Poynter’s MediaWise and YouTube Partner to Launch Media Literacy Curriculum Focused on Teens

Nearly 70 percent of parents surveyed with 13- to 17-year-olds at home believe teenagers have it harder compared to previous generations, the Pew Research Center found in a August survey. The reason, according to parents, is technology. Coincidentally, technology was also the number one reason parents said life is easier for teenagers these days. Regardless of which side of the debate you’re on, teen mental health and well-being is key, and that’s where empowering teens with skills to better navigate a digital environment comes into play.

The Poynter Institute’s MediaWise, which teaches media literacy skills to combat misinformation, is teaming up with YouTube to launch a curriculum designed to be taught by educators to teens. The goal? To help young people learn to filter the noise and separate fact from fiction.

“We’re excited to kick off Media Literacy Week with YouTube and introduce new resources to help educators empower their students with techniques to spot misinformation. Learn to understand the context behind posts, images and videos and share responsibly are crucial skills at any age, even more so for young people,” said Alex Mahadevan, Director of MediaWise and Poynter Professor.

The curriculum, launched on October 21 to mark the start of Media Literacy Week, expands on YouTube Press Pause program, which uses short videos to teach essential media literacy skills. With views in the hundreds of millions, these videos teach audiences key techniques to better navigate the digital ecosystem, including: reading beyond a headline, identifying emotional language, determining who is an expert, and many more This program was first introduced in 2022 with the contribution of the National Association of Media Literacy Educationand the new partnership with Poynter’s MediaWise aims to broaden reach and deepen impact.

“We are proud to partner with MediaWise to build our Hit Pause video series with a comprehensive media literacy curriculum that educators everywhere can use to help teens become discerning digital citizens, a priority maximum for YouTube,” said Leslie Miller, Vice President of Government. Public Affairs and Policy on YouTube.

Written by Poynter’s MediaWise, the first version of the curriculum is tailored to the needs and interests of 13-17 year olds. Includes an introductory lesson and 10 skills lessons focusing on topics from evaluating sources and evidence to understanding AI and responsible sharing. A second version of material for 18-34 year olds will be available later this year.

The curriculum includes a teacher’s guide, which explains why media literacy education is crucial for teens and young adults and offers ideas for different ways to use it. In addition, llesson plans, slides, videos and brochures are included. A The “train the trainer” video helps instructors learn how to use the materials.

As the aim is to scale the program globally, it was important that international stakeholders act in an advisory capacity, providing input and feedback on the development of the core curriculum with the option of localizing it for regional implementation . To achieve this, MediaWise partnered with MediaSmarts from Canada, Mythos Labs in India, i Parents area of the United Kingdom, which will also integrate the curriculum into its own programming.

The free curriculum and its set of resources can be adapted to any country and can be used in www.hitpausewithmediawise.com. Partner organizations will personalize the material by translating it into local languages ​​and adding regional context, including relevant examples. Organizations interested in adapting the curriculum to local needs can contact MediaWise at [email protected].

Poynter’s MediaWise partnership with YouTube is another example of their shared commitment to innovative media literacy education and ensuring young people have a safe and enriching online experience.

Contact with the media
Jennifer Orsi
Vice President of Publishing and Local News Initiatives
[email protected]

About the Poynter Institute
The Poynter Institute is a global nonprofit organization that works to address society’s most pressing issues by teaching journalists and journalism, covering media and the complexities facing the industry, bringing together and building communities, improving capacity and sustainability of news organizations and fostering trust and reliability of information. . The Institute is a gold standard in journalistic excellence and is dedicated to the preservation and advancement of press freedom in democracies around the world. Through Poynter, journalists, newsrooms, businesses, major technology corporations and citizens come together to find solutions that promote trust and transparency in the news and fuel meaningful public discourse. The world’s leading journalists and emerging media leaders rely on the Institute to learn new skills, adopt best practices, better serve audiences, scale operations and improve the quality of the universally shared information ecosystem.

The Craig Newmark Center for Ethics and Leadership, the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN), MediaWise, and PolitiFact are all members of the Poynter Organization.

Supporting Poynter and our organizations upholds the integrity of the free press and the US First Amendment and builds public trust in journalism and the media, an essential element of healthy democracies. More information at poynter.org.

About MediaWise
MediaWise is a digital media literacy initiative of the nonprofit Poynter Institute. The program teaches people of all ages and backgrounds how to responsibly engage with online content in the age of information overload. MediaWise was created in 2018 to empower citizens to find trusted sources and make sense of the vast amount of information at their fingertips. MediaWise brings simple, yet effective digital media literacy tools to people wherever they are, whether on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X, TikTok or in one of the 10 countries where MediaWise operates, and guides them through each step to arrive determine what is real and what is not on the Internet. Through MediaWise, everyone can do their part to reduce the spread of misinformation and elevate the facts.

Follow MediaWise on social media to learn how to debunk viral claims and be more critical consumers of information online. Explore programs and be part of the solution a poynter.org/mediawise.