5 – 10 May 2023
Kruševo, North Macedonia

Members of the EPEKA Association will participate in a training called Digital Media Literacy, which will take place in May in North Macedonia.

The main reason for initiating the project is the lack of digital media literacy among the younger generations. As information technology rapidly develops and media becomes increasingly flexible, we are daily exposed to information that is not easy to understand and analyze. Being a competent consumer of today’s digital media is quite complex. Sometimes, the lack of discussions on how to receive digital media messages can even have a negative impact on young society.

During the isolation caused by the coronavirus pandemic, young people spent much more time online and still struggle to return to normal life, where the screen is not the primary means of communication. We are exposed to a large amount of information, much of which is false or inaccurate, indicating an urgent need to make greater efforts to enhance our digital media literacy skills. Now more than ever, we need knowledge that enables us to recognize the nature of the information surrounding us, identify what is useful and credible, protect ourselves from misinformation and online abuse, and take control of what we read, listen to, or watch, while also fostering critical independence from digital media.

Education in digital media literacy is becoming increasingly important for society. Media literacy encompasses critical thinking, civic responsibility, and self-expression. According to the National Association for Media Literacy Education, it is the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, create, and act using all forms of communication. In today’s age, it is very easy for anyone to create any form of media. From text messages and advertising to memes and viral content, media takes on various shapes and forms. This is where digital media literacy becomes crucial. Young people spend a significant amount of time consuming media every day, yet they are not prepared for conscious media consumption as nobody has taught them how to navigate through the media smog, select valuable content, and decode messages. Sometimes, misinterpreting the media has a dramatic impact on young society. Within the project, young participants will expand their knowledge related to media and digital literacy and foster the ability to critically evaluate acquired information.

Infopack of the project with additional information. The project is funded by the Erasmus+ program.