The European co-funded project “Advanced Media Literacy Education to counter online hate-speech (AMeLiE)” was recently completed, summarizing two and a half years of demanding and high-quality implementation. AMeLIE received very positive evaluation from the Italian Erasmus+ Managing Authority and scored 96/100. As a result, the project was characterized as a good practice, and will be presented as such on the official Erasmus+ project results platform, since it succeeded in exceeding its objectives in relation to both the horizontal objectives of the European Program, and the specific objectives of the school community which it targeted.

The AMeLiE project addressed the issue of online hate speech, producing innovative tools for the education and training of both teachers and representatives of the school community. In particular, within the framework of the project, a Blended Training activity on combating online hate speech was developed, a Virtual Network of schools against online hate speech was established, and Policy Recommendations were drawn up and disseminated by the AMeLie partners at national and European level.

The DAISSy Research Group of the Hellenic Open University (HOU), the Greek project partner, was responsible for the implementation of all AMeLiE activities in Greece, participated in all the intellectual outputs and deliverables, and it was the Leading Partner in the overall Quality Assurance as well as the development and support of the operation of the AMeLie online educational platform. It is noteworthy, that the majority of the platform’s end-users evaluated it highly positively, considering it to be an easy-to-use tool with very interesting educational content to combat online hate speech, having an attractive structure that favors the exchange of ideas and communication, with well-integrated functions that made them feel confident without much knowledge needed as a pre-requisite in order to use it. They further stated that it is extremely likely to recommend the platform to others, which indicates their satisfaction out of its use and its further development potentials.

Through the educational program and the AMeLiE platform, in the four (4) piloting countries (Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania), 318 teachers benefited – a number more than double the target number of the project, and more than 3,500 students took an active part in project activities. In particular, more than 170 classes from the interconnected schools utilized the AMeLiE methodology and platform, and 66 school campaigns against online hate speech as well as 64 initiatives have been developed and shared.

The DAISSy Research Group of the HOU wishes to warmly congratulate and thank the schools that actively participated in the actions of the AMeLiE project in Greece, for making full use of the methodology and contributing to the sustainability of its results. In alphabetical order these are: Elementary School of Katohori – Hania; 6^th Elementary School of Pallini; Experimental School of the University of Thessaloniki; “Kathariou Arhontia” Private Kindergarten; Music School of Larissa and 2^nd Senior High School of Xanthi–Winner of the national award for their AMeLiE campaign.

The AMeLiE project has been co-financed by the European Union, under the Erasmus+ Programme, Action KA2 – Strategic Partnerships in the field of school education. It was a two and a half year project (01/09/2020 – 28/02/2023) that has been implemented by a consortium of six partners from five countries, namely: European Grants International Academy (Srl) – Coordinator (Italy), Parole Ostili (Italy), ALL DIGITAL (Belgium), Fundatia EOS-Educating for an Open Society (Romania), Stiftung Digitale Chancen (Germany), and the Hellenic Open University (Greece).

In Greece, the AMeLiE project was coordinated by Prof. Achilles Kameas, Director of the DAISSy Research Group of HOU, and managed by Ms. Eleni Georgakakou, Senior Project Manager. The project team was composed of the researchers/ trainers, Ms. Monica Lillis and Ms. Zeta Tsigka, the technician, Mr. Anastasis Papadopoulos, and the administrative officer, Ms. Panagiota Zafeiropoulou.

For more information regarding the AmeLiE project and other project & activities of the HOU/DAISSy:

• Website: http://daissy.eap.gr/en/andhttps://www.amelieproject.eu/
• Platform: https://platform.amelieproject.eu/
• Facebook: @DAISSyResearchGroup,@AMeLiE.EU
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daissyresearchgroup/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/daissy_research
• Instagram: @daissy_researchgroup
• Email: info@daissy.eap.gr

Η ερευνητική ομάδα DAISSy του Ελληνικού Ανοικτού Πανεπιστημίου (ΕΑΠ) σας προσκαλεί στην εκδήλωση: “Ευρωπαϊκά έργα και δράσεις ενίσχυσης των δεξιοτήτων της εκπαιδευτικής κοινότητας” η οποία θα λάβει χώρα την Δευτέρα, 20 Φεβρουαρίου 2023, 18:30’ – 20:00’, στο Ξενοδοχείο Βυζαντινό, Ρήγα Φεραίου 106, Πάτρα.

