• Priority Area Media and Information Literacy for Citizens Empowerment
• Year 2023, 2024, 2025
• Country Greece
• Project Status Ongoing

SHAZAAM aims at strengthening young people’s ability to think critically and assess the trustworthiness of information regarding science, combating thus pseudoscience hoaxes. This will happen through the development of non-formal educational materials, using gamification for in person and remote learning environments.

SHAZAAM adopts a techno-social approach that combines social sciences methods with advanced digital tools. It complements the activities of the European Digital Media Observatory (EDMO), operating in close consultation with academic institutions, scientific bodies, and civil organizations. Furthermore, it synthesizes existing knowledge available through MedMO, the hub of EDMO covering the European Southeast borders. Spanning remote areas of Greece and Portugal, SHAZAAM will reach 3000 people.

Our methodology is divided into four parts. SHAZAAM starts by identifying, through focus groups and literature review, media consumption patterns related to science news among members of Gen Z. Using the knowledge gained from the first part, the second step involves the creation of digital tools (Debunking videos and Web App). Those will be tested in the third part through two pilots: one aiming at members of Gen Z (18-28 years old citizens) and one intended to reach 18+, youth workers, educators, trainers, teachers and NGO volunteers to support their educational tasks. The final output will be the design and implementation of an Educational Guide.

The SHAZAAM project strives to:

Develop innovative digital solutions to combat pseudoscience.

Empower young people, practitioners, youth workers, trainers and NGO volunteers who will benefit from SHAZAAM’s identification of best practices for debunking pseudoscience.

Enhance collaboration and sharing of good practices between university researchers, software developers, youth professionals and civil-society organizations, ensuring that best practices are widely disseminated.