news – Domas

DOMAS at the „Education 4.0: Artificial intelligence, Cybersecurity and Digital Future with Erasmus+“ in Bulgaria

DOMAS at the „Education 4.0: Artificial intelligence, Cybersecurity and Digital Future with Erasmus+“ in Bulgaria

April 24, 2025
7:13 am

We had a pleasure to participate at the Conference „Education 4.0: Artificial intelligence, Cybersecurity and Digital Future with Erasmus+“, as part of the Croatian delegation!

The Conference brought together more than 200 leading IT and cybersecurity experts, representatives of educational institutions, foreign NA experts, practitioners, policy makers, and young people to discuss the challenges of digitalization in education, the integration of AI in learning processes, the need to strengthen cybersecurity and the place of the Erasmus+ Programme in these processes. The focus was on assessing the current state of digitalisation in education, the use of AI technologies and ethical issues, presenting good practices and innovations in the application of these technologies to improve learning and teaching, analysing trends in cybersecurity of the educational ecosystem and the added value of Erasmus+ projects in the described topics.

The conference was held on April 24, 2025 in Inter Expo Center in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Croatia was represented by a delegation that was consisted of three experts:
* Tomislav Pavlovic, Elementary School Ludina;
* Lidija Zivkovic, Head of the Department for Erasmus+ Programme Priorities in Education, Agency for Mobolity and EU programmes;
* Domagoj Moric, CEO and owner, DOMAS.

The Conference was an excellent chance to get new insights into important digital topics and connect with colleges all over Europe.

After an official opening by representatives of ministries of education and science, internal affairs and innovation, participants were welcomed by Nikolay Spasov, executive director of the Bulgarian NA. Introductory words reminded us how using of AI needs to be inclusive to different target groups, and that the digital competences are crucial for future personal and professional work. We need to put more effort in training teachers in use of AI and how to use it in the clasrooms, as well to digitalise exams.

Key-note speech titled “Erasmus+ through the prism of digitalization, AI and cybersecurity” was held by Antoaneta Angelova-Krasteva, Director for Innovation, Digital Education and International Cooperation from the European Commission.

During the Conference, there were two panels organised:
* Education in the Digital Age: Innovation, Technology and Opportunities
* Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and the Professions of the Future: How AI and Erasmus+ are Transforming Education

These panels were a good reminder how digital safety is still important and that AI will further develop – but it’s up to us to see how to use them in the ethical way.

The conference will create the document with the most important findings, and these conference proceedings will be shared soon with national agencies and experts in the field.

Be sure to follow us, as we will publish them here on our website as well!

MILGreen project successfully concludes with a productive evaluation meeting in Portugal!

MILGreen project successfully concludes with a productive evaluation meeting in Portugal!

From November 29th to December 5th, 2024, in Portugal, the project team met to discuss the project outcomes and how to disseminate it further.

The final evaluation meeting of the Erasmus+ project “Media and Information Literacy for Climate Change and Environmental Topics” (MILGreen) took place from December 2nd to December 7th, 2024, in Portugal, hosted by project partner Agoraveiro. Partners from Croatia (DOMAS), Portugal (Agoraveiro), and Estonia (Learning Library OÜ) came together to reflect on project achievements and outcomes.

Participants expressed high satisfaction with the overall quality of project results, emphasizing the impact and educational potential of the produced materials, including a toolkit for youth workers, an online learning course, and comprehensive research on youth media literacy in the context of climate change.

Regular monthly meetings led by DOMAS were particularly valued for providing clear overviews of project progress and delineating responsibilities effectively. Open communication facilitated through diverse channels such as WhatsApp, Google Drive, and emails was also praised for maintaining transparency and ease of collaboration.

A key decision highlighted by partners was the prioritization of output quality over strict adherence to timelines. This strategic choice allowed the development of more complex and high-quality outputs with significant potential for educating youth and professionals.

Partners agreed unanimously on the necessity of continuing dissemination activities beyond the project’s official completion, recognizing the high educational value and broader potential impacts of the project outputs.

