Media and digital literacy, including the ability to access, analyse, evaluate and create media content across different formats, is essential for informed citizenship, democratic participation and resilience to misinformation and disinformation.

Schools play a crucial role in fostering media literacy skills, providing young people with opportunities to develop the critical understanding and practical competencies needed to navigate today’s complex media landscape.

At European level, frameworks such as the Digital Competence Framework 3.0 and UNESCO's media and information literacy curriculum recognise media literacy as a core competency for active citizenship in democratic societies. Teachers' experiences and perspectives are invaluable in understanding what is working, what challenges remain and where further support is needed.

In March 2026, the European Commission presented updated guidelines on tackling disinformation and promoting digital literacy through education and training, offering further practical support for teachers and educators to address topics such as generative AI, social media and influencers with their pupils.

This survey aimed to gather insights into teachers’ and stakeholders’ perspectives on media and digital literacy in schools, including key priorities, challenges encountered in practice, existing school approaches and the need for professional development or support.

The survey gathered 454 responses, mostly from teachers in secondary schools (43%), primary schools (22%), pre-primary schools (6%) and from school heads (7%) and teacher educators/trainers (7%). Responses were received from 38 countries, including Italy (19%), Romania (13%), Türkiye (11%) and Spain (9%). 

Respondents’ role

1. Teacher – early years education
2. Teacher – primary education
3. Teacher – secondary education
4. Teacher – vocational education
5. School head
6. National, regional or local authority
7. Teacher educator/trainer
8. Education policymaker
9. Parent
10. In-school support (e.g. school librarian, career counsellor)
11. External practitioner (visiting schools)
12. Other educational professional/stakeholder

1 – To what extent is media literacy part of your teaching or professional role?

Most of the respondents reported that media literacy plays a significant part in their work. Nearly half (45%) said it is a regular, planned and recurring element of their teaching or role, while a further 22% described it as central to what they do. Fewer respondents (29%) indicated that media literacy arises only occasionally and informally, without being planned, while very few reported that it is not part of their role at all (2%). 

A. Extensively – it is central to my teaching or role

B. Regularly – it is a planned and recurring part of my teaching or role

C. Occasionally – it comes up informally and is not planned

D. Not at all – it isn’t currently part of my teaching or role

E. Not applicable

2 – Where does media literacy currently sit in your school or setting? 

A cross-curricular approach is the most common way to introduce media literacy in schools, with nearly half of respondents (48%) embedding it across several subjects. Many also pointed to extracurricular activities, projects or events (39%), while a third (33%) stated that it is addressed within a specific subject. 

Fewer respondents described more formalised arrangements: 18% indicated that media literacy forms part of a whole school strategy or policy, and only 10% reported that it is taught as a standalone subject or module. Notably, almost one in five (19%) stated that media literacy is not currently addressed in a structured way in their school.

1. Embedded across several subjects (cross-curricular)
2. Through extracurricular activities, projects or events
3. Within a specific subject, for example languages, civic education, history, or information and communication technology (ICT)
4. It isn’t currently addressed in a structured way
5. As part of a whole school strategy or policy
6. As a standalone subject or module
7. Not applicable to my role

3 – Which of the following media literacy topics do you consider most important?

When asked which media literacy topics they consider most important, respondents prioritised skills related to assessing the trustworthiness of information. Two-thirds (67%) highlighted identifying credible sources and evaluating the reliability of information, and well over half (59%) selected recognising misinformation or disinformation. 

Nearly half also emphasised recognising AI-generated content (46%) and understanding privacy, personal data, digital rights and online safety (46%). 

Less frequently selected topics included distinguishing between news, opinion, advertising and satire (23%) and identifying propaganda and foreign information manipulation and interference (19%). Understanding media ownership, funding, editorial independence and the role of journalism in democracy was selected least often (10%).

1. Identifying credible sources and evaluating the reliability of information
2. Recognising misinformation or disinformation (fake news)
3. Recognising AI-generated content
4. Understanding privacy, personal data, digital rights and online safety
5. Creating and sharing media content responsibly
6. Understanding how algorithms, social media platforms and AI shape information and access to it
7. Active and informed digital citizenship and civic participation
8. Distinguishing between news, opinion, advertising and satire
9. Identifying propaganda and foreign information manipulation and interference
10. Understanding media ownership, funding, editorial independence and the role of journalism in democracy
11. Other

4 – How would you rate your pupils’ level of media literacy for their age?

When asked to rate their pupils' level of media literacy for their age, respondents painted a largely cautious picture. Just over half (52%) described their pupils' media literacy as limited, indicating that while most pupils have some skills, clear gaps remain. A further 16% rated it as low, saying most pupils struggle with media literacy tasks, meaning that over two-thirds of respondents (68%) identified notable shortcomings. 

By contrast, around a quarter offered a more positive assessment, with 21% rating their pupils' media literacy as good and only 5% describing it as very good.

