DIGITAL MEDIA CLUBS

Project Evaluation Report

Increasing Students’ Active Engagement through Digital Media Clubs

This document is an end-of-cycle evaluation of the project called Increasing Students’ Active Engagement through Digital Media Clubs: Capacity Development in Basic Education in Kosovo. This project was aimed at equipping youth with the knowledge and critical-thinking skills required for facing the vast transitional landscape of media. This includes traditional media, such as television and radio, as well as novel media, such as social media and online platforms. The project achieved this through the creation of Digital Media Clubs 20 Champion Schools in seven municipalities of Kosovo.

The Department of Psychology, University of Prishtina, managed this evaluation. The objective of this evaluation was to evaluate the impact of the project’s implementation and to document the results of the project in relation to the overall objectives and expected results as defined in the project proposal. Additionally, the evaluation process was aimed at identifying good practices and lessons learned for future interventions.

The evaluation employed a mainly qualitative research design, which included a comprehensive desk review combined with semi-structured interviews to develop an in-depth understanding of the project’s accomplishments and lessons learned. In-depth interviews were conducted with beneficiaries of the project. These include teachers (project coordinators), as well as students from four regions: Prishtina, Gjilan, Gjakova, and Podujeva. In total, seven students and seven teachers participated in the evaluation.

The results from the evaluation indicated that the workshops and the establishment of the digital media club were crucial for improving students’ and teachers’ digital media–related knowledge and abilities, changing their attitudes toward media, and integrating digital media into the learning and teaching process. Students highlighted their satisfaction with the instruction organized through the digital media clubs. Specifically, they explained that the schools had more pleasant atmospheres. Their experiences with the digital media clubs seem to have contributed to their personal and professional development. Finally, the evaluation process showed that the project was highly relevant, effective, and efficient in terms of building digital skills and critical thinking from the perspective of both, teachers and students.

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