The evaluation meeting confirmed MILGreen as a valuable contribution to advancing media literacy on climate change and environmental awareness among youth and youth workers across Europe.

Final conference “Media Literacy in Green Topics” held in Croatia

Final conference “Media Literacy in Green Topics” held in Croatia

From 5 – 8 July 2022, we have had the opportunity to facilitate and lead the training course “DO IT in Youth Work” for 22 youth workers, which was organised by Agency for Mobility and EU Programmes in Croatia.

On 28 November 2024, Zagreb hosted the Final Conference of the Erasmus+ project “Media and Information Literacy for Climate Change and Environmental Topics” (MILGreen), organized at Gradišćanska 24. The event brought together experts, educators, representatives from NGOs, and young people interested in media literacy, ecology, and digital technologies.

The conference started with welcoming speeches and the presentation of project results by Domagoj Morić, followed by researcher Filip Gospodnetić, who shared insights from the study “Echoes of the Digital Age.” Participants had lots of questions, and were actively involved.

A panel discussion on “Media and Information Literacy in Green Topics” featured Ivana Sučić from Croatian Radio-HRT, Iris Knežević from GONG, and Jakov Stevanović, a high school senior from XV. Gymnasium. During the panel, we have heard what is the responsibiltiy of journalists to cover topics of green and environment, but also we have heard more form young journalist from XV. Gymnasium who shared that he thinks that these topics are important for young people, but sometimes there is a lot of things happening on social media that occupy our attention. Representative from GONG shared how they are working with teachers and contributing to the education of experts in this field.

Participants actively joined parallel workshops focusing on specialized topics, including “Artificial Intelligence in Youth Work,” led by Damir Firšt and Lorena Barić from the Croatian Artificial Intelligence Association (CroAI). Additionally, an online discussion engaged international experts about the future directions of media literacy. Both of the parallel workshops were discussing important topics for young people.

Virtual session with other experts from Croatia, Estonia and Portugal focused on the urgent need to educate youth workers and youth on media literacy, critical thinking, and environmental issues. Key topics included AI, fake news, and digital ethics. Participants emphasized the importance of integrating media literacy into all projects and suggested using games and both digital and tabletop formats to engage young people. They discussed the role of influencers in promoting environmental causes and the need for youth to understand digital ethics, data privacy, and environmental impacts. The conversation highlighted the challenges media faces in addressing climate issues and the importance of teaching young people lobbying and advocacy skills.

During the final evaluation round, participants emphasized the importance of continuing research in this area. They highlighted media literacy as an essential skill for young people today, particularly regarding environmental and sustainability issues. Participants also suggested further research is necessary, particularly in the fields of artificial intelligence, green topics, and media advertising.

Domagoj Morić summarized the conference conclusions, emphasizing the critical role of media literacy as an essential skill for young people navigating contemporary challenges, especially related to environmental awareness and sustainability.

And how was it for us, you can see in the gallery down below!

All New Gallery

Online learning course on media and information literacy for young people available now!

Online learning course on media and information literacy for young people available now!

We are excited to announce that the online course “Media Literacy and Green Topics” is now available! Developed within our Erasmus+ project “MILGreen”, this e-learning course helps young people better understand media and information literacy through engaging green topics.

The course covers the following key topics:

Understanding the media: Media history
Influence of the (social) media
Media literacy and the 5WH questions
Green topics and environmental awareness

Why join the course?
Learn how to critically analyze media information, recognize disinformation and fake news, and deepen your understanding of environmental challenges.

Course availability:
Accessible for free online in English, Croatian, Estonian, and Portuguese language.

Access the course and start improving your media literacy skills today!

This e-learning opportunity is part of the Erasmus+ project MILGreen, aimed at empowering young people across Croatia, Estonia, and Portugal with essential skills to critically engage with media content on environmental and climate change issues.

FIND THE COURSES DOWN BELOW.

MILGreen toolkit published and available in 4 languages

MILGreen toolkit published and available in 4 languages

We have published the Toolkit Media and Information Literacy of Youth in Green Topics! Read more down below!

