About Melita
Melita - Enhancing media literacy in a fast-paced digital landscape
Media and information literacy is more than a tool to recognize fake news in the media. It helps people to engage critically with any content while recognizing existing biases, be it others’ or your own.
In an era of digital information and evolving media landscapes, traditional approaches to media literacy education have fallen short in preparing young individuals to navigate the complexities of disinformation, ideological propaganda and bias, and the attention economy.
The Melita project (Media Literacy Analytics) is a pioneering initiative, using debate-based concepts and exercises to address the gaps in existing media literacy practices. It equips educators and students with a comprehensive set of skills essential for critical thinking, engagement with diverse types of content, and responsible media consumption.
Melita is an Erasmus+ Key Action 2 project. All project results can be accessed for free and are available* to everyone. The results are primarily are aimed at teachers, other educators, schools, and organizations in non-formal education:
- Pedagogical strategy
- Methodological manual
- Implementation toolkit (lesson plans)
- This e-learning platform
By empowering educators, nurturing critical thinking, and providing versatile digital resources, Melita aims to create a lasting impact. Educators and students alike will benefit from improved media literacy skills, enabling them to make informed decisions, engage with diverse viewpoints, and contribute positively to society. All project results will remain open-source resources, ensuring long-term accessibility and sustainability.
Melita redefines media and information literacy education by addressing several key aspects. Melita's approach goes beyond fact-checking to teach critical analysis and engagement with various media sources, supporting nuanced information handling and recognizing the intricacies of disinformation spread and ideological propaganda.
Melita employs an adaptive teaching methodology and integrates media and information literacy with debate-based methods to encourage open discourse and help students develop coherent arguments, thus preparing them for active participation in democratic systems.
Acknowledging shifts in media consumption, the project emphasizes flexible learning. It adapts to new trends, such as private messaging apps and image/video-driven platforms, ensuring students can critically engage with emerging media formats. Melita also highlights collaborative learning and bridges the gap between formal and non-formal education, merging classroom strategies with dynamic real-world applications to create an effective 'third space' for media literacy development.
Finally, this project encourages dialogue by fostering a safe environment for students to express diverse opinions and engage in constructive debates, enabling them to build sound arguments, challenge misinformation, and appreciate differing viewpoints.
Melita's strength lies in its international partnership, which includes organizations from Estonia (Estonian Debate Society), The Netherlands (International Debate Education Association), Poland (Polska Debatuje), and Slovenia (Pro et contra, Institute for culture of dialogue and Today is a new day), each contributing unique experiences and perspectives. This transnational approach ensures that the project's outputs are adaptable, culturally relevant, and effective across a wide range of contexts.
*The results are available in English, Dutch, Estonian, Polish, and Slovenian. If you’d like to translate some or all available materials into another language, please contact us at info@idebate.net.