The competition aims to develop children's skills in relation to media literacy while also helping them build knowledge and shape their attitudes regarding this crucial thematic area. Through this creative learning process, students engage in activities related to the production of digital videos, such as researching online safety issues, writing the story and script focusing on the key messages and narrative that they want to convey to the audience, rehearsing, directing the camera, sometimes performing, editing, and other post-production tasks. This process contributes, quite effectively, to a better and deeper understanding of all the interconnected issues of adopting a safe, creative and responsible use of the internet. Moreover, by going through the process of authoring and communicating their messages and digital online content, students also contribute to a better internet for children in accordance with the educational objectives of creative and innovative uses of the internet.

The student video production was carried out to celebrate Safer Internet Day (SID) 2021. With the central motto of "Together for a better internet", participants in the competition were invited to show that #Together_We can:

1. Fight violence and bullying on the internet;
2. End hate speech and racism;
3. Say no to misinformation and fake news; or
4. Protect our personal data and digital identity.

For the final evaluation phase, 14 entries were selected (6 from primary schools and 8 from secondary schools). During the seminar, the student groups presented their video and its creation process to the Evaluation Committee and answered relevant questions. The Committee was comprised of two representatives of the Pedagogical Institute of Cyprus and a representative from each level of education. Videos were evaluated based on predefined competition criteria.

Three prizes were awarded to student groups of primary schools and three prizes to student groups of Gymnasium/Lyceum/vocational schools. In addition, considering all of the schools’ commendable efforts, especially given the pandemic circumstances under which the videos were created, it was decided to award praise to all other entries.

All of the videos that participated in the second phase of the competition have been televised and will be used in various ways for educational purposes. In addition, the videos have been posted on the Department of Educational Technology’s YouTube channel, while further information on the competition is available on the Cypriot Safer Internet Centre’s website.

Find out more about the work of the Cyprus Safer Internet Centre generally, including its awareness raising, helpline, hotline and youth participation services – or find similar information for Safer Internet Centres throughout Europe.