TThrough the Erasmus+ project Media and Information Literacy for Climate Change and Environmental Topics, the Toolkit was created for youth workers and educators consisting of 20 workshops providing ready-to-use materials for educators, including trainers and teachers (facilitators) to use for youth education.

The partnership between three organizations, DOMAS, Croatia; AgoraAveiro, Portugal; and Learning Library, Estonia, is centered around youth’s lack of practical knowledge regarding the critical use of digital media. Therefore, the goal of these workshops is:

To educate young people on how to consume media qualitatively and safely, resulting in the application of learned skills into everyday practice. This will ultimately lead to more informed and engaged digital citizens, who can use their understanding for a positive impact on climate change and environmental sustainability.

This educational resource serves as the theoretical background for the workshops, helping to identify media literacy practices and youth’s role in environmental sustainability awareness and activism. It provides a justification for the theme and learning methods, and practical advice for how to organise non-formal educational activities for youth and how to use the Toolkit.

Finally, it explains the workshop structures, giving a “How-to” for facilitators to navigate the various sections of each workshop plan.

Sections of the Toolkit:

1. Theoretical Background

2. Justification
3. Practical Advice
4. Workshop How-to

You can download the Toolkit in four languages down below!

We have held a test training course “Media literacy in green topics”

We have held a test training course “Media literacy in green topics”

11 November 2024
9:14 am

In October 2024, we organized a pilot training titled “Media Literacy in Green Topics,” attended by over 20 experts working in the youth field.

During the training, we tested our handbook designed for youth workers, which contains 20 workshops ranging from basic to advanced levels. The workshops are crafted to support professionals in improving their work with children and young people, encouraging them to reflect on green topics through the lens of media literacy.

The training was structured around principles of non-formal education, utilizing non-formal teaching methods. It was facilitated by two DOMAS experts: Filip Gospodnetić and Domagoj Morić, who provided participants with deeper insights into media and information literacy, youth habits regarding the use of various apps, and attitudes towards green issues.

The training received an average rating of 4.83 (on a scale of 1 to 5). Here are some participants’ comments:

“I gained a lot of knowledge about this very interesting topic and useful tools that can be applied when working with children and youth. I’m really satisfied!”
“Everything was great. I previously had partial knowledge of media literacy, but now I’ve upgraded my understanding and gained new, interesting information.”

During the training, we also collected feedback on the quality of the workshops, which became an integral part of the handbook developed within this project. Based on this feedback, we improved the content and will soon be sharing the handbook with you!

Check out our experience in the photo gallery below.

This publication [communication] reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

Sudjelovali smo na događaju XVIII Toolfair – #Tech-tonic Motions in Learning

Sudjelovali smo na događaju XVIII Toolfair – #Tech-tonic Motions in Learning

November 9, 2024
10:00 am

Sudjelovanje na 18. Međunarodnom sajmu alata (International Tool Fair) pod nazivom #Tech-tonic Motions in Learning, koji se održao u Reykjaviku od 4. do 8. studenog 2024., pružilo je predstavniku DOMAS-a jedinstvenu priliku za proširenje znanja i vještina u području rada s mladima. Cilj ovog događaja bio je istražiti najnovije inovativne metode i najbolje prakse u formalnom i neformalnom obrazovanju te isprobati različite edukativne alate prilagođene mladima, obrazovnim stručnjacima i organizacijama. Na događaju su se okupili sudionici aktivni u programima Erasmus+ i Europskih snaga solidarnosti.

Digitalna transformacija kao ključna tema

Ovogodišnji fokus na digitalnu transformaciju bio je od posebne važnosti za DOMAS, jer digitalne kompetencije igraju ključnu ulogu u životima mladih danas. Tijekom sajma, DOMAS je stekao vrijedne uvide u alate i metode koje potiču razvoj digitalnih vještina, što se može primijeniti i u formalnim i neformalnim obrazovnim okruženjima. Kroz različite radionice i praktične sesije, naš predstavnik je naučio kako uključiti digitalne alate u svakodnevni rad s mladima, što će nam pomoći da uspješno odgovorimo na suvremene izazove u obrazovanju i zapošljavanju.

