Mediawijs.be

1. The why

Media literacy was defined by the Flemish gouvernment as a competence. But a competence is first and foremost a means to an end. With the Mediawijs Competence Model we also formulated goals you can achieve with media around the competences. But these goals are also just steps on the way to the end goal to work on media literacy, the why.

Often the first reason mentioned in such a context is 'avoiding risks or danger'. Media literacy policy has a large strand in 'safer internet' and 'parental advisories'. But such a starting point misses nuance and, in the case of media, even a sense of reality: the opportunities of media vastly outweigh the risks. The endgoal of working on media literacy needs balance, with enough focus on the opportunities, and learning how to navigate the risks.

Next: a better or more sustainable world, world peace? They're all part of it, but in the mission of Mediawijs the citizen, the person is central. Safe surfers, people with a high sense of welbeing, critical citizens, creative makers? Again, all part of it, but still only fragments.

For the Mediawijs Competence Model we start from a broader goal: happy people or citizens.

2. What is happiness?

Happy citizens, all good and well, but what does that mean? In our original process towards the Mediawijs Competence Model our expert group listed four elements: develope, connect, transform and participate. In light of certain research exercises on human needs, positive health and psychology and happiness, we put forward the folloming elements in stead.

• Safety and security:
  sufficient physical and mental health, being resilient and knowing that you can count on sufficient financial and material means for that now and in the future.
• Connectedness and involvement:
  attaching yourself to others and your environment in a positive way, feeling energised by social contact and being able to love, knowing you can count on help and giving and sharing yourself, feeling you belong somewhere, taking your place there and working together towards a higher goal.
• Change and development:
  accepting, respecting and appreciating yourself and your surroundings and working with reflection and insight on a lifelong path of experimenting, learning and growing, of setting and realising goals, of learning from failure and building pride and selfconfidence, of taking responsibility for yourself and others, no matter the circumstances, of keeping on transforming the smaller and bigger parts of socitety so everyone can become happy.
• Freedom and balance:
  being able to make choices autonomously and to influens your life and its circumstances, feeling respected and recognised and finding the balance between 'for yourself' and 'for others', between being yourself and adapting, between together and alone, between grieving and hoping, between feeling and expressing emotions and choosing a positive attitude, between too little and too much and feeling the strength to bounce back, between safety, connectedness, change and freedom.

If you would like to know more about some of the happiness research we based this on, read our blog '... geëngageerd'!

The Mediawijs Competence Model is the result of our quest so far. It's a starting point and a living model with handles to formulate the concrete framework for your own medium, target group and context.

Read the other articles on the Mediawijs Competence Model too!

• The Mediawijs Competence Model
• What media literacy goals do you want to achieve?
• What media literacy competence clusters and subcompetences do you need?
• Determine what knowledge, skills and attitudes apply to your context

Questions or remarks?  Let us know!