Digital education: ESCS UNESCO Chairholder invited as keynote speaker at European conference

On 22 October, Fernanda Bonacho, chairholder of the UNESCO Chair of Communication, Media and Information Literacy and Citizenship (ESCS-UPL/LIACOM), participated as a keynote speaker at the conference “Future-Ready Teachers for Future-Ready Learners”, held in Brussels.

In her presentation, the researcher emphasised the urgency of recognising that media literacy is no longer merely an addition to education, but rather an essential condition for the survival of democracy.

The event marked the end of the European project Teachers 4.0 Digital, an initiative involving 16 European organisations dedicated to empowering educators in digital literacy and the fight against disinformation.

The project aims to foster public debate and contribute “to policy reform on digital literacy education at national and European levels”, according to its official website.

In addition to Fernanda Bonacho’s keynote address, the conference also featured a presentation of the outcomes of the Digital First and Teachers 4.0 projects in the field of digital education; practical workshops on learning analytics, teachers’ skills, digital well-being and combating disinformation; and a panel discussion entitled “Teaching Digital Natives: Beyond Digital Skills”.

Among the partners in the Teachers 4.0 Digital project, EAVI (European Association for Viewers Interests) has been involved with the UNESCO Chair of Communication, Media and Information Literacy and Citizenship since its inception. This ongoing partnership reinforces the European dimension of the work carried out by the UNESCO Chair in the field of media literacy.

Photo by EAVI