Today we’re sharing what we’ve learned and are recommending following a 14-month project which saw organisations across the UK trial new approaches to boost people’s media literacy skills.
Media literacy is having the skills, knowledge and understanding to flourish in the online world. It empowers people to become informed digital decision-makers and, importantly, to identify and protect themselves and others against harmful content.
In December 2022, we commissioned 13 organisations across the UK to test and evaluate different approaches to improving media literacy skills among children and young people, older adults, Disabled people and people with learning difficulties. Over the course of the year, the projects reached 2,717 people across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
Today’s report highlights the key insights and learnings for each target group, with a particular focus on how the impact was measured and evaluated for people who benefited. The reportalso offers practical tips and recommendations for other organisations planning future media literacy initiatives.
Reaching out to a range of people
Across the work of the 13 organisations we commissioned, a diverse range of target groups around the UK benefited from different initiatives, aimed at improving their access to technology and their skills in using it.
As part of the evaluation, participants were asked to give their views on what they had learned and how taking part in the initiatives might help them in future. To give an idea of the range of people involved and what they took from the initiatives, here are some quotes from those who took part:
Salford Foundation worked with young people aged 10-14:
I now know it’s important to be nice to people online, because they can’t hear your tone of voice so it’s hard for someone to see or read it the way you really mean it, and you could hurt someone.
Female, aged 12.
We all enjoy being online still and although we already know a lot, we feel like we are a lot safer now… I feel more aware of harmful things or ways to be safer.
Female, aged 14.
Red Chair Highland worked with older people in the Highlands:
I am feeling much more confident using my phone and laptop now. I've been told I can't break the internet! I feel confident about shopping online safely and am more aware of scams now. Much more careful of my emails now.
Woman, 71, Urban location.
I use my phone a lot more now that it's easier for me to use. The accessibility stuff for the screen and text were great! I now use the bus and train apps which have made my everyday life so much easier.
Woman, 59, Rural location.
The ‘Be Safe Online’ work by Mencap NI was delivered to two groups of young people, aged 10-12 and 13-18:
Particularly with the younger groups learning about internet dangers and their definitions was a good session – I did this by printing our names of different dangers and definitions and then the young people trying to match them up did really well.
Youth team member
One young person in the 13-18 age bracket was actively using the internet to research history. This young person is now more aware that there are things on the internet that are not real, and not to believe everything they see online.”
Youth team member.
The individual evaluation reports from the 13 organisations are available on our website.
Practical support
To complement our existing evaluation toolkit, Ofcom has also today published an additional media literacy evaluation resource – an ‘outcomes bank’. It is designed to support organisations, educators, policymakers and researchers with planning and measuring media literacy initiatives
Coming up
During the Autumn, we’ll be bringing the findings to life through a series of best practice sharing sessions for our Making Sense of Media Network. Sign up for more details.