1st International Conference on Crisis Media Literacy

22 November 2024, Aveiro, Portugal

#the project

Video games have acquired a fresh perspective following the experiences endured during the pandemic, notably concerning personal well-being and social connections. Games and video games foster a more critical and participatory engagement among youth, facilitated by narrative immersion, identification mechanisms with characters or stories, interactive elements coupled with the allowance for failure, and the necessity to formulate strategies applicable beyond the gaming realm. This pivotal shift prompted education and professionals to advocate for enhancing young people’s media literacy through ludic tools and languages

The Yo-Media project aims to train education and media professionals to promote media literacy among young people in times of crisis, particularly health crises and wars. To achieve this, the project has created three games (one digital game and two physical games) for a young audience and offers MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) for media professionals and formal and informal educators.

 

Social Media Puppeters is a micro tabletop role-playing game for ages 11-17, focusing on media literacy and social media dynamics. Players become politicians, journalists, scientists, or influencers, competing on a fictional platform to gain influence and promote media awareness. Designed for 3-6 players (adaptable for larger groups), it balances interaction and competition, encouraging character-based decision-making and strategic play. Duration: 60 minutes, including character selection, gameplay, and discussions. Players compete to capture attention and influence perceptions on the social media platform “Y.”

Social Media Fake News is a card game teaching players about fake news characteristics. Players aim to deplete their cards by creating fake stories using news construction cards with catchy headlines, emotional language, and polarizing phrases. Action cards allow strategic counterattacks. Designed for 2-6 players, the game includes a board and various card types and lasts about 30 minutes. It can be played in classrooms with discussions or independently. Players use News Construction Cards to build stories and Action Cards for counterattacks. The player with the most cards at the game’s end loses.

Data Defenders is a digital tower defense game promoting media literacy during crises. Players protect global data servers from AI alien robots spreading misinformation amid an invasion and pandemic. The game features diverse islands with key characters, strategic defences, and innovative mechanics like the Data Analyzer and Crisis Impact. It targets players aged 13 and above, appealing to mobile gaming enthusiasts. ‘Data Defenders’ combines Strategy, Tower Defense, and educational genres. It’s accessible on iOS, Android, and desktop via WebGL, enabling cross-platform gameplay.

The MOOC includes four modules and aims to promote information literacy in times of crisis, connect people and professionals, and suggest activities for working with video games and board games. To facilitate the dissemination of content and support digital and information literacy worldwide, the MOOC can be accessed free from the EduOpen online platform.

The Yo-Media Booklet offers a comprehensive guide to the YO-MEDIA project, providing insights into innovative game-based approaches designed to enhance media literacy skills. It outlines the structure and implementation of each game component and the MOOC curriculum. By exploring these tools, readers will gain valuable strategies for developing critical thinking and information evaluation skills during times of crisis, ultimately contributing to a more informed and resilient society.

#ontheroad

The Data Defenders game, being developed under the Yo-Media project by the game designer Frederico Proença and game artist Ana Passos, was tested and played by students at the 2024 Summer Academy of University of Aveiro.

On October 5th, the Yo-Media team attended the TechDays event, during Aveiro Tech Week.

The project members had the opportunity to showcase a preview of Data Defenders Game.

The Yo-Media team, represented by Alessandra Carenzio, Ruth Contreras, Liliana Costa, Oksana Tymoshchuk, Frederico Proença and Ana Rita Passos, took part in two panels in the National Press Day 2024, that occurred in the 16th and 17th of May in the Fado Museum, Lisbon.

 

#publications

PUBLICATION

Aleixo, B., Antunes, M.J., Tymoshchuk, O. (2024).

Navigating News in the Digital Age: Exploring Content Trends and Youth Engagement Tactics. DigitalOBS08, October 2024.

Carenzio, A., Ferrari, S., & Pasta, S. (2024).

“Media Literacy in Times of Crisis: First Results of the YO-MEDIA Project Handling the Voice of Educators, Teachers, and Journalists”, Seminar.net20(1). 

PUBLICATION

Vale Costa, L., Pinto, J., & Zagalo, N. (2024). 

“No Cutaways in the Videogame Story”: An Interview Study of the Implications of Cinematography in the Narrative of a Videogame”.

It will be presented at the conference DIGICOM 2024 · 7-9 November, Barcelos, Portugal

#team

Portuguese Press Editors and Publishers Association

President

José Sousa

Vice-President

University of Aveiro

Nelson Zagalo

Associate Professor

Liliana Costa

Researcher

Maria João Antunes

Assistant Professor

Oksana Tymoshchuk

Researcher

University of Vic – Central University of Catalonia

Dr. Ruth Contreras-Espinosa

Professor and Researcher

Ignasi Coll Parra

Professor

Dr. Jordi Solé Casals

Full Professor and Researcher

Dr. Jose Luis Eguia-Gomez

Associate Professor

Catholic University of the Sacred Heart

Alessandra Carenzio

Associate Professor

Simona Ferrari

Associate Professor

Stefano Pasta

University Researcher


Federica Pelizzari

Docente a Contrato

Aveiro Media Competence Center

João Moraes Palmeiro

Executive Director

Nadine Santos

Project Associate

Head of PMO and Operations

#partners

Consortium composed by :

Financed by :

The sole responsibility for any content supported by the European Media and Information Fund lies with the author(s) and it may not necessarily reflect the positions of the EMIF and the Fund Partners, the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation and the European University Institute.

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