Empowering the Digital Citizen: Digital and Media Literacy Research in Flanders, Belgium

This book provides an overview of digital and media literacy
research in Flanders, Belgium. It has a two-pronged approach.
On the one hand, it looks back at how the political and technological
context has changed over the last 10 to 15 years and how the
use of digital technologies and media by children, young people
and adults has evolved.
On the other hand, it provides insights into current debates in the
field of digital and media literacy. What are the needs of different
audiences such as children, socio-economically vulnerable groups,
people with disabilities or even influencers? What evolving forms
of literacy do we need in our fully digitalised society? What are the
key challenges in relation to practices such as sexting, cyberbullying,
exploring (fake) news and (dis)information, and online gaming
and dating? Flemish researchers contribute to these international
debates with excellent research, while taking into account the
specificities of our small region.
Mediawijs is the Flemish Knowledge Centre for Digital and Media
Literacy. It was founded in 2013 by the Flemish Minister for Media.
It helps citizens in Flanders and Brussels use digital technology
and media actively, creatively, critically and consciously in order
to participate in society. To this end, Mediawijs develops digital
and media literacy campaigns and interventions for citizens, children,
professionals and the education sector; supports networks
and cooperation in the field of digital and media literacy and keeps
track of developments in digital technology.