Καλεσμένος ομιλητής: Δρ. Σπυρίδων Παπαδάκης, Οργανωτικός Συντονιστής, Περιφερειακό Κέντρο Εκπαιδευτικού Σχεδιασμού (ΠΕ.ΚΕ.Σ.) Δυτικής Ελλάδας

Καλεσμένη ομιλήτρια: Έλενα Σαρλή, Προωθήτρια Ευρωπαϊκών Προγραμμάτων, Περιφερειακή Διεύθυνση Εκπαίδευσης (ΠΔΕ) Δυτικής Ελλάδας

Η ΠΑΡΟΥΣΙΑ ΣΑΣ ΘΑ ΜΑΣ ΤΙΜΗΣΕΙ

Θα δοθούν Βεβαιώσεις Συμμετοχής.

Φόρμα προεγγραφής:  https://forms.gle/BFTSkrYjuG8tmDex5

ΠΡΟΣΚΛΗΣΗ-Πρόγραμμα εκδήλωσης

Poster εκδήλωσης

DAISSy Research Group of the Hellenic Open University participated in the 1st Learning Teaching Training Activity (LTTA) of the two-year Erasmus+ project “Advanced Media Literacy Education to counter online hate-speech [AMeLiE]”. The meeting was held in Foligno, Italy, where the coordinating organization, EGINA, is based and was the first live meeting of the project due to covid-19 restrictions.

AΜeLiE aims to address the issue of online hate-speech. The project has been created by a consortium of 6 partners from five countries (Belgium, Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania). The partnership includes sectoral organisations  – national and international education networks and organisations;  VET providers, one university-HOU, and two European networks in digital skills and online hate-speech professionals.

During the 5-day meeting, from 15th to 19th November 2021, twelve trainers from Belgium,  Bulgaria, Germany, Greece, Italy and Romania had an one-week long trainers’ training on how to tackle online hate speech. Greece was represented by two trainers, members of the DAISSy research group.

The first day participants learned about Parole Ostilli activities and the Manifesto of non-hostile communication with its 10 golden rules via a mostly powerful and inspiring presentation. They went through several kinds of activities and had the opportunity to brainstorm, to reflect and make suggestions for the best implementation of the Manifestoas well as inclusive speechin education.

The second day was dedicated to the AMeLiE online platform – the core of the project – which is developed by DAISSy-HOU and it will be used to train teachers, share the resources and host the Schools’Virtual Network. In a special 3-hour structured session, DAISSy experts initiated all participants to the innovative SonetBULL good practice; an interactive platform where users can not only download educational materials but can also carry out “bottom-up” initiatives and campaigns, co-construct shared content, open debates and present “cases” and their possible resolutions. Notably SonetBULL is a DAISSy production from a previous project. Subsequently, the AMeLiE platform was showcased in detail to the trainers in situ and online to the associated teachers who form the pilot group of the AMeLiE schools’ network. Everyone had the chance to test its functionalities and share ideas for improvements.

During the third day trainers had an exceptional workshop at ATLAS, a center with long experience in art therapy with technological mediation and the expertise in traditional art therapies, along with innovative verbal and non-verbal communication approaches.

The fourth day, participants’ interest peaked with cultural activities and ice breakers techniques. These techniques, such as metaphor cards, are suitable for discussing topics from different points of view and transforming a one-sided point of view into a more inclusive, broader perspective.

The last day of the LTTA was devoted on how to conduct a monthly kind speech day campaign, which constitutes one of the core activities of the AMeLiE project. A fruitful argumentation between trainers highlighted ideas and produced plans on how to involve local communities, share with other teachers and students, engage different stakeholders and make successful the monthly kind-speech-day campaign at schools.

The results of LTTA in Italy are currently studied and feedback from all partners will be used in the next phase of AMeLiE, i.e. the development of the Schools’ Virtual Network to combat online hate speech.

For more information regarding AmeLiE project and/or more news of the DAISSy Research Group:

• Website   : http://daissy.eap.gr/en/projects/amelie/
• Facebook: @DAISSyResearchGroup
• Linkedin   : https://www.linkedin.com/in/daissyresearchgroup/
• Twitter     : https://twitter.com/daissy_research
• Instagram: @daissy_researchgroup
• Email        : info@daissy.eap.gr

DAISSy Research Group of the Hellenic Open University (HOU) as the Greek partner of five EU countries presented the European project “Advanced Media Literacy Education to counter online hate-speech – AMeLiE“, aiming to address the issue of online hate speech.

The presentation took place at DAISSy days 2021, a three-day online event organized by DAISSy in the frame of the European institution Erasmus days, October 14-16, 2021. The event targeted at educators, professionals in culture, librarians, regional authorities, researchers, students, and in general people who are interested in policy making and implementation of actions related to developing skills and professional growth.

