Media Literacy and Critical Thinking

Empowering Adult Learners to Navigate Information, Challenge Disinformation and Make Informed Decisions

Course Overview

Every day, adults encounter an overwhelming amount of information through social media, news platforms, messaging applications and digital communication channels. Distinguishing reliable information from misleading content has become an essential competence for everyday life, professional development and active participation in society.

However, not all adults have equal opportunities to develop these skills. Limited digital experience, low media literacy, social isolation and difficulties evaluating information can increase vulnerability to manipulation, online scams and disinformation.

Media Literacy and Critical Thinking is a practical Erasmus+ training course designed to equip adult educators, trainers and community facilitators with the knowledge, methods and tools needed to develop critical media literacy among adult learners.

The programme explores how misinformation and disinformation spread, how media messages influence perceptions and decisions, and how educators can support adults in evaluating information independently.

Special attention is given to climate-related misinformation, misleading environmental claims and the challenges of facilitating constructive dialogue with adults who hold sceptical or conflicting views.

Through interactive workshops, real-life case studies, fact-checking exercises, collaborative challenges and non-formal learning activities, participants will learn how to turn media literacy into an accessible and engaging learning experience.

The course also addresses the growing influence of artificial intelligence on digital information, including AI-generated images, manipulated videos and synthetic content.

By the end of the training, participants will have developed practical educational activities and a media literacy workshop plan that can be implemented in their own organisations and local communities.

Target Audience

This course is designed for:

Adult educators, trainers and facilitators working in formal, non-formal and informal education.
Staff of NGOs, adult learning centres and community organisations.
Educators supporting disadvantaged adults, senior learners and people with limited digital skills.
Professionals involved in digital inclusion and lifelong learning initiatives.
Community facilitators promoting active citizenship, environmental awareness and informed participation.
Erasmus+ project coordinators seeking practical approaches to digital education and inclusion.

No advanced technical knowledge is required.

Learning Objectives

The course aims to:

Develop a deeper understanding of media literacy, information literacy and critical thinking in adult education.
Strengthen participants’ ability to identify misinformation, disinformation, manipulation techniques and misleading media content.
Introduce practical fact-checking strategies and accessible digital verification tools.
Explore the influence of emotions, cognitive biases and social media algorithms on information consumption.
Build competences for recognising AI-generated and manipulated content and evaluating its credibility.
Develop educational strategies for discussing controversial topics, including climate change, respectfully and constructively.
Adapt media literacy activities to adults with different educational backgrounds, digital competences and learning needs.
Design practical, inclusive workshops that strengthen information resilience and informed decision-making in local communities.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

Explain the main principles of media and information literacy and their relevance to adult education.
Distinguish between misinformation, disinformation, opinion, misleading framing and evidence-based reporting.
Apply practical strategies to evaluate the credibility of digital sources, images, news and social media posts.
Recognise common manipulation techniques, including emotional appeals, selective presentation of evidence and misleading statistics.
Identify warning signs of potentially manipulated or AI-generated content without relying exclusively on automated detection tools.
Facilitate discussions about controversial information while encouraging respectful dialogue and independent thinking.
Adapt fact-checking and critical thinking activities for adults with limited digital experience.
Develop a media literacy educational workshop using participatory and non-formal methods.
Evaluate improvements in learners’ information verification habits and critical thinking skills.

Methodology

The course uses an interactive, experiential and learner-centred methodology, combining practical digital activities with reflection, discussion and collaborative learning.

Participants will experience the methods from the perspective of adult learners before exploring how to adapt them to their own educational contexts.

Training methods include:

Experiential and non-formal education.
Real-life media analysis and case studies.
Fact-checking challenges and information verification exercises.
Collaborative problem-solving and critical thinking games.
Role-playing and structured debates.
Digital tool demonstrations and hands-on practice.
Scenario-based learning and reflective discussions.
Peer teaching and collaborative workshop design.

The emphasis is on practical and accessible methods that can be implemented in adult education settings with different levels of digital resources.

Daily Programme

Day 1: Understanding Media Literacy and Critical Thinking

Focus: How adults receive, interpret and evaluate information.

Welcome activities, introductions and identification of learning expectations.
Introduction to media and information literacy in contemporary society.
Media literacy and critical thinking within the European Digital Competence Framework, DigComp 3.0.
Exploring the information habits and digital challenges of different adult learner groups.
Understanding the differences between facts, opinions, misinformation, disinformation and misleading content.
Experiential activity: “The Information Maze”, identifying reliable and unreliable information in everyday situations.
Group discussion: how personal beliefs, emotions and previous experiences influence the interpretation of information.
Workshop: identifying barriers to critical media literacy among disadvantaged adults.
Daily reflection and feedback.

Practical outcome: A media literacy needs assessment for a selected adult learner group.

Day 2: Recognising Manipulation and Verifying Information

Focus: Detecting misleading content and practising fact-checking.

Understanding how misinformation spreads through social media, news platforms and messaging applications.
Recognising manipulation techniques, clickbait, misleading headlines and emotionally charged messages.
Exploring confirmation bias and the influence of repeated information on personal beliefs.
Introduction to source verification, lateral reading and evidence evaluation.
Practical exercises using reverse image search and accessible fact-checking resources.
Workshop: “Fact or Fiction?”, analysing real-life examples of misleading media content.
Understanding how statistics, charts and visual representations can be used misleadingly.
Designing simple verification routines that adult learners can apply independently.
Peer learning and reflection.

