Welcome to the MLI Monthly Update
Have something you want to share with the membership? Tell us about it by emailing us at info@medialiteracyireland.ie. We are particularly interested in including your resources in the Training and Development section of the MLI website.
This Month in Media Literacy
Another jam-packed newsletter for May. Almost at the halfway mark for 2023 and LOTS still to come. If you haven’t already had a look at our Workplan please go to the Members News section of the website and think about how you can best play your part. Email Martina with any thoughts/suggestions/ideas. If you haven’t logged on in a while, you might need to reset your password.
Announcements
Erasmus+ Funding for Media Literacy Projects
The Wheel have put together a guide to Erasmus+ funding for the media literacy community. With a budget of €26.2 billion, Erasmus+ is the EU’s programme to support organisations working in education, training, youth and sport in Europe. The Programme Guide emphasises that Erasmus+ funding will foster the development of critical thinking and media literacy so now is the perfect time to take advantage of these opportunities.
Press Pass winners announced
Congratulations to the winners of the NewsBrands Ireland Press Pass student journalism competition. Prizes were awarded in six categories including News Writing, Features, Opinion, Sports Journalism, Photojournalism, and best School Newspaper.
Call for Questions From Next News Generation at News Xchange
The News Xchange conference takes place in Dublin on June 19 and 20 2023. Organisers want to connect with the next generation of news makers and news consumers through an initiative called Questions From The Next News Generation and are looking for young people to submit questions to high profile panels. MLI have a small number of tickets available for MLI members working with young people which will be allocated on a ‘first come’ basis.
Spot the AI difference?
With the explosion of AI, large language models and now AI systems that can generate realistic images from prompts, it is getting harder to believe what we see. MLI member Diarmaid Mac Mathúna has crafted some hints to spot the difference.
Research on Bystander Behaviour published in Safer Internet Day Report
Online bullying is the most common negative experience children encounter online in Ireland. This issue is covered in the recently published SID 2023 Report which also includes findings from a research study of Bystander Behaviour Online Among Young People in Ireland commissioned by Webwise and conducted by DCU Anti-Bullying Centre.
eTwinning/EPAS initiative gets students discussing media and democracy
More than 100 students with ages ranging from 15 to 18 years from 50 different schools in six countries participated in a research project on media and democracy developed by eTwinning in partnership with the European Parliament Ambassador School (EPAS) programme. Participants examined the role of the media in relation to European democratic values and analysing issues related to media regulation, media ownership, and freedom of press.
New interactive journalism workshops for schools launched
NewsBrands Ireland have launched a new series of free interactive journalism workshops for Transition Year students. The workshops complement their Press Pass School Journalism and News Literacy programme.
EDMO establishes Task Force on 2024 European Parliament Elections
The European Digital Media Observatory (EDMO) has established a Task Force on the 2024 European Parliament Elections. The main purpose of this initiative is to monitor the EU information ecosystem ahead of the elections, as well as monitoring, collecting and facilitating communications in research, MIL and fact-checking initiatives.
In the News
MLI members Dr. Eileen Culloty and Martina Chapman are quoted in a long-form article from RTÉ on disinformation. Authored by Sinéad Crowley, the piece looked at the issue of disinformation and the efforts being made at personal, political and industry levels to curb its spread.
NearFM course selected as best practice for Erasmus project
NearFM’s Media and Broadcast course has been selected as best practice as part of the Media Information Literacy Evaluations and Strategies (MILES) project. Bringing together partners from across Europe, MILES explores how to motivate and engage participants with media in a responsible and critical manner.
Connecting Media Literacy and Mental Health
Ofcom recently published a new report entitled Listening to Experts, which brings together the work of 14 organisations who are delivering media literacy initiatives connected to mental health, providing case studies that outline their practice and drawing on the expertise of the people who lead, deliver and participate in the projects.
Trust Me makes the shortlist for the 2023 MEDEA Awards
MLI members, The Getting Better Foundation, have been shortlisted as one of seven finalists (out of 70 entries) for the 2023 MEDEA Awards for their documentary Trust Me. The documentary was screened for MLI members in March 2021 but if you missed it can still be viewed online.
