for example, are closer to the target value of 100, while Italy and Croatia are around 60. However, a broader look at the evaluation indicators reveals a still slow progression with respect to the achievement of true equality in terms of access to certain study paths (e.g. STEM), positions in management or representative roles, equal pay, and distribution of the burden of care. An inequality that it was interesting to analyse and debate through different narratives conveyed by the culture industry and especially the audiovisual industry. The project partners shared practices, methodologies and contents in order to use videos, films, spots in image education courses aimed at minor students and to prevent discriminatory attitudes.<< Objectives >>With the realisation of IMAGender, the partners collaborated in a process of research, exchange, prototyping and experimentation of good practices in the educational field, promoting media literacy paths in schools in the partner countries. The process started with a collaborative analysis of best practices at European level, with national focuses in the territories involved. This snapshot led us to consider as best practice projects differing in theme, methodology or output processing, to finally elaborate an ‘IMAGEnder’ methodology with which to experiment in pilot classes and multidisciplinary interest groups, workshops and activities for reflection and debate on how implicit and explicit stereotypes are represented or overturned in audiovisual cultural industry products: animated films, commercials, viral videos on social platforms.<< Implementation >>A1 - set up operational tools for monitoring the project (PM handbook, workplan, monitoring tool, communication and dissemination plan) and shared them with the partners during the kickoff meeting, promoted regular monthly meetings and opened a Facebook page in two languages ITA/ENG.A2 was divided into research sub-actions: each partner elaborated a theoretical research on the state of the national debate with respect to the project topics and one on European (sometimes international) best practices as inspiration. Everyone analysed and evaluated the searches of others through an internal ranking tool.A3 - The most representative moment of the project was the transnational meeting where we can meet each other in person, experience and discuss the methodology and activities. Representatives from partner countries, together with local educators and students participated in two training days on the IMAGEnder methodology.A4 - Each partner proposed workshops and activities learned in schools and territories.A5 - Each partner organised a community event to experience and debate the effectivness of the pathway.<< Results >>Nel corso del progetto, oltre agli strumenti operativi per la gestione interna, sono stati prodotti:- 1 research report for booklet production- 1 downloadable booklet containing the theoretical research, the methodology development pathway and examples of activity sheets that can be reproduced in class/community groups- videos, images and attendance certificates with the specifications stated in the submitted project.