Critical Thinking & Media Literacy for Professionals Working with Older Adults

Enrollment deadline: October 6, 2025

INTRODUCTION

In an increasingly digitised society, media literacy has become a cornerstone for fostering active citizenship, strengthening democracy, and nurturing critical thinking. The MELISE project extends this mission to media literacy trainers through its course Critical Thinking & Media Literacy for Professionals Working with Older Adults, equipping them with the knowledge and tools to empower senior citizens in navigating today’s complex media landscape.

The program, delivered in English, combines theoretical insights with practical applications, offering participants a comprehensive understanding of media literacy challenges across Europe. The course structure includes four lessons, divided into units that address both technical and specialized topics.

By the end of the program, participants will be equipped to integrate best practices and lessons learned into their own organizational activities, enhancing their ability to foster media literacy among seniors. The program represents a critical step toward building an inclusive society where all individuals, regardless of age, can fully participate as informed and empowered citizens.

OBJECTIVES

Describe the Digital Landscape and Media Literacy Challenges for Seniors
Develop Critical Media Literacy Skills
Promote Safe and Ethical Digital Practices
Foster Social Inclusion through Digital Tools
Apply Inclusive and Culturally Relevant Teaching Methods
Enable the Use of Digital Tools for Civic Engagement
Enhance Trainers’ Capacity in Adaptive Teaching

SYLLABUS

Lesson 1. Digital Landscape and Media Literacy Challenges for Seniors

This lesson provides an overview of the challenges older adults face in the digital world and how to motivate them to develop media literacy skills.

Unit 1: Challenges of Seniors
Unit 2: Digital and Media Literacy and Motivation
Unit 3: Tailoring Training for Seniors
Unit 4: Digital Citizenship

Lesson 2. Developing Media Literacy Skills

This lesson focuses on equipping trainers with the skills to teach seniors how to critically assess media content and combat misinformation.

Unit 1: Introduction to Disinformation
Unit 2: Fact-checking tools
Unit 3: Source Evaluation Exercise
Unit 4: Bias. News stories that highlight different types of bias

Lesson 3. Digital Safety and Ethics

This lesson covers best practices for ensuring online security and ethical behavior in digital interactions.

Unit 1: Privacy and online safety
Unit 2: Digital Ethics: responsible behavior on social media
Unit 3: Privacy Settings Tutorial
Unit 4: Interactive Quiz through Google Forms

Lesson 4: Social Inclusion

This lesson highlights the role of digital tools in fostering social connections and inclusion for senior citizens.

Unit 1: Social media and messaging apps
Unit 2: Social Media Basics
Unit 3: Community Engagement Platforms
Unit 4: Simulation exercise

Download the complete course guide here