How far should children’s freedom on social media extend? And who should decide? These were among the questions explored by students from universities in the Aurora network, who took part in an intensive course on digital citizenship at Palacký University Olomouc. Alongside theory, they also picked up cameras, microphones, and streaming equipment.
The international Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) Digital Citizenship as a Contested Space, organized by the Sts Cyril and Methodius Faculty of Theology at Palacký University in cooperation with the university’s Audiovisual Production unit, brought together around twenty students from partner institutions, including Austria, the Netherlands, and Iceland. BIP programmes are among the tools used by the Aurora university alliance to connect institutions across Europe and support innovative forms of teaching and international mobility – they combine online and in-person learning and offer students intensive short-term international experiences.
The course focused on the current topic of digital citizenship – how people navigate the online space, what rights and responsibilities they have, and what role platforms and algorithms play. Students did not approach the topic only theoretically. A key part of the programme was the practical creation of their own media outputs, in which they addressed issues such as whether children’s access to social media should be regulated.
From lectures to filming
The programme began with an online session, followed by an intensive five-day in-person part in Olomouc. At the start, students attended two lectures introducing them to the topic of digital citizenship, and the organizers also prepared a guided tour of Olomouc for them.
“At the Department of Communication at the CMTF UP, we have been collaborating for some time with Associate Professor Damian Guzek from Poland, who teaches a course on Digital Citizenship. When our partners from the Aurora alliance approached us about organizing a joint BIP programme, we proposed a topic aligned with this course and gradually developed it into a full programme,” explained the course guarantor, Michal Štverák.
Partner universities from the Aurora alliance – Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and Universität Innsbruck – also contributed to the programme, taking part both in teaching and in student teams.
A complete audiovisual experience
A major part of the course took place at the Audiovisual Production unit of Palacký University (AVP), where participants experienced the entire audiovisual production process from start to finish. They developed topics, prepared scripts, filmed their own material, edited it, and produced final outputs. Their work culminated in a live broadcast from the university studio, which they streamed online on YouTube.
Thanks to the emphasis on experiential learning—learning through direct experience—students were able to immediately apply theoretical knowledge in practice and develop their media literacy, critical thinking, and teamwork skills in an international environment.
International experience and inspiration
According to the organizers, one of the greatest benefits of the course was the diversity of participants, who came to Olomouc from various parts of Europe. “The group of students was very diverse, and from our conversations with them it was clear that they greatly appreciated the programme, as well as the beauty of our city and the university environment,” added Michal Štverák.
The course concluded with a joint online reflection, during which participants evaluated