IJC Workshop: The Role of Professors from Ion Creanga Pedagogical University in the Implementation of the Interministerial Plan on Media and Information Literacy
The Independent Journalism Center (IJC) has organised a new workshop dedicated to the implementation of actions provided for in the Interministerial Plan for the Integration of Media and Information Literacy Actions, a document developed by the IJC and approved by the Ministry of Education and Research and the Ministry of Culture in May 2024. The event took place on 10 December and was attended by 12 professors from Ion Creanga State Pedagogical University from Chisinau.
Angela Vacaru, the expert who, in collaboration with the IJC, coordinated the development of the interministerial plan, explained that the document aims to increase the level of critical thinking of Moldovan citizens. “When drafting this document, we operated on the premise that media and information literacy should be a responsibility of the authorities. A vivid example that shows the importance of critical thinking is the elections. Recent elections in Moldova and Romania have demonstrated how manipulation and disinformation can impact outcomes, becoming a real threat to democracy,” Angela Vacaru said.
Larisa Noroc, PhD in history and university lecturer, head of the Department of History and Social Sciences, stressed the essential role of teachers in the formation of critical thinking of young people. “We, as teachers, have the responsibility to develop the critical and analytical thinking skills of young generations. Media education is essential in this regard. In a changing world, faced with challenges such as propaganda and manipulation, media literacy is the solution to becoming resilient to information pollution,” she said.
Liuba Petrenco, PhD in pedagogy and university lecturer, highlighted the importance of media education in preparing future teachers. “The involvement of professors from pedagogical universities is essential, because we train the teachers who will educate future generations. It is crucial that every teacher, regardless of the discipline taught, acquires knowledge and skills in the field of media literacy so as to help students discern between truth and falsehood. Younger generations are familiar with technology, but they need guidance to understand what information is truthful,” Liuba Petrenco believes.
The same idea was reiterated by Olga Boz, vice-dean of the Faculty of Philology and History, PhD and university lecturer, who drew attention to the urgent need to strengthen media education at the national level. “What a teacher does – influencing students’ thinking and teaching them to critically analyse information – is irreplaceable. Teacher training should become a central pillar in the development of education in the Republic of Moldova in order to combat disinformation and lack of information discernment. The teacher has a great impact on shaping students’ thinking, and the integration of subjects that would teach them to analyze information is very important,” Olga Boz concluded.
The Interministerial Plan for the Integration of Media and Information Literacy Actions was developed by the Independent Journalism Center with the support of International Media Support (IMS) from Denmark. The document is being implemented by the Ministry of Education and Research and the Ministry of Culture with the support of implementing partners from relevant state institutions and civil society organisations.
The first three workshops were organised for representatives of local education bodies from all over the country, youth centers, and the National Institute for Education and Leadership (INEL).
This activity was organised within the “Responding, Expanding and Acting on Disinformation” (READ) project implemented jointly by International Media Support (IMS) and the Independent Journalism Center (IJC), with the financial support of the European Union.
