BTW: Be Thoughtful and Wise – training on the basics of critical thinking and media literacy

ABOUT THE PROJECT

This project includes the following areas/topics/methods of work:

• Rational thinking and cognitive biases. To get closer to objectivity, it is important to be aware of the fact that people are irrational beings, and their thinking is characterized by systematic mistakes. Knowing about possible cognitive biases will help participants identify them in the process of thinking and reduce their influence in forming conclusions or making decisions.
• Rhetoric and oratory. A well-prepared public speech is one of the most powerful tools for persuading an audience. Unfortunately, it is not always the ideas that sound from behind the stands are useful to the public. To avoid being manipulated, you must be able to identify the rhetorical means by which it is constructed. And the best way to learn them is to put them into practice by preparing your own public speech. In addition, the ability to convey ideas to the audience will be a useful skill for those who are engaged in social activities and work with young people.
• Improvisation Theatre. Critical thinking requires not only analytical abilities, but also developed emotional intelligence and creativity. Thus, active listening is important in the perception of information, as it allows you to get into the essence and deeply understand what is being said; openness to new ideas expands the perspective of the view and allows you to consider the subject from different sides. Improvisation Theatre is a unique tool that is ideal for developing these skills. We also use this method to prepare participants for public speaking, training their confidence and raising awareness of the importance of non-verbal communication.

OBJECTIVES

• To develop critical thinking;
• To develop media literacy (the ability to work with information coming from different sources; increase awareness of the ways and means of manipulation in the media);
• To develop active listening skills;
• To develop skills of public speech (particularly, self-confidence, efficient interaction with the audience, rhetoric, verbal and non-verbal communication, management of the group dynamic and processes, etc.);
• To give the overview, understanding and feeling of Improvisation Theatre as a tool for personal development and as a method in youth work;
• To create brochures with tips how to develop critical thinking and media literacy and examples of rhetorical fallacies from real media articles; and to disseminate them on the international, national, regional and local levels;
• To improve skills and develop different competencies being crucial for youth workers and youth leaders in the process of non-formal education.

For more detailed info, please, refer to the info-letter.
Please, fill and submit the application form here.

Be thoughtful! Stay conscious! Apply reasonably!
Welcome!