Building Media Literacy and Combatting Disinformation

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The U.S. Office of Palestinian Affairs public diplomacy section (OPA-PD) announces an open competition for a grant through this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). This program will build media literacy among Palestinian youth and is designed to partner with an organization to implement activities which advance the applicant's goals and the OPA-PD mission: to advance a comprehensive and lasting peace through a negotiated two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the development of a vibrant, representative, and responsive Palestinian civil society, private sector, and governing institutions through substantive engagement with American people, institutions, ideas and ideals in order to improve U.S.-Palestinian relations and create greater opportunities for mutually beneficial partnership and cooperation.

With this funding, OPA-PD will support innovative approaches to cultivate critical information consumers who are equipped with the background and strategies necessary to navigate today's highly differentiated media environment. Eligible projects should address the following:

(1) media production and issues of credibility

(2) media messages and their intended effects

(3) issues of representation in media production

Through their participation in the training, project participants will be empowered to consciously assess media claims and media producer credibility, evaluate how media influences attitudes and feelings, and engage in fact-based media creation and dissemination.

The successful applicant (forthwith implementer) will target audiences, conduct outreach, recruit participants, adapt and implement session curricula (see below), and monitor and evaluate the success of the training. Training workshops will take place at American Spaces in Jerusalem, Ramallah, Hebron and at partner locations in the West Bank approved by OPA. The implementer should work with OPA media literacy program alumni where possible, as well as with established and up-and-coming journalists and include designated measurement and evaluation procedures in their project design so that OPA-PD can assess project effectiveness. There are no specific requirements for format or session structure, though implementers are very strongly encouraged to adapt existing U.S. media literacy curricula such as those published by, for example, the Media Education Lab (mediaeducationlab.com), PBS (pbslearningmedia.org); the Newseum (newseumed.org); Facing History (facinghistory.org); and/or the Office of American Spaces, U.S. Department of State. Methodologically, implementers should utilize technology and state-of-the-art educational methods in conducting interactive and effective sessions.

The implementer should engage in these activities strategically and with a clear and concise theory of change in mind. OPA will give special consideration to implementers demonstrating a clear track record of engaging target audiences. Likewise, sustainable project designs seeking to maximize project effects beyond the period of performance are highly appreciated.

Priority Region: East Jerusalem and the West Bank

Program Objectives: Media Literacy Training

The program seeks to equip project participants with the background and strategies necessary to navigate an increasingly complex information environment.

After participating in the project, participants will be able to critically reflect and assess:

(1) credibility and intentions of a medium's originator

(2) themes, codes, and rhetorical strategies in messages and media as well as their effects

(3) contentious issues of representation inherent in mass and social media

(4) the responsibility of their behavior in the media environment as producers or disseminators of messages

Generate Insights and Measure Success

OPA expects the project to produce actionable insights on the demographics and attitudinal profiles of participants as well as data about the project's effectiveness.

Participants and Audiences:

Target audiences include Palestinian youth (ages 16-24) in East Jerusalem and the West Bank including but not limited to: high school students, journalism and communications students, journalists, social media practitioners, online content producers, influencers, and media specialists.

Implementer Responsibilities:

The implementer will:

(1) adapt existing U.S. media literacy curricula for the target audience (see above)

(2) identify and recruit guest speakers/trainers

(3) develop a final project for program participants

(4) recruit participants and coordinate training with OPA American Spaces venues

(5) implement and monitor training for multiple cohorts

(6) measure and evaluate project effectiveness