DID YOU MISS US? Infoready: where we’re and what’s next

As information spreads faster than ever, the ability to critically evaluate digital content has become essential. The Infoready project, a cross-European initiative funded by European Commission though its Erasmus+ call, is working to empower adults to navigate and challenge misinformation.

With the project in full swing, let’s take a closer look at the latest developments and future steps.

About us

Infoready began its mission in November 2022 and is expected to span 24 months, with the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Belgium) leading a consortium of educational and community-focused partners: Culturepolis (Greece), Reset LTD (Cyprus), Forum para la Educaciòn y el Desarrollo (Spain), Project School (Italy) and Eurospeak Limited, (Ireland).

Designed to develop robust digital literacy among adults, the project targets several essential skills. It focuses on teaching adults to verify information sources, navigate media with a critical eye, and ultimately, resist the influence of disinformation. These core objectives are supported by a curriculum that uses both theoretical and practical approaches to engage adults in thoughtful, informed media consumption.

Infoready’s curriculum is being deployed across a digital platform accessible through a web and mobile app, allowing for a wide reach and engagement.

Alongside its digital tools, Infoready has established a comprehensive training approach that includes interactive modules, a user-driven eGuide, and hands-on learning activities to support adults and educators alike.

What we achieved

During the first year and a half of the project’s life, Infoready achieved important milestones in promoting a robust, user-centred approach to digital literacy.

Highlights of the training that the initiative promotes have been identified, analysing and identifying the main issues concerning the universe of disinformation, misinformation and fake news.

Among the first steps taken by the initiative, the commitment of the User Scrutiny Panels was of great value: each partner involved a heterogeneous group of experts, educators and media literacy professionals.

This team played and continues to play a central role in shaping the project, providing timely feedback on the training curriculum, ensuring that it meets the needs of adults navigating today’s complex media landscape.

In support of these efforts, two important transnational meetings were held.

The first meeting in Cyprus facilitated collaboration between partners, establishing clear objectives and methodologies for the involvement of the user control group.

The second meeting, held in Athens, provided an opportunity to review progress, incorporate initial feedback from the panel and refine project resources. These meetings strengthened the project framework and its commitment to a participatory and expert-led approach to media literacy.

Where are we now?

The project has now reached its final semestrer and we’re now working on building and refining Infoready’s core resources.

In this phase, the Infoready team has finalized several significant milestones, including:

• Training Modules: in-depth training modules are complete, designed to strengthen digital literacy skills and enhance media literacy. These modules are tailored to equip adult learners with the tools to assess information sources critically and navigate the online landscape confidently.
• Digital Platform: a first version of the Infoready web and mobile app is now live, offering a structured and accessible way for users to access the curriculum. The app provides practical activities and evaluations that allow learners to gauge their readiness and understanding of media literacy principles.
• eGuide Development: a comprehensive eGuide has been drafted to assist users in navigating the platform and training modules, providing guidance to both learners and educators.

As the team finalizes these resources, Infoready is ready to transition into an evaluation phase to ensure these tools are effective and user-friendly.

Next Steps

The next phase involves rigorous testing through the User Scrutiny Panel, a diverse group of media literacy experts and adult education practitioners who will pilot the platform and app. Their feedback will be instrumental in refining the user experience and ensuring that the curriculum effectively meets its goals. Following this piloting stage, the platform will be opened to a wider audience, allowing more adults to engage with and benefit from the training materials.

In parallel with this release, Infoready is planning a documentary video to capture user insights and perspectives on the project’s core themes. This documentary will explore essential social topics, including:

• Environment & Climate Change: Misinformation related to environmental science and climate change is a growing challenge, and Infoready aims to equip users to discern credible sources on these topics.
• Health & Mental Health: Accurate health information is critical, especially in the age of rapid online health trends and conflicting advice. Infoready’s modules are designed to help users identify reliable health information and avoid misinformation.
• Minorities and Inclusion: For marginalized groups, misinformation can exacerbate discrimination and bias. Infoready’s tools address these issues, empowering participants from diverse backgrounds to identify and challenge misrepresentative narratives.
• Policing and Social Justice: Media portrayals of policing and justice are often divisive and require careful scrutiny. Infoready will encourage informed, balanced discussions around these topics, strengthening participants’ understanding of media framing.

This documentary is an important step in broadening awareness of the Infoready initiative and its relevance to contemporary digital literacy challenges.

Looking Ahead

With a launch slated for 2024, Infoready’s final phase will open the platform to a broader public audience. The curriculum, training modules, and digital tools will be accessible to thousands across Europe, helping adults cultivate essential digital skills. These tools will support individuals as they navigate complex online spaces, empowering them to identify disinformation and respond with critical awareness.

As the Infoready project reaches its final stages, its mission to build a digitally resilient Europe is more relevant than ever. With the upcoming platform rollout, thousands of adults and educators across Europe will soon have access to the tools they need to challenge misinformation, build media literacy, and foster an informed community. We look forward to sharing the documentary and hearing your voices in this exciting journey toward a more digitally literate society.

For updates on the project and the documentary release, stay tuned: Infoready is here to make sure no one is left behind in the journey to digital resilience!