Ovaj događaj ponudio nam je širok spektar edukativnih pristupa i tehnika, poput simulacijskih vježbi, kreativnih radionica, uloga i aktivnosti na otvorenom. Svaki od ovih alata prilagodljiv je različitim kontekstima i razinama vještina sudionika. DOMAS će ove inovativne metode prilagoditi svojim programima kako bi dodatno potaknuo angažman i interaktivnost mladih u procesima učenja.

Na kraju, sudjelovanjem na ovom događaju, DOMAS je ostvario kontakte s kolegama i organizacijama iz cijele Europe, otvarajući vrata za buduće suradnje i projekte. Inspirativni govori i predstavljanja projekata, poput TF Talks i Tržnice alata, potaknuli su nas na razmišljanje o novim projektima i radionicama. DOMAS će se posvetiti kreiranju novih edukativnih alata i programa koji su prilagođeni potrebama osobama koje rade s mladima te samim mladima.

Veselimo se daljnjoj primjeni ovih pristupa u svakodnevnom radu te nadamo novim projektima i suradnjama koje će obogatiti iskustvo naših korisnika!

Zahvaljujemo Agenciji za mobilnost i programe Europske unije na potpori na sudjelovanju u ovom događaju.

OBJAVA ZA MEDIJE: Preko 40% mladih u Hrvatskoj ima problema s provjerom informacija na Internetu

OBJAVA ZA MEDIJE: Preko 40% mladih u Hrvatskoj ima problema s provjerom informacija na Internetu

September 19, 2024
5:00 am

ZAGREB – 19. rujna 2024. – Istraživanje “Odjeci digitalnog doba: percepcija mladih i interakcija s medijima u zelenim temama” objavljena je danas te donosi najnovije podatke o medijskoj pismenosti mladih, sa specifičnim fokusom na zelene teme. Istraživanje je provedeno u tri zemlje: Hrvatskoj, Estoniji i Portugalu, a u Hrvatskoj je u istraživanju sudjelovalo gotovo 300 mladih ljudi dobi od 15 do 30 godina. Istraživanje je provela organizacija DOMAS, zajedno s partnerima Agoraveiro i Learning Library, a financiran je iz sredstava Erasmus+ programa.

Neki od najznačajnijih rezultata istraživanja donosimo u nastavku:

Navike korištenja digitalnih medija među mladima pokazuju visoku upotrebu interneta na pametnim telefonima. Tako 92.4% mladih svakodnevno koristi internet na svojim pametnim telefonima, dok 64.3% koristi internet na drugim uređajima svakodnevno. Gledanje televizije svakodnevno prakticira 41% mladih, dok samo 28% mladih svakodnevno čita on-line vijesti. S druge strane, tradicionalni mediji poput tiskanih novina i radija imaju manju učestalost korištenja. Čak 60.6% mladih nikada ne čita tiskane novine, dok radio svakodnevno sluša 24.2% mladih. Ovi trendovi ukazuju na značajan pomak prema digitalnim medijima.

Mladi u Hrvatskoj pokazuju visoku razinu kritičnosti prema medijskim sadržajima. Više od 70% mladih smatra da vlasnici medija značajno utječu na sadržaj koji se objavljuje. Osim toga, 53% ispitanika vjeruje da vijesti utječu na ljude, bili oni toga svjesni ili ne. Više od polovice mladih smatra da medijske kompanije biraju sadržaj kako bi privukle publiku, dok većina vjeruje da ljudi više pažnje posvećuju vijestima koje su u skladu s njihovim uvjerenjima. Ovi podaci pokazuju svjesnost mladih o utjecaju i pristranosti medija. Istovremeno se suočavaju s poteškoćama u prepoznavanju i procjeni točnosti informacija. Na primjer, 40.2% mladih ima poteškoća s provjerom točnosti informacija koje pronalaze na internetu, dok 29% priznaje da se ponekad nađu na web stranici bez da znaju kako su tamo stigli. Nedostatak ovih vještina može rezultirati izloženošću lažnim informacijama i dezinformacijama, što naglašava važnost edukacije. Više od polovice mladih izjavilo je da bi im trebao tečaj o pretraživanju informacija na internetu, a samo 38.3% zna procijeniti sigurnost softvera ili aplikacije koju preuzimaju.

