GAMES AND VIDEO GAMES AS SCENARIOS TO SUPPORT DIGITAL LITERACIES: THE FIRST RESULTS FROM THE INTERNATIONAL PROJECT YO-MEDIA (YOUNGSTERS’ MEDIA LITERACY IN TIMES OF CRISIS)

The younger generation is facing many changes and challenges related to political, military, and pandemic crises that have gained prominence in the media: in this perspective, Media Literacy and critical thinking are crucial to handling information and false content. Youngsters, in fact, often scroll through news content on their mobile devices without giving too much thought, consuming news content exclusively through social media (Herdzina & Lauricella, 2020; Jolley et al., 2021). The contribution will focus on the first results of the project YO-MEDIA – Youngsters’ Media Literacy in Times of Crises – funded by the European Media and Information Fund established by the European University Institute and the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. In particular, we will focus on the primary connections between the point of view of scholars and researchers – expressed in papers and scientific contributions from the literature analysis – and the perspective of teachers, educators, and journalists interviewed. Drawing on a selection of data from the 46 scientific papers produced by scholars, from 2019 to 2023 in games and video games in times of crisis, and the interview conducted with teachers, educators, and journalists with background on media studies, games, and crisis management (N.10 in Italy) the main questions are: in what way can game-playing foster youngsters’ media literacy in times of crisis? From what perspective are video games considered thinking about crises such as war, climate, and health emergencies? Are there experiences that can be regarded as good practices?