Practical outcome: A practical fact-checking checklist and a verification activity for adult learners.

Day 3: Artificial Intelligence, Social Media and Digital Information

Focus: Understanding new forms of digital manipulation and information risks.

Exploring how social media recommendation systems influence the information people encounter.
Understanding information bubbles, echo chambers and personalised content.
Introduction to generative AI and its role in digital information production.
Recognising potential warning signs of AI-generated images, synthetic audio and manipulated videos.
Discussing the limitations of AI detection tools and the importance of source verification.
Interactive activity: “Can You Trust What You See?”, analysing digital images and media messages.
Exploring online scams, impersonation and deceptive communication techniques.
Developing accessible activities that strengthen digital awareness and safer information-sharing habits.
Daily reflection and group feedback.

Practical outcome: An educational activity addressing AI-generated content, information credibility and online manipulation.

Day 4: Climate Misinformation, Critical Dialogue and Community Resilience

Focus: Facilitating constructive discussions about controversial information.

Introduction to climate-related misinformation and common misleading environmental narratives.
Understanding the difference between scientific evidence, uncertainty, personal opinion and unsupported claims.
Exploring common techniques used to misrepresent environmental information.
Analysing examples of misleading claims about climate change, energy costs and environmental policies.
Understanding the relationship between personal values, trust, emotions and information acceptance.
Role-play: facilitating a conversation with adults expressing scepticism about climate change.
Practising active listening, open questions and non-confrontational communication.
Workshop: designing a community learning activity that encourages evidence-based discussion without stigmatising participants.
Reflection on the educator’s role in maintaining a respectful and inclusive learning environment.

Practical outcome: A facilitation guide for discussing climate-related misinformation and other controversial topics with adult learners.

Day 5: Designing Media Literacy Workshops for Adult Learners

Focus: Transferring critical thinking and media literacy skills into educational practice.

Reviewing the competences and tools explored throughout the training.
Identifying the media literacy needs of participants’ organisations and communities.
Adapting learning activities to adults with different literacy levels and digital competences.
Designing an inclusive media literacy workshop using non-formal education methods.
Integrating fact-checking, source evaluation, critical dialogue and digital safety activities.
Developing simple indicators to assess improvements in learners’ media literacy.
Micro-teaching sessions: testing selected workshop activities with peers.
Peer feedback and improvement of workshop designs.
Creating individual implementation and dissemination plans.
Final evaluation and reflection on professional learning outcomes.

Practical outcome: A ready-to-adapt media literacy workshop plan and an individual action plan for implementation.

Practical Results and Transfer to Organisations

Throughout the course, participants will develop a practical portfolio of materials that can be used in their professional activities.

The portfolio may include:

A media literacy needs assessment for adult learners.
A checklist for verifying information and evaluating digital sources.
A collection of practical fact-checking exercises.
An activity addressing AI-generated and manipulated content.
A facilitation guide for discussing climate-related misinformation.
An inclusive media literacy workshop plan.
A set of evaluation indicators and an implementation action plan.

Participants will be encouraged to organise media literacy activities in their home organisations, adapt the developed materials to their target groups and share the acquired methods with colleagues.

European Dimension and Erasmus+ Priorities

Digital Transformation

The course contributes to digital transformation by strengthening critical digital competences, promoting responsible information consumption and supporting the development of media literacy among adult learners.

Its approach is informed by DigComp 3.0, particularly the competences related to information search, critical evaluation, digital communication, safety and responsible engagement with digital technologies.

Inclusion and Diversity

Special attention is given to adults with fewer opportunities, including learners with limited digital competences, low educational attainment or reduced access to trustworthy information and digital learning opportunities.

Participants explore accessible educational methods that can reduce barriers to participation and support greater digital autonomy.

Environment and Sustainability

The course addresses climate misinformation and misleading environmental claims, helping educators develop activities that encourage evidence-based reasoning and informed discussion about environmental challenges.

Participation in Democratic Life

Media literacy and critical thinking support informed participation in democratic processes and community life.

Participants learn to facilitate respectful dialogue, encourage independent thinking and help adult learners evaluate information before making decisions or sharing content.

European Cooperation

The international learning environment encourages participants to exchange educational practices, compare media literacy challenges across countries and develop transferable approaches for different adult education contexts.

Evaluation and Follow-Up

Evaluation is integrated throughout the course and combines self-assessment, practical exercises, observation and peer feedback.

Methods include:

Initial assessment of participants’ media literacy knowledge and professional needs.
Daily reflection and feedback activities.
Practical evaluation through information verification challenges.
Observation of participation in role-play and group discussions.
Peer assessment during micro-teaching sessions.
Evaluation of the final media literacy workshop plan.
Development of an individual implementation and dissemination plan.

Following the training, participants will be encouraged to implement at least one media literacy activity with adult learners and collect feedback to evaluate its relevance and effectiveness.

Why Choose This Course?

Information is everywhere, but the ability to evaluate it critically cannot be taken for granted.

Adult educators increasingly need practical strategies to help learners recognise misleading content, question unreliable sources and navigate digital environments with greater confidence.

This course provides accessible methods that can be adapted to different educational settings, including rural communities, adult learning centres and organisations working with disadvantaged groups.

Participants will leave with practical educational tools, tested activities and a structured workshop plan that can be applied directly in their professional practice.

Help adults question information, recognise manipulation and make informed decisions in an increasingly complex digital world.