ReConnect
Project Reconnect is about reconnecting young people and educators in the ever developing digital world through education. ReConnect is a project coordinated by San Gorg Preca Middle School in Malta together with ULUÇINAR ORTAOKULU secondary school in Turkey, Prisms NGO from Malta and the Dutch Foundation.
Social Media and young people are intrinsically linked to each other. As innovators, young people are the ones who get absorbed into new technological trends which makes them also heavyweight users of social media. Young people from an early age are being exposed to social media and online tools for leisure, socialization and education. This makes the young generation, also referred to as Millennials, very savvy and skillful when it comes to using online tools and social media. On the other hand, this generation is criticized for the lack of social skills when it comes to face-to-face communication. This generation is perceived as disconnected from the ‘offline’ aspect of life, due to their immersion into the online aspect. There is this generational gap, struggle and tension between generations.
The primary challenge for educators and students is to find common ground which will benefit both generations. The educators need to learn how to use the characteristics of the Internet and use them to be relevant to the young generations. The students need to learn more about how to socialise offline and be equipped with the skills to navigate safely and efficiently in the online world.
This project is linked to EU’s Digital Education Action Plan which speaks about three main objectives:
- Making better use of digital technology for teaching and learning
- Developing relevant digital competencies and skills for the digital transformation
- Increase students’ media literacy