Exploring Current Challenges and Opportunities in Media Literacy Skills for Youth: Stakeholders’ Perspectives

Abstract

The widespread dissemination of contradictory information through various media platforms can increase anxiety and confusion among younger generations. This highlights the need to promote Media Literacy (ML) skills, enabling them to evaluate online information's validity critically. Video game-based learning can be valuable in this context, fostering active learning and critical thinking. Therefore, developing and sharing innovative resources like interactive content and video games is crucial to enhancing young people's ML skills and resilience to disinformation. The YO-MEDIA project, involving three universities in Italy, Portugal, and Spain and a journalist association, aims to develop ML in young people during times of crisis (e.g., pandemics and wars) through game-based learning strategies and professional training. The project carried out 29 semi-structured interviews in the partner countries with various stakeholders to understand perspectives on media design practices and ML formulation for young people in crises. These interviews aimed to collect education and media professionals' insights on promoting ML and critical thinking among youth during crises. It also seeks to gather best practices and understand these professionals' challenges when fostering ML among youth. This study's findings suggest that the interviewees deem ML vital for distinguishing accurate information from misinformation during crises, especially relevant for young individuals. Essential skills for these young people include critical thinking, filtering information, and recognizing online threats. Effective strategies involve operating within digital environments frequented by young people, encouraging critical thinking, and nurturing collaboration. Professionals face challenges such as a lack of training, engaging young people's attention, and keeping pace with digital environments. The interviewees also emphasized the importance of ML training for informal educators and media professionals. They recommended Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) for their flexibility and accessibility. According to the interviewees, an ML game should involve research, interpretation, and decision-making processes and be accessible to young people with disabilities. They identified several ML projects and resources, including multimedia labs, youth parliaments, and critical thinking tools. This study contributes to developing games that promote critical thinking and ML in young people. It also aids in establishing ongoing professional training in ML for informal educators, teachers, media professionals, and other stakeholders.