Osim toga, veliki broj mladih ima poteškoća s osnovnim digitalnim zadacima, poput pretraživanja informacija i proizvodnje sadržaja. Na primjer, samo 34.1% mladih zna izraditi novi sadržaj od postojećih resursa kao što su slike, glazba ili video. Znanje o intelektualnom vlasništvu također je oskudno, gdje polovica mladih zna na koje se online sadržaje primjenjuju prava intelektualnog vlasništva. Ovi podaci pokazuju potrebu za većim naglaskom na edukaciji o digitalnim vještinama i pravima intelektualnog vlasništva.

Percepcija mladih u medijima često je negativna, iz pozicije sami mladih. Mladi su, prema njihovom mišljenju, često prikazani kao pasivni, neobrazovani, nepristojni i neorganizirani. Ovi negativni stereotipi mogu imati štetan utjecaj na samopouzdanje mladih i njihovu percepciju vlastitih sposobnosti. Postoji potreba za uravnoteženijim i realističnijim prikazom mladih u medijima, koji bi prepoznao i pozitivne aspekte njihovih života i doprinosa društvu.

Mladi su svjesni ekoloških problema, ali mediji često ne pružaju dovoljno informacija o praktičnim rješenjima. Na primjer, 50.4% mladih smatra da mediji nedovoljno informiraju o obnovljivim izvorima energije, a 52.6% smatra da mediji ne daju dovoljno uputa o tome kako smanjiti zagađenje zraka. Kada govorimo o povjerenju informacija koje dobivaju, a vezano za ekološke probleme i zelene teme, može se vidjeti indiferentnost mladih te da su nesigurni oko tema koje se generalno tiču ekoloških problema te nisu sigurni jesu li ili nisu informacije koje dobivaju važne. Poboljšanje načina na koji mediji izvještavaju o ekološkim temama može pomoći mladima da bolje razumiju i djeluju u smjeru održivosti.

Sažetak istraživanja za Hrvatsku možete pronaći na sljedećoj poveznici: https://domas.hr/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/02_Summary-with-Recommendations-Croatian-results.pdf

Komparativno izvješće iz Estonije, Portugala i Hrvatske možete pronaći u publikaciji objavljenoj na sljedećoj poveznici: https://domas.hr/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/ECHOES-OF-THE-DIGITAL-AGE_HR.pdf.

This publication [communication] reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

Media literacy in Croatia: short analysis (part 7)

Media literacy in Croatia: short analysis (part 7)

June 14, 2024
11:00 am

Interested to find out more about media literacy and its status in Croatian society? What are the policy documents and existing research that tackle this topic? If you are interested to find out more, then continue to read down below! We bring you a series of articles analyzing different documents and statistics on the national level! The analysis was created within the project “Media and information literacy for climate change and environmental topics” funded by Erasmus+ Programme.

Welcome to Part 7 of our series “Media literacy in Croatia: short analysis”! In this last part of our analysis of media literacy in Croatia, we are presenting you the guidelines created within the project “Media education is important”, specifically dealing with the area of media literacy.

Within the project ‘Media education is important’, implemented by GONG association, 7 other civil society associations, one public institution and two scientific-research institutions, there were six sets of guidelines that were proposed as outcomes of the project for public policy development in the area of media literacy.

The general aim of the project was strengthening capacities of civil society organisations for a more efficient dialogue with public administration, social partners as well as with academic and research institutions for shaping and implementing reforms around the topic of media literacy in the new age.

