The Updated Version of the Media Education Textbook for 3 and 4 Grades is available for the New Academic Year
Primary school students will study the optional Media Education course using a new textbook starting from the 2023-2024 academic year. The Independent Journalism Center (IJC) updated the textbook to align with new trends, considering suggestions from several teachers who have been teaching the course since 2017. The authors of the textbook are education experts Dr. Loretta Handrabura and Natalia Grîu. The textbook has been updated in both Romanian and Russian versions.
“Technological and digital advancements in recent years have significantly influenced the media landscape and the way we produce, distribute, and consume content. Both media formats and content have changed, some of which can be misleading or serve to spread disinformation. Therefore, to keep up with and adapt to these changes, it was necessary to update the textbook. In this context, we took into account the experiences of teachers who teach this course to make the content more user-friendly and easier for students. We hope Media Education reaches as many schools as possible, and we encourage teachers to engage in teaching this optional course,” said Nadine Gogu, IJC’s Executive Director.
For teachers who teach the Media Education optional course, the updated textbook is highly anticipated and much needed.
“Media Education is the subject that develops critical thinking and helps students navigate the ‘media ocean.’ I can’t wait to review the textbook, especially since it brings a fresh approach. Media Education should be mandatory, especially now when there’s an overwhelming amount of information, making it difficult to discern the truth from falsehoods. Unfortunately, we often lack the knowledge and skills to distinguish and highlight the truth. That’s why this optional course should be taught in schools,” said Steluța Guțu, a teacher at Olimp Theoretical High School in Sângerei. She is one of the teachers who provided suggestions for updating the primary school textbook based on her teaching experience.
The IJC will offer the updated textbooks free of charge to teachers who teach the optional Media Education course and their students.
To date, the IJC has trained 214 primary school teachers, 191 lower secondary school teachers, and 242 high school educators. The Media Education optional course has been taught in Moldovan schools since 2017 and is included in the framework program of the Ministry of Education and Research of the Republic of Moldova at all three educational levels: primary, secondary, and high school. The IJC has developed the Media Education curriculum and textbooks, which are offered free of charge to teachers and students.
In the coming months, the IJC will update the textbooks for both secondary and high school levels in Romanian and Russian versions.
This activity is part of the project supported by Sweden “Media Literacy Advancement and Support to Moldovan Media” and implemented by Internews in Moldova, which aims to contribute towards the growth of a diverse, independent and financially viable media landscape in Moldova, and to empower Moldovan youth to navigate their complex information environment.