Attendees had the opportunity to realise the wide dimensions of online hate speech and the aims of AMeLiE project, i.e. to combat the phenomenon through the empowerment of education. Particular reference was made to the innovative methodology of the project, the successful tools and techniques which are offered to the educational world by experts. Additionally, the presentation denoted the results produced so far, although the project is running its ninth month of operation. An evolving Virtual School Network, a crowdfunded interactive platform for teachers’ training as well as a groundbreaking national research on online hate speech, all of them DAISSy’s tasks and responsibilities, outlined the dynamic profile of the project.

AMeLiE presentation received a most positive feedback from both the participants as well as the event’s facilitators. Worth noting that the event is registered on the world map of the 5^th edition of the #ErasmusDays.

The DAISSy Reserach Group of the Hellenic Open University (HOU), the Greek patner, presented the european project Advanced Media Literacy Education to counter online hate-speech (AmeLiE) at the national Conference entitled “European Curricula: Challenge and Innovation in Education”.  The event was co-organized by the Regional Directorate of Education of Western Greece in collaboration with the Hellenic Open University and, due to COVID-19 restrictions,  took place online on Friday, June 4, 2021.

The Conference targeted to promote the Erasmus+ projects’ results, the practices already developed and share ideas for upcoming opportunities. Αttendees exceeded 100, representing policy making, scinetific guidance and educational administration as well as teachers and students (over 60) of schools of primary, secondary and vocational education active or interested in the Erasmus+ program. Following a series of presentations, AMeLiE has been presented at the last part of the event as a European project nearing its 1st year and having completed the important stage of national research.

The presentation denoted the importance to address the online hate speech phenomenon and highlighted the main aim of AMeLiE, i.e. to train school communities on how to deal with online hate speech using social networking ICT tools with peer learning and crowdsourcing techniques. Participants were also introduced to project’s partnership, funding, structure, target groups, benefits for the educational community and other main elements that were analyzed.

AMeLiE presentation received a most positive feedback from both the participants as well as the event’s facilitators. Worth noting that material from the AMeLiE presentation is uploaded on the Regional Directorate of Education of Western Greece official webpage.

DAISSy Research Group of the Hellenic Open University (HOU) completed the first important step in the implementation phase of the “Advanced Media Literacy Education to counter online hate-speech-AMeLiE” European project. In particular, the research part in Greece has been completed, and it included: the conduction of three Coaching Circles (CCs, Round Table meetings) with teachers and experts during the period March 16-April 5 2021; the analysis of the results, and the development of a national report.

One main innovation of AMeLiE consists in the direct involvement of educators and young people in the co-designing of ideas, campaigns, and initiatives and exploitation of results. Within this scope, the project intends to offer the educational community, including families, but also to modern society, a realistic and effective method for dealing with online hate speech.

The formation of a European community of practice will be the cornerstone for the fruitful interaction of the participants, aiming at the formulation of valid solutions and proposals as well as the sustainability of the project results. Initially, twenty-five (25) pilot schools from European countries participate as a think tank. In Greece in particular, five (5) schools are associated to the project. Specifically in the Coaching Circles procedure, six (6) representatives of pre-school, primary and secondary pilot schools situated in several cities actively participated in two (2) Round Table Online meetings of 90′ each. In addition, four (4) representatives of other, volunteer schools participated in one (1) extra meeting. The specific methodology of CCs technique was applied in each Round Table. Sophisticated tools of this technique are the: active listening, reflection of the speaker’s thoughts and feelings by the participants, respect of the specific time frame in each stages of the interaction, coordination by an expert trained in the technique.

DAISSy Research Group experts collected abundant and important material from the three CCs, which it was analyzed right in the next stage coming into a national report. The results indicated that the participants highlighted many aspects of online hate speech cases, they offered meaningful feedback and provided solid suggestions based on modern teaching and pedagogy. Also, the CCs method received positive reviews as a way of democratic and efficient peer dialogue. It is worth noting the satisfaction expressed by all participants for the coexistence and interaction of representatives from primary and secondary education in the dialogue. They even expressed the wish to establish institutional structures for interaction, exchange of experiences and good practices to address issues of concern at both levels, such as online hate speech is.

DAISSy would like to express their gratitude to the following schools and their representatives for their contribution in the AMeLie research part: Experimental School of the University of Thessaloniki, 2nd High School of Xanthi, Music School of Larissa, GenikoLykeioKastritsiou Patras, 6th Elementary School of Pallini, 24^th Elementary School of Patras, 53^th Elementary School of Patras, Elementary School of Katochori, Kindergarden-NueseryArchontiakathariou.

AMeLiE project aims to address the issue of online hate-speech and is financed by the European Commission, under the Erasmus+ program, Action KA2 Strategic Partnerships in the field of school education. The project is being implemented by a consortium of six partners from five countries (Belgium, Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania) with DAISSy as the Greek project partner responsible for implementing all activities in Greece, contributing to all Intellectual Outputs and leading the creation of the project Platform and the School Network.