Guidelines were proposed for the following six areas: media literacy in elementary schools; media literacy in high schools; media literacy and civil education; media literacy in non-formal education; socio-emotional skills and media literacy; media literacy and media policy.

For the purpose of this analysis, we are going to mention guidelines for the area of media literacy and non-formal education.

In Croatia, it is mostly civil societies associations which implement non-formal learning projects and programs for children, youth and adults. Also, media literacy non-formal programs are mostly implemented by civil society organisations.

Based on the research done within the project ‘Media Literacy is important’ following guidelines were proposed:

Create and establish the system of recognition and evaluation of non-formal learning programs in the area of media literacy
Ensure continuity of non-formal educational programs for media literacy to make them accessible to everyone regardless of age, sex, ethnic or class as well as health condition
Further develop and improve cooperation among civil society organisations and public sector around the topic of media literacy

WHAT CAN WE DO?

If you are a youth worker, you can use these guidelines for advocacy purposes and to see how to improve your own practice.

INTERESTED IN PREVIOUS ARTICLES?

Part 1 dealing with Croatian laws can be found HERE.

Part 2 dealing with ethical codes can be found HERE.

Part 3 dealing with the National Youth Programme can be found HERE.

Part 4 dealing with the formal educational curriculum can be found HERE.

Part 5 dealing with already existing research results of media literacy can be found HERE.

Part 6 dealing with already existing research results of media literacy can be found HERE.

This publication [communication] reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

Media literacy in Croatia: short analysis (part 6)

Media literacy in Croatia: short analysis (part 6)

June 7, 2024
11:00 am

Welcome to Part 6 of our series “Media literacy in Croatia: short analysis”!

In this part of the series, we analyse the research conducted by The institution of the Ombudsman for Children, “How we fulfill children’s rights in Croatia: opinions and attitudes of children and youth in 2009 and 2023”.

This research was conducted as a part of the programme on prevention from addiction to the Internet and cyber bullying. The research that was conducted in 2009 showed that young people consider addiction to the Internet as one of the main problems of young people in Croatia. There were 516 children and young people who participated in this research in 2023 to compare the results with the findings in 2009. There were 263 children and 253 adolescents who took part in the research.

In 2009, about 45% of the respondents considered addiction to alcohol, smoking and drugs as one of the main problems of young people in Croatia. In 2023, only 25% of them said the same. Nowadays, they consider addiction to the Internet and social media, and cyber bullying as main problems of young people.

Therefore, the research recommends strengthening media literacy of children and youth with the purpose of prevention of addiction to the Internet and cyber bullying. As well as ensuring alternative activities which are interesting and available to young people to ensure quality free time.

The research also showed that around 45% of young people spend 3 to 5 hours a day using the Internet, mainly social media and different apps for communication, such as WhatsApp, Viber or Snapchat. A total of 99% of children use social media, and more than half of them access social media at least 10 times a day.

Compared to 2009, young people in 2023 watch TV rarely, and they are unhappy with the choice of the content and the format. They state that there are not enough programmes for youth, and almost half of them stated that the media depicts young people with too much prejudice and stereotypes.

Although the respondents claim that they do not want to watch violent content, research shows that they largely watch content which is not dedicated to them, including movies, series and reality shows through which they are actually exposed to violence in the media. That’s why the research reminds of the obligation of the media content providers to categorise their content to inform viewers about the potentially harmful content. It also reminds that it is the responsibility of the parents to protect their children from premature exposure to violence and inappropriate TV content.

WHAT CAN WE DO?

If you are a youth worker, you can use these research results to think about interventions with young people, but also use them on the advocacy level to change things within your policy context.

INTERESTED IN PREVIOUS ARTICLES?

Part 1 dealing with Croatian laws can be found HERE.

Part 2 dealing with ethical codes can be found HERE.

Part 3 dealing with the National Youth Programme can be found HERE.

Part 4 dealing with the formal educational curriculum can be found HERE.

Part 5 dealing with already existing research results of media literacy can be found HERE.

This publication [communication] reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.