CrossOver: educational toolkit on algorithms
Today, in many cases, algorithms determine which videos, posts or accounts we get to see. To understand exactly how those algorithms, those mathematical formulas, work, you need to be mediawise. In short: be able to understand and use media – and therefore also know what algorithms do and how to work around them. Algorithmic literacy is thus an integral part of media literacy.
Many people find algorithms mysterious, it even seems like sorcery. We know they determine a lot about what we get to see online, but how exactly they work is often unclear. CrossOver, a project by EDMO Belux partner EU Disinfolab, together with Savoir Devenir, Apache and Check First, created a dashboard that aims to give more insight into the recommendation algorithms of popular platforms such as YouTube and Twitter. For example, researchers within the project discovered that the search term “Xinjiang”, in addition to objective information, mainly shows content produced by Chinese state-controlled actors.
In addition to monitoring and investigating these algorithms and how they lead to disinformation, CrossOver has created a toolkit of teaching materials to introduce pupils to the world of algorithms. The toolkit consists of articles, podcasts (in collaboration with EDMO Belux partner Mediawijs), quizzes and posters. Discover together with your pupils how recommendation algorithms work, what their influence is and how they can lead to the spread of disinformation!
Download CrossOver’s toolkit of teaching materials on algorithmic literacy.
Visit the CrossOver website.