The training, which is officially accredited in Hungary, consists online and face-to-face sessions and exercises, aims to train educators who are themselves aware of social phenomena related to disinformation, media and online platforms, of the psychological, economic and social causes of the spread of fake news, and who have acquired practical skills in detecting false information and in selecting quality news content. Based on the lessons learned in the training, participants use Idea’s eight-hour course package for grades 7-8 for school sessions with their pupils.

The summer training took place on 26-27 August in Budapest, and was attended by 14 teachers from all over the country. Participants work with pupils from different environments, socio-cultural backgrounds, and different types of schools; but whether they come from a reputable eighth-grade secondary school, or from a school for special educational needs, the challenge is the same: how to deliver the curriculum in the most effective way to the individual pupil, and to that specific group. How to present it for kids who come from difficult backgrounds, who have learning disabilities? How can one think beyond and supplement the existing knowledge of exceptionally well-qualified, interested students?

The group was open to collaborative thinking, to discussing the general and group-specific teaching methods and elements of critical thinking and media literacy. A lively dialogue developed; participants shared their own experiences, stories and their professional experience on how to develop possible responses to certain individual pedagogical situations related to the internet and social media platforms.

The situation of teachers in Hungary nowadays is extremely difficult and uncertain due to legislative changes affecting the everyday life and work of teachers. This situation was also shaped by the mood of the training, listening to the participants’ stories. We also had a participant who has indicated to us in the last few weeks that as so many teachers have resigned from the institution, that it is possible that they will not be able to continue teaching, and the school has to close. Despite this, or perhaps because of this (as we see, for dedicated teachers, one of the possible “escape routes” beside resigning is to do meaningful education about important topics), the group is extremely committed to teaching the subject.

The face-to-face training was spent in a good mood, and based on the feedbacks the training achieved its purpose, the training was able to deepen the lessons learned during the e-learning curriculum and prepare teachers for the challenges and difficulties of school teaching practice.

Participant’s feedback on the in-person training:
“I like that you’re using methods that involve almost everyone in class, not just the loud ones. This is very useful.” “In the live training, I felt not only your maximalism and the preparedness, but also the love that you have brought to us and that you do all this with. Congratulations and go, go, go!”
“It was very well organized and logically structured.”
“It’s been a great weekend, and I got what I was looking for, a huge help with my classes in practice.”