Online Event: Fake News and Disinformation
The third Connecting Schools online event is taking place on Wednesday 24 January 2024 from 09.00 to 10.30 UK time and aims to raise awareness of the phenomenon of fake news and disinformation and help pupils assess information in a critical way.
During the event, experts will explore the theme in detail and pupils will have the opportunity to ask questions and discuss the complexities and challenges of today’s media landscape.
All schools catering for students aged 15–18 across the EU and the UK can sign up for the online event. Background reading will be provided ahead of the event.
While the rise of the internet and social media has created more direct communication and access to the news, it has also facilitated the dissemination of fake news. In addition, the advent of artificial intelligence (AI) has blurred the lines between truth and deception even further. Disinformation can be used in various ways to manipulate public opinion and it is crucial for citizens of the present and future to challenge and cross-check news sources. Young people overwhelmingly use the internet to communicate and stay informed on current events. It is important that they acquire the tools to critically assess the information they consume and are able to recognise credible news sources.
How to take part
The event is taking place virtually on 24 January 2024 from 09.00 to 10.30 UK time (10.00–11.30 CET).
Make sure to sign up by 23 January to secure your school’s spot and receive the invitation to the event.
Further information
Feel free to contact us if you have any questions or need additional information: Branka.Zaja@britishcouncil.hr.
Past events
8 November 2023 | The Role of Grassroot Initiatives for Climate
The first online event of the Connecting Schools strand focused on the role of grassroot initiatives for climate. Climate change is one of the most critical challenges we face today, with many areas of the UK and Europe already affected by extreme weather phenomena. With rising movements calling on policymakers to take measures to ensure a liveable planet for future generations, young people will be at the forefront of the discussions that will shape the rest of the century.
5 December 2023 | Integration of Refugee Students
The second online event of the Connecting Schools strand explored ways of integrating refugee students in our schools. In the past several years, there have been increased refugee flows in Europe, the most recent one as a result of the war in Ukraine. Coming from different cultural backgrounds and facing language barriers, refugee students can face great challenges in the process of integration in their host countries. Young people interact with each other at school and during activities such as sports and the arts. These social interactions sow the seeds of making young refugees and their families feel welcome in the new country.
About Stronger Together for Social Action
As part of the Social Action strand of the programme focusing on schools, we organise thematic events, workshops and competitions to facilitate partnership building between schools in the UK and EU.
We aspire to highlight the role of young people aged 15–18 as changemakers, active global citizens and leaders at local, national and European level.
Key activities include:
- virtual thematic events on topics of common interest, generated by young people themselves through participation in an online survey
- international school partnerships between schools in the EU and the UK working together on social action campaign projects.
Winners of the school partnership competition will have the opportunity to take part in an international face-to-face workshop on digital campaigning for a social purpose!
School partnerships
This strand of the programme brings together schools from the UK and the EU in school partnership groups involving young people aged 15–18. The groups will be guided in their joint work through a small number of facilitated online meetings. Each group will consist of two schools from the UK and three from EU countries and will have the opportunity to take part in the following activities:
- four facilitated sessions with a British Council facilitator (October 2023–January 2024), and two preparation sessions with teachers and two involving pupils
- classroom resources/activity plans to support the work of the group – these could be used as part of the curriculum, in tutor time or as part of an extra-curricular activity
- development of a common social action project (October 2023–January 2024) – examples include collaborating on advice packs for schools receiving refugees, a joint film on social media on the impact of climate change in different towns and cities across Europe
- a social action competition (February 2024) – the winning group will have the opportunity to send one teacher and three students from each of the five schools to an international face-to-face workshop on digital campaigning (April 2024).
Online events
There will be three Stronger Together online events beginning in the autumn of 2023 that any school can sign up for. These events will involve experts who will explore in detail the themes chosen by the partnership groups. Some background reading will be provided before the events and pupils will have a chance to pose their questions to the expert panel. The events may include themes such climate, sustainable development, integration of refugees in Europe, fake news and disinformation.
All events will be held in English.