Project Aim
The RespectNET project aims to develop the media literacy of university staff and students to foster a culture of respectful scientific dialogue within the university and civil society.
Project objectives
- Developing the media literacy of University staff and students in order to foster a culture of respectful scientific dialogue within the university and as members of the civil society
- Increasing the exchange of experiences and interchange with the wider regional civic society to build a knowledge partnership between Universities and civil society for a respectful societal dialogue
- Develop a code of respectful dialogue in University and (social) media for all University Members
- More attractive education and training programmes, in line with individual needs and expectations
- Modern, dynamic, committed and professional environment inside the organisation ready to integrate good practices and new methods including digital capabilities into daily activities
- Develop a Matrix of Media and Respectful Communication Competences for University Staff
- Develop Multimedia Modules on Media Competences and Respectful Communication
- Develop Transmedia Learning Platform on Media and Communication Competences for University Members
- Contribution of science to mitigating societal tensions, as expressed in phenomena like conspiracy narratives, hate speech and cyberbullying
- Consideration of European values in the further internal development of Universities and in their collaboration with the Civil Society.
Target Groups
- University teaching and non-teaching staff
- Students
- Civil society
- Policymakers
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English
German
Italian
Romanian
Slovenian
Main data
Project number: 2021-1-IT02-KA220-HED-000027578
Project Title: RespectNET – Respectful Communication through Media Education Network
Project Duration: 1 December 2021 to 31 July 2024
National Agency of the Applicant Organisation: IT02 – Agenzia Nazionale Erasmus+ – INDIRE
Project Description
The COVID-19 epidemic intensified socioeconomic inequality and incoherence. Negative communication, bogus news, deception, and cyberbullying made them more conspicuous. This development is seen in several European countries. Recent scientific research implies that social media influences societal behaviour, habits, and attitudes, which affect universities and academic communication.
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced institutions to move many activities online. University teachers are emphasised because they should exemplify trusting, courteous, and encouraging communication. Media literacy must be required for all university teachers. Despite its long history in social work, pedagogics, and youth work, higher education rarely teaches media literacy.
Few know students’ and faculty’s media consumption and creation habits. Universities are under-connected to civil society, youth clubs, and cultural and civic projects. Cyberbullying is risky for several reasons. Teens and students can be victims and cyberbullies. Thus, media, youth culture, and digital media abilities must be examined. The latter includes technological utilisation and cognitive resources for important information evaluation.
Educational literacy in this initiative is limited to skills and critical thinking about social, economic, and communication contexts.
Project Results
University members and civil society activists need a dependable definition of the most effective and currently lacking competencies to set good communication standards and counter negative communication to make Universities a role model of respectful communication and productive exchange with civil society. To access the document with the description of the Matrix of Media Competencies and Respectful Communication, click HERE.
You can check your competence in respectful communication HERE.
This result addresses the need for training for coping with the disruptive style of anti-scientific narratives, hate speech and cyberbullying that currently dominates the public discourse and negatively impacts Universities. A common competency-building programme of good, factful, effective and respectful communication was developed and implemented to ensure that the public discourse at Universities and between scientists and civil society is a safe and encouraging space.
Four modules were developed located on elearningproject.eu eLearning platform. The modules with all the contents are available on the online platform available HERE.
The partners created content for a transmedia platform that fed a transmedia outreach strategy by the partners on the topic of respectful communication and dialogue within the university and between the university and civil society. Four transmedia campaigns were developed on very interesting and relevant themes concerning university-society cooperation. The campaigns and descriptions of their executions are available on elearningproject.eu eLearning platform HERE.
A variety of snippet-sized and other kinds of multimedia messages on social media were created, such as short videos for use on YouTube, TikTok, Twitter, Instagram, etc., to “go viral” and create a dominance of respectful attitudes as a standard of good practice and behaviour at universities and in civil society. To watch the videos created under the RespectNET project, click HERE, select the videos you want to see and enjoy.
partners
Project Leader
Partners
Verein für sozialwissenschaftliche Beratung und Forschung e.V. (germany)
Website: https://sowibefo-regensburg.de/
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RespectNET Project – Respectful Communication through Media Education Network
The European Commission’s support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents which reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
NOTE: All translations from English into the other languages of the project partners are machine-generated.