Conference Program

In a contemporary information ecosystem characterised by data overload and the rapid spread of viral content, the ability to discern reliable information from various forms of information disorder - such as disinformation, misinformation, and malinformation - has become a fundamental competency for democratic citizenship. The Teachers 4.0 Digital Age project (funded by the Erasmus+ program) addresses this critical challenge through a large-scale capacity-building intervention designed for teacher training. The primary objective is to empower educators to integrate media literacy into their daily pedagogical practices across diverse subject areas.

This contribution analyses the development and implementation of the project’s comprehensive training curriculum, with a specific focus on the online course designed for in-service teachers and educators. The training program, delivered via a dedicated e-learning platform, is structured into 10 modules totalling 60 hours of professional development (comprising 30 hours of asynchronous learning and 30 hours of practical, hands-on activities). The curriculum covers a wide spectrum of crucial topics: from the deconstruction of media messages and the psychological dynamics of "echo chambers" and "filter bubbles" to the technical analysis of emerging threats like deepfakes, phishing, and algorithmic bias.

A distinctive element of this course is its methodological approach, which transcends the mere transfer of technical skills. Instead, it fosters a critical and reflective stance toward digital consumption. Teachers are guided through an exploration of their students' "digital realities", gaining insights into how the media practices of children and adolescents shape their perception of reality and socio-political issues. The e-learning platform serves as a collaborative environment where teachers can share best practices, exchange feedback, and co-design Learning Scenarios (LS) aimed at building digital resilience within the classroom.

Preliminary results from the project’s pilot phases indicate that online training, supported by multilingual educational materials (available in Italian, English, Greek, Bulgarian, Romanian, and Polish), effectively overcomes geographical and temporal barriers. Furthermore, the modular nature of the curriculum allows for a "blended" flexibility that adapts to different national school systems.

In this context, the paper will present the initial findings from the questionnaires administered to the teachers and educators who attended and completed the online course.