Mediawijs.be

Desinformation and fake news are all around. And there not easily unmasked. That's why VRT NWS, Mediawijs, Arteveldehogeschool and IMEC produced the EDUbox Fake News. The EDUbox informs young people in secundary education about fake news and gives them tips and tricks.

An EDUbox is and educational tool from VRT NWS to introduce young people to different social themes and is developed in cooperation with expert partners like Mediawijs. Next to all the content VRT NWS makes on radio, tv, online and through social media, VRT NWS informs and inspires young people this way and stimulates them to get to work themselves.

Research Arteveldehogeschool and IMEC

From research by Arteveldehogeschool (2018) with Flemish young people from 15 to 24 years old, we learn that young people have difficulties in recognising fake news. Just 3% of the surveryed young people managed to correctly classify six news stories as true or false. Often they trust their own personal logic, backgroundknowledge or intuition to judge the veracity of a story. And that's exactly what can be 'dangerous'. Everyone has his or her own prejudice. You also start interpreting and framing information to align with your world view. The Digimeter 2018-2019 (IMEC) shows that people in Flanders worry about fake news. So it's important to inform young people (and adults) about fake news and to provide tham with the right tips and tricks to unmask it.

"In general people in Flanders acknowledge the positive aspects of digital news", Flemish Minister of Media, Sven Gatz, says. "a large majority feels better informed thanks to the internet. Yet we are not blind to the disadvantages that come with it. The negative impact of fake news on our society for example is a broadly shared concern.”

EDUbox Fake News

The EDUbox informs pupils in secundary schools on fake news. Young people don the cloak of a "fake news detective". Step by step, with the help of the cards and challenges linked to a digital part on vrt.be, they learn to unmask fake news playfully. They receive tips like "check the date", "check the author", "check the source". VRT-journalists explain how they check the information and visual material in videos.

The EDUbox Fake News consists of 6 parts:

• an introduction,
• thé basics with tips and tricks and
• an excercise,
• two chapters that look deeper into fake news and
• extra inspiration.

Guided by the teacher pupils discuss topical subjects, that are in the EDUbox. The EDUbox Fake News aligns with several attainment goals of secundary education on critical thinking, media literacy, resilience and respect. 

Practical information

• You can download an English translation at the bottom of this page. The content is specifically suited for the Flemish context, but you can add some local examples. 
• One EDUbox can be used in a group of 3 to 5 pupils.
• The DUtch language videos
  • Introductie Tim Pauwels en Hanne Decoutere
  • Hoe nepnieuws zelf ontmaskeren?
  • Wat is nepnieuws?

There are 3 EDUboxes now for education: Data in de pers, Democratie and Fake News. A fourth on Artificial Intelligennce will follow in October 2019. 

EDUbox was made possible by VRT Sandbox: an accelerator at VRT for external start-ups, that can build on projects together with VRT. VRT Sandbox also facilitates entrepreneurship in VRT. Staff members get the room to experiment with new ideas. VRT Sandbox supports with project manangement and financially where needed. EDUbox was able to grow in this safe environment from an idea, to a prototype and a viable product.