Partner – Meno avilys
Location – Throughout Lithuania
Since 2016
The Big Small Screens project aimed to develop media literacy skills amongst students and teachers at secondary schools in Lithuania, facilitating the discovery and exploration of their community while nurturing dialogue with other communities by utilising creative and analytical media literacy activities. Through collaboration with media experts and partners, workshops were organised for the participants who developed skills and awareness in terms of the various media sources and types. The primary focus was directed towards audio-visual media and media products of particular interest to students such as films, advertisements, computer games, social networks and television.
The students developed their creativity through meetings with audio-visual media industry professionals and engaging in creative workshops to improve technical skills like filming, coding and editing, while enhancing their communication competency through public speaking and discussions. They also learned how various media channels function, improved their critical thinking and analytical skills, and developed their resilience to false narratives and disinformation.
The final outcome of the training process was an independently created audiovisual work, through which each participant completed all stages of the creative process. During this journey, participants collaborated with inspirational mentors from the creative industries, experimented with newly acquired techniques, and explored the social impact of different media products.
Many participants reported that, inspired by the Big Small Screens, they began considering further studies or careers in the creative industries. The project also delivered clear benefits for teachers, who gained knowledge and competencies enabling them to integrate media literacy into school curricula. After completing training focused on the critical analysis of media content, teachers felt well prepared to embed media literacy education into their subjects and to confidently introduce different forms of media in their classrooms.
During the project:
Over 24 400 teachers, students and school community members participated in the project activities
2 070 teachers participated in various training sessions and creative workshops facilitated by media education experts from the United Kingdom and Lithuania
Various creative workshops for students (involving over 8 300 participants) were conducted with media industry professionals hailing from throughout Lithuania
7 annual media festivals were held, reaching over 2 000 participants annually
Media literacy lessons broadcasted on Lithuania’s National TV YouTube channel in 2023 – 2024
A 60-hour accredited professional development programme on media literacy for teachers was developed and delivered.