Why Early Engagement is Essential
In an age where pupils are confronted daily with a flood of information, opinions, and digital content, it is more important than ever to equip them with the skills to critically evaluate what they see and hear. This is where the MILES approach comes in: embedding Media and Information Literacy (MIL) not as an optional extra, but as an integral part of school education – from the very beginning.
Why Schools Are the Key
Young people are active online at an early age, consuming news via social media and often encountering misinformation, propaganda, or manipulated content. Studies from the European Commission, UNESCO, and the OECD all show: those who learn early on to verify information, assess sources, and reflect critically on their own views are better prepared in the long term to resist disinformation. Schools offer the ideal setting to develop these skills – not only because they reach all children and young people, but also because they provide a structured environment for sustained learning.
The MILES Approach in the Classroom
The MILES project combines three core methodologies:
- Media and Information Literacy (MIL): Accessing media, critically analysing content, and using it responsibly in a range of contexts.
- Pre-bunking: Preparing learners in advance by exploring the mechanisms of disinformation, enabling them to build resistance strategies.
- Data Literacy: Navigating confidently in a data-driven world – from reading and interpreting statistics to identifying manipulative presentations.
Teachers play a central role in this process. Through targeted training for both new and experienced educators, MILES ensures that these methodologies can be implemented in a practical and effective way in lessons. Support comes in the form of a multilingual e-learning platform, practice-oriented modules, and innovative teaching formats such as flipped classroom approaches and co-design workshops with pupils.
From the Classroom to the Wider Community
Another success factor is MILES’ focus on engaging families and the wider school community. Workshops with parents help ensure that the skills learned at school are also applied in everyday life. This creates a shared understanding of responsible media use – extending well beyond the school gates.
Looking Ahead
Experience so far shows that media literacy training in schools not only fosters critical thinking, but also strengthens trust in reliable sources of information. In the coming months, more schools, teachers, and families will be involved to test, refine, and embed the MILES approaches within the education system for the long term.
By equipping pupils today with the tools they will need tomorrow, we are building a resilient, informed, and critical generation – ready to navigate the digital world with confidence and care.