JSNS Media Literacy Weeks: educational events, discussions with journalists, and materials for teachers
Published: Mar 19, 2024 Reading time: 5 minutes
For the eighth year, teachers can take part in a project to promote media literacy called Media Literacy Weeks. During these weeks, they will have the opportunity to participate in a day-long educational and networking event called the Media Education Fair, engage with their classes in three debates with journalists in Brno, Ostrava, and Pilsen, deepen their knowledge of the world of media education at special seminars, and use a wide range of teaching materials.
World Press Freedom Day and PIN
03 May 2024 is the 31st World Press Freedom Day, a day devoted to journalism and freedom of expression. This year’s theme is “A Press for the Planet: Journalism in the Face of the Environmental Crisis.”
A free press is a source of knowledge, and knowledge is power. The loss of a free press puts society at risk of repression and harm. Today, repression and harm are represented by the rise of autocracies and the erosion of climate stability. The latter will likely present an existential challenge should it be left unaddressed.
We work hard through our Centre for Human Rights to promote freedom of the press and protect environmental activists and journalists in places from Belarus to Venezuela. Our JSNS team promotes media literacy skills, which are foundational to a free press. Furthermore, our Climate team works hard to promote climate adaptation and mitigation practices across the globe.
Together, our colleagues are working to realise the theme of World Press Freedom Day 2024.
JSNS (the One World in Schools) Media Weeks
JSNS (the One World in Schools) Media Weeks programme runs from 6 to 17 May. Registration for schools runs from 18 March. Participation is open to primary and secondary school teachers, those who have engaged in media literacy for a long time and those new to media education.
"This year's Media Literacy Weeks kick off just days after the world marks World Press Freedom Day on 3 May. Promoting independent, serious journalism, a pillar of a democratic society, is one of this project’s goals. This year's event is also unique in that it directly precedes the European Parliament elections. Fake news and disinformation in the media often influence elections and campaigns. We at JSNS are trying to develop media literacy and strengthen critical thinking in primary school and secondary school students across the Czech Republic through Media Education Weeks and by offering year-round teaching materials," says Marianka Macková, head of the media literacy team. To register for the events for educators presented below and to receive the materials offered by our web portal, please fill in the registration form on time at JSNS.CZ/TMV.
Media Literacy Fair
A new feature of this year's Media Literacy Weeks is an all-day educational and networking event called the Media Literacy Fair. It takes place on 7 May at the DOX Contemporary Art Centre in Prague. At the fair, teachers and other participants will gain knowledge, skills, and inspiration in all aspects of media literacy. The fair will include workshops with experienced lecturers, panel discussions with journalists and experts, and booths with interactive elements from organisations dedicated to media literacy. It is an event designed for all novice and experienced teachers, other educators (school principals, prevention methodologists, librarians), and university students interested in deepening their knowledge in this field and gaining further inspiration.
During the day, you will be able to participate in two panel discussions with journalists: Media Freedom with guests Erik Tabery (from Respekt), Matúš Kostolný (Denník N Slovakia) and Pavlína Nečásková (Český rozhlas) and Media and (EU) Elections with guests Jindřich Šídlo (Seznam Zprávy), Tereza Masopustová (STEM), Jakub Dospiva (ČTK). Throughout the day, the fair will also host practical workshops with experts, which, in addition to One World in Schools, are presented by other organisations working in the field of media literacy (Občankáři.cz, Replug.me, Zvolsi.info, Stužák, and others). You can also familiarise yourself with how the media functions through interactive rooms and booths from news editors. You can try online games, virtual reality, and screenings of films with media literacy themes.
Debates with journalists in Brno, Ostrava and Pilsen
For this year's Media Literacy Weeks, it will be possible attend meetings with journalists through three debates on “Journalism and everything related". These debates, intended for high school students, will take place in Pilsen, Brno, and Ostrava in large halls with a capacity for around 120 students. These debates will occur in Pilsen on 10 May, in Brno on 16 May, and on 17 May, JSNS will mediate a discussion with a guest journalist in Ostrava. Michael Rozsypal will moderate all three debates, with guests including…
• In Pilsen: journalists Václav Dolejší and Marie Bastlová (both Seznam Zprávy)
• In Brno: investigative journalist from Deník N Zdislava Pokorná
• In Ostrava: Jan Žabka and Klára Filipová from Okraj Medium
Materials, seminars and special offers for vocational schools
Like in previous years, teachers will be able to use a wide range of specially selected teaching materials from the JSNS.CZ portal during Media Literacy Weeks. These include audiovisual lessons on media education and printed posters and publications, which JSNS will send free of charge to registered teachers before the event. This offer will also include a brand new activity called "The image of the EU in the media".
Two seminars for teachers in Brno and České Budějovice on "How not to get lost in the flood of information" will also be devoted to working with teaching materials. Specifically, the organisers, guests, and participants will focus on how we can face the overwhelming amount of information and viewpoints and how to distinguish serious news from media manipulation or misinformation. The seminars will also include debates with journalists with many years of experience in domestic media: Jan Moláček (Deník N) in České Budějovice, Barbora Loudová (Česká televise) in Brno.
JSNS also offers special support and assistance for teachers from secondary vocational schools and apprenticeships during Media Literacy Weeks through tailor-made demonstration lessons and consultations with teachers with extensive experience teaching media literacy with JSNS materials. Professional publications and assistance with curriculum development will complement all this.