1. Very good – most pupils demonstrate strong media literacy skills
2. Good – most pupils are reasonably competent
3. Limited – most pupils have some media literacy skills, but clear gaps remain
4. Low – most pupils struggle with media literacy tasks
5. I don’t know / Not applicable

5 – How confident do you feel addressing AI-generated content, for example deepfakes or AI-written text, with your pupils?

Respondents expressed mixed levels of confidence in addressing AI-generated content, such as deepfakes or AI-written text, with their pupils. The largest group (44%) described themselves as moderately confident, while 13% felt very confident, meaning that just over half (57%) reported a reasonable degree of confidence overall. However, a substantial proportion expressed less certainty: approximately two in five respondents (38%) indicated that they have limited or no confidence in tackling this topic.

A. Very confident

B. Moderately confident

C. Slightly confident

D. Not at all confident

E. Not applicable

6 – Have you received in-service training on media literacy education in the past two years or during initial teacher education? 

Responses indicate that professional learning in media literacy has come mainly through in-service routes rather than initial teacher education. Formal and informal in-service learning were reported in equal measure, with 42% having attended formal training such as accredited courses, workshops or conferences and 42% having engaged in informal learning through peer exchange, self-study or online resources. 

In contrast, only 6% indicated that they had received media literacy training during their initial teacher education, suggesting this is rarely covered at the start of teachers' careers. More than a quarter of respondents (27%) reported having received no training at all, while the remaining 5% said the question was not applicable to their role.

1. Yes, in-service formal training (e.g. accredited course, workshop, conference)
2. Yes, in-service informal learning (e.g. peer exchange, self-study, online resources)
3. Yes, during my initial teacher education
4. No training received
5. Not applicable to my role

6b – To what extent was the training that you received…?

In a follow-up question those who had received training generally rated it positively, although views were somewhat more reserved on its practical impact. Usefulness for their teaching role received the strongest endorsement, with 64% rating the training as very or moderately useful, closely followed by its relevance to their wider role as educators (61%). 

Ratings were slightly lower for the training's practical application in real classroom situations and its effectiveness in building confidence to teach media literacy (57%). The training's focus on current challenges such as disinformation, social media and AI received similar ratings (56%), although this item also drew the highest share of negative responses, with 4% saying it was not at all focused on these issues and 11% saying it was only slightly focused. 

A. Very much / B. Moderately / C. Slightly / D. Not at all / E. No Answer

1. useful for your teaching role
2. relevant to your wider role as an educator
3. practical and applicable in real classroom situations
4. effective in building your confidence to teach media literacy
5. focused on current challenges (e.g. disinformation, social media, AI)

7 – What kind of support is most needed to teach media literacy more effectively?

In terms of support needed, over half of respondents (57%) called for regular training on promoting media literacy and tackling disinformation, and nearly half (48%) asked for more practical teaching materials and lesson plans. Around a third highlighted the value of opportunities to exchange practices with colleagues across countries (35%), school-level guidelines (35%), support in recognising AI-generated content (32%) and more dedicated curriculum time (30%). 

A quarter (26%) expressed interest in collaborating with experts (e.g. journalists, fact-checkers), while fewer prioritised project-based work (23%), greater support from school leadership (21%) or comprehensive national frameworks (21%). Clearer procedures for handling disinformation incidents within the school community were selected least often (17%).

1. Regular training on how to promote media literacy and tackle disinformation with pupils
2. More practical teaching materials and lesson plans specifically on media literacy
3. Opportunities to exchange practices with colleagues across countries
4. Clear school-level guidelines
5. Support in recognising AI-generated content and synthetic media with pupils
6. More dedicated curriculum time to address media literacy topics
7. Collaboration with journalists, fact-checkers, disinformation experts or other external actors, including media professionals
8. Opportunities for project-based work
9. More support from school leadership to embed media literacy in teaching
10. Comprehensive national frameworks
11. Clearer procedures for handling disinformation incidents within the school community
12. Other

Discussion

The findings show that media literacy is closely linked to teachers' work, with two-thirds of respondents addressing it in a planned way and most placing a high priority on source evaluation, disinformation and AI-generated content. Yet this commitment is not always matched by structured provision or preparation: nearly one in five respondents report no structured approach in their setting, most judge their pupils' skills to be limited or low, more than a quarter have received no training and almost two in five lack confidence in tackling AI-generated content. 

The European School Education Platform offers free support that directly addresses these needs. For those seeking regular training, self-paced online courses can support their work, while the European Commission's guidelines to tackle disinformation may help develop lesson plans and strategies for handling generative AI and social media, which many respondents requested. 

Teachers keen to exchange practices with colleagues across countries can collaborate with classrooms throughout Europe through eTwinning or share approaches in the dedicated Literacy, media literacy and critical thinking group. They can also gain inspiration from the podcast episode ‘Media literacy that works’.