The project is focused on empowering teachers and other professionals to instill critical thinking, responsible media use, and awareness of the impact of media on children’s mental health.
This is achieved through educational materials developed as part of the project. These include a short docudrama and guidelines for conducting workshops or classroom lessons.
The tools created within the project can significantly contribute to media literacy in schools and society at large. We trained 60 teachers from various regions of Slovenia, who are expected to reach at least 1,500 students using the educational materials.
The project combines the expertise and experience of Časoris, an online newspaper for children, and ISA Institute, specializing in psychological counseling and educational development projects.
Main Activities and Tools of the Project
At Časoris and ISA Institute, we recognize that a short docudrama can be an excellent tool for sparking discussions about challenging topics that require thoughtful consideration.
The film prepared for this project, whose script was reviewed the Slovenian Psychologists’ Association before filming, is designed as a central educational resource.
The film, Spread the Word, allows children to share their experiences and mental struggles. At the same time, it vividly demonstrates how media operates; journalists in the film present peer experiences authentically, exploring the complex relationship with smartphone use. This encourages understanding and opens discussions on complex issues.
The film is complemented educational materials for teachers and professionals.
These include:
- Guidelines for conducting workshops on media and mental health.
- Lesson plans for primary school education.
Before being handed over to participants in training sessions, the materials were tested in classrooms a group of teachers.
These materials enable teachers to systematically impart knowledge about media literacy to children, emphasizing the role of journalists in delivering high-quality information, while encouraging discussions about mental health.
The training for users of the educational materials also includes a commitment from participants to implement them in classrooms during the 2024/2025 school year.
After completing the training, participating teachers and counselors are offered virtual consultations to support them in conducting workshops for students.
In the long term, we will collaborate closely with teachers and professionals who have joined the Časoris Media Literacy Ambassadors program. These ambassadors serve as key links between schools and Časoris in promoting media literacy.
The final conference brought together all project participants and the broader professional community. The event showcased project achievements, screened the docudrama, and facilitated experience sharing among teachers, Časoris’s young journalists, and experts. The conference also emphasized the importance of involving children and adolescents in dialogue about media literacy and mental health.
Long-Term Impact of the Project
Through this project, we aim to contribute to the development of children’s critical thinking, promote responsible media use, and strengthen their mental health in the long run.
We believe that the tools developed within this project are a valuable contribution to media literacy in schools and society at large.
The project Media (Il)Literacy and Children’s Mental Health is co-financed the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Slovenia under the Public Call for Co-Financing Projects for the Promotion, Development, and Advancement of Media Literacy.
