Chrysoula Lazou; Nikolaos Panagiotou; and Avgoustos Tsinakos
Chrysoula Lazou; Nikolaos Panagiotou; and Avgoustos Tsinakos
Abstract
This chapter discusses the implementation of a Greek EFL project focusing on the enhancement of digital and information literacy skills for teenagers through the Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) method in blended learning environments during the COVID-19 pandemic. The “DigiTEENS.gr” project was a result of the shift to emergency remote teaching in spring 2020. The project was realized with the initial involvement of students of two public schools in Kavala, Northern Greece. The intent was to enhance opportunities for teenagers to develop the necessary digital skills to respond to the needs of online learning and to discern quality in information, given the “infodemic” in the media in the crisis era. The content development involved the cooperation of the project instructor with academics from the School of Journalism and Mass Media, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and the AETMA Lab (Advanced Educational Technologies and Mobile Applications Lab, International Hellenic University) in an interdisciplinary effort to enhance digital and media literacy skills in the EFL context. The project incorporated both synchronous and asynchronous sessions that lasted six months. During its second phase, high school students from across the country participated through collaboration and peer tutoring activities. Learning theories were thoughtfully employed to enhance their motivation and engagement. A three-phase survey was conducted to measure the results. Findings suggest that the project was of much value to teenagers’ skills development, their perceptions, and attitudes in the digital world. A further implementation on a larger scale is proposed to promote the importance of teaching this expanded notion of literacy.
Keywords: digital literacy, information literacy, critical thinking, digital age, teenagers, CLIL, pedagogy, COVID-19 pandemic, flipped learning
Introduction
The emergency remote teaching, brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, produced numerous issues due to the lack of readiness to respond to the unprecedented need for students in the Greek educational context to shift to online learning. According to European Commission (2020), facilitating the flexible distance learning of all pupils in a way that functions as a coherent pedagogical approach requires a high level of competence and innovation by teachers and school leaders. Accordingly, educators need to make optimum use of available tools and provide targeted support to learners with diverse needs. These challenges need to be taken seriously and the crisis has proven that change and flexibility are of high priority. In light of this current situation that has affected students both emotionally and psychologically (Miller, 2020), there is a necessity to develop an effective competence development process and respond to learners’ affective needs that would enhance their motivation, engagement, and satisfac