Becoming Ethical Journalists

In 2019 the Evens Foundation and the Center for Citizenship Education (Poland) launched a new educational project in media literacy calling for local coalitions of schools and media outlets. Our goals were to strengthen critical thinking skills of students and increase ethical standards in journalism.

How to teach your students to resist the flood of disinformation? What are the principles of ethical journalists? How can local media empower democracy? The project was an attempt to simultaneously address the growing problem of reduced media quality on the one hand and the need for media education in schools on the other. Becoming Ethical Journalists focused on these aspects of journalistic work that involve civic education and co-creation of the community by providing valuable information. We sought to tackle the global issue of mis- and disinformation at the community level first. The project started in Poland where we invited teachers, students and journalists to join forces in producing original news pieces covering locally-important topics.

The project consisted of two parallel paths undertaken by the participants: teachers took part in a blended learning course and the local coalition (school team guided by a teacher and a media partner) ran a common project.

Students cooperated with the media partner to create a column in a local newspaper in one of the three categories: MEGA Locals, Unknown Places/Unheard Stories and Youth Speaks! In addition they learned to analyse media messages – by conducting a one-week desk research, interviewing a journalist and taking part in an expert webinar. The results of their journalistic work were presented at the final workshops in Warsaw.

Teachers, on their side, got familiar with methods of deconstructing media coverage via a blended learning course. The core of that course was based on the European edition of the Mind over Media. Analysing contemporary propaganda programme founded by Renee Hobbs PhD, and the Polish curriculum developed within it. The course consisted of three modules: ‘Medium is the message’, ‘Fake news and beyond’ and ‘Decoding the media’, accompanied by two workshops. Throughout the course teachers will be provided with individual mentoring support.

Journalists, in their turn, participated in workshops with well-known editors and engaged in social projects with schools, strengthening their position in the local community. They were given access to educational materials focused on interpreting and deconstructing media coverage in order to strengthen their professional skills and support ethical journalism on a local level.

In 2019 the Evens Foundation and the Center for Citizenship Education (Poland) launched a new educational project in media literacy calling for local coalitions of schools and media outlets. Our goals were to strengthen critical thinking skills of students and increase ethical standards in journalism.

How to teach your students to resist the flood of disinformation? What are the principles of ethical journalists? How can local media empower democracy? The project was an attempt to simultaneously address the growing problem of reduced media quality on the one hand and the need for media education in schools on the other. Becoming Ethical Journalists focused on these aspects of journalistic work that involve civic education and co-creation of the community by providing valuable information. We sought to tackle the global issue of mis- and disinformation at the community level first. The project started in Poland where we invited teachers, students and journalists to join forces in producing original news pieces covering locally-important topics.

The project consisted of two parallel paths undertaken by the participants: teachers took part in a blended learning course and the local coalition (school team guided by a teacher and a media partner) ran a common project.

Students cooperated with the media partner to create a column in a local newspaper in one of the three categories: MEGA Locals, Unknown Places/Unheard Stories and Youth Speaks! In addition they learned to analyse media messages – by conducting a one-week desk research, interviewing a journalist and taking part in an expert webinar. The results of their journalistic work were presented at the final workshops in Warsaw.

Teachers, on their side, got familiar with methods of deconstructing media coverage via a blended learning course. The core of that course was based on the European edition of the Mind over Media. Analysing contemporary propaganda programme founded by Renee Hobbs PhD, and the Polish curriculum developed within it. The course consisted of three modules: ‘Medium is the message’, ‘Fake news and beyond’ and ‘Decoding the media’, accompanied by two workshops. Throughout the course teachers will be provided with individual mentoring support.

Journalists, in their turn, participated in workshops with well-known editors and engaged in social projects with schools, strengthening their position in the local community. They were given access to educational materials focused on interpreting and deconstructing media coverage in order to strengthen their professional skills and support ethical journalism on a local level.

News

The final meeting of the project took place on 2 March 2020 in Warsaw, gathering almost 100 participants of the initiative – teachers and students from schools all over Poland. The Central House of Technology partnered with us to host this event. In its unique space, the students listened to an inspiring keynote speech, ‘My professional way from Witnica News local newspaper, to a countrywide TV station’, delivered by award-winning journalist Justyna Suchecka (TVN24), author of the book Young Power. The official opening was followed by table sessions: students presenting their articles and documentation and sharing experiences from the project with their peers. The event agenda also included visiting the interactive virtual exhibition at the location, media workshops for the youth and a self-care workshop for their teachers.

News

Kick-off meeting: in the beginning of October 2019, in Warsaw, together with our project partner Centrum Edukacji Obywatelskiej (CEO) we hosted teachers and journalists from all over Poland. The opening lecture on 'How media create the world' was delivered by Edwin Bendyk ('Polityka'). Along with the invited media experts and journalists (Instytut Dyskursu i Dialogu, Demagog, Rada Etyki Mediów, Outriders, MADE IN Warmia & Mazury, Anna Maziuk) we were discussing the influence of local journalists on shaping communities and how educational projects can support them.

For further information, see more here.

News

The call for schools/local coalitions is now on. For more details and the application form please visit our project partner page. Deadline for applications is September 15, 2019.
If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact us.