Systematic implementation of critical thinking and media literacy in schools

The project addresses the critical deficit in media literacy, digital readiness, and critical thinking among youth in Slovakia. According to the OECD PISA 2022 results, Slovak students perform significantly below the international average in reading literacy. Alarmingly, 35% of 15-year-olds fail to perform basic cognitive tasks or reflect on the purpose of a text, and only 3% can consistently distinguish facts from opinions. This crisis is deeply rooted in systemic inequality, as the impact of socio-economic status and family background on student performance in Slovakia is the second highest in the EU.

This vulnerability directly transfers to the digital space. The ICILS 2023 study revealed that 14% of Slovak 8th-graders lack even baseline digital competencies, and 43% lack autonomy in evaluating the credibility of digital sources. This is highly dangerous given their information habits. According to the European Youth Survey 2024 and HoDeKoProM 2024 data, social networks are the primary source of news for nearly 40% of young Slovaks, with almost half relying on them frequently. Consequently, 42% of Gen Z in Slovakia are susceptible to believing hoaxes (NMS Market Research, 2025). A major factor is overconfidence: while 83% believe they can identify a hoax, in practice, they rely merely on subjective intuition.

The formal education system currently fails to address this threat. Most students report never receiving formal training on how to verify information. A critical bottleneck is teacher preparedness; many educators doubt their own ability to teach media literacy or identify sophisticated disinformation. They face a severe shortage of training, certifications, and ready-to-use methodological materials.

The project directly responds to these systemic shortcomings by deploying data-backed educational interventions to regional schools where socio-economic barriers are highest, equipping both students and teachers with tools to navigate the digital world safely.

To address these challenges, the project aims to transform Zmudri's existing educational know-how into a continuous, year-long educational program implemented across 20 primary and secondary schools, focusing primarily on the less-developed regions of Central and Eastern Slovakia. The project will engage 400 students aged 14–19, working systematically with the same class throughout the entire school year to maximize depth and build trust.

The project plans to implement the following key activities and deliver these direct outputs:

• Project Management and Administration: Ensuring smooth operational, financial, and risk management throughout the 12-month duration (September 2026 – August 2027).
• Development of 2 New Workshops: Designing interactive workshops focused on "Argumentation Fallacies in Public Debate" and a final capstone session titled "Myth Busters," where students practically apply their skills to dismantle specific hoaxes.
• Innovation of 2 Existing Workshops: Updating current materials to create a cohesive 4-part series covering "Critical Thinking and Social Media" and "Critical Thinking and Media."
• Impact Measurement Methodology: Developing pre-test and post-test evaluation tools and questionnaires in cooperation with an expert analyst to measure real behavior and attitude changes.
• School Coordination and Logistics: Selecting 20 partner schools, coordinating schedules with teachers, and managing travel logistics for lecturers.
• Workshop Delivery and Data Collection: Executing a total of 80 interactive workshops (4 sessions per class) using active, team-based 5E model learning, combined with distribution of follow-up digital materials for teachers.
• Data Analysis and Communication: Statistical processing of collected data into a Final Impact Analysis, alongside an active communication campaign via social media, newsletters to 13,000+ teachers, and a national press release.

The primary goal of the project is to increase the level of critical thinking and media literacy among 400 primary and secondary school students (aged 14–19) in Slovakia.

Through this systematic intervention, the project aims to achieve the following specific outcomes for its beneficiaries:

• Students: According to our hypothesis, 400 young people (14–19 year olds) will directly strengthen their democratic values and resilience against online manipulation. The expected quantitative results include at least a 10% increase in students who actively verify news, a 15% increase in media trust, a 10% increase in the ability to identify serious media outlets, and a 15% increase in the capability to spot logical fallacies in public discourse. Qualitatively, students will learn to suppress initial emotional reactions to polarizing online content and recognize their own cognitive biases.
• Public Policy Stakeholders (NIVAM, Ministry of Education): They will benefit from the data gathered in the Final Impact Analysis, which will serve as a practical, evidence-based foundation for upgrading state educational standards and advancing the ongoing curriculum reform, assuming the intervention will demonstrate expected results.
• Communities and Peer Groups: Through a natural peer-to-peer effect, participating students will spread their newly acquired digital skills and critical thinking habits further into their local communities, ultimately contributing to a more resilient civic society.