More Good News please
New research shows that looking at positive news stories — specifically, videos and articles featuring acts of kindness — can actually counteract the ill-effects of seeing negative news stories.
Digital Media Literacy in EDMO Round Table: IBERIFIER
Find out what is happening in the Iberic region when it comes to promoting media literacy. This interview from Media & Learning is part of the Digital Media Literacy in EDMO Round Table interview series that is published every month to highlight the work of the 14 EDMO hubs.
NewsGuard wins grant to produce media literacy resources for older people
UK based MLI members, NewsGuard, have received a grant from the UK Government to produce media literacy resources for older people as part of the DCMS Media Literacy Programme Fund. NewsGuard’s program is designed to bolster media literacy in elderly populations, build resilience to online misinformation, and increase support for vulnerable internet users. If you work with older people and would be interested in accessing NewsGuard’s browser extension and misinformation training programmes, please contact veena.mccoole@newsguardtech.com
Data Journalism Training Programme
An initiative of the European Data Journalism Network and Dataninja, this fully online course consists of both self-paced training modules and live in-depth workshops with key industry players. Starting in September 2023, participants will build the technical and critical skills needed to navigate the world of collecting, analysing, and presenting data for journalism activity. Join the waiting list now.
Making Sense of Media Annual Plan published
Ofcom have published the Making Sense of Media Annual Plan which outlines progress against the MSOM approach to online media literacy in December 2021, and details commitments and ambitions for the year ahead.
Upcoming events
We need to talk about AI – 7 June
This free webinar organised by the LIR mission takes a look at the emerging issues relating to artificial intelligence and libraries. Thomas Lancaster, Andrew Cox and Frances Madden will discuss Generative AI and Machine Learning tools and cover the following topics:
- The potential impact of AI on the roles of information professionals
- AI and machine learning: the impact on research
- AI generative tools and academic integrity
MLI Working Group Panel Meeting – June 15
The next MLI Working Group Panel meeting is planned for June 15 between 11am and 1pm. The upcoming Be Media Smart campaign, events, and the annual conference are some of the items on the agenda. This is your chance to help shape what we do. If you haven’t received a meeting invitation and want to participate, please email martinachapman@mercuryinsights.com
Focus on Media Literacy In The Community – 21 June
Helping people stay safe and savvy online is a global issue but the most effective solutions are community oriented – how do we bridge that gap? This is one of the questions that will be posed by the Ofcom Making Sense of Media team at their Belfast event where insights from Ofcom’s work on media literacy will be shared and there will be an opportunity to hear from local experts and connect with members of the MSOM network.
In Case You Missed It
Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence discusses disinformation
The Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence met on May 15 to discuss ‘disinformation and hybrid threats’ with Dr Culloty (DCU FuJo and MLI Vice-Chair), Prof. Brigid Laffan, and Caitriona Heinl. During the discussion, Dr Culloty highlighted the work of MLI and its members in delivering media literacy to a wide range of citizen groups.
Resource of the Month
HTML Heroes
Originally designed for 1st and 2nd class children, HTML Heroes has expanded to include specially designed resources for 3rd and 4th class. The HTML Heroes teach pupils the importance of digital citizenship and online safety with the help of fun activities, animations, short illustrated stories and, of course, the ‘Stop, Think, Check!’ song. Developed by Webwise.ie, the lessons explore themes such as being safe online, finding reliable information, privacy, chatting, playing and learning online.
Member Spotlight
This month, the member spotlight is focussed on The Wheel – Ireland’s national association of community and voluntary organisations, charities, and social enterprises. Log into the Members section to learn more about their work and their signposting service to grants and funding opportunities for media literacy initiatives.
Thanks for Reading
If you have a colleague or friend who might enjoy these updates, they can register to become an MLI member or just subscribe to receive the newsletter. For any membership issues, please contact Lucy Cuddihy (lcuddihy@cnam.ie). If you have something to include in next month’s edition of the newsletter please email info@medialiteracyireland.ie
Kind regards,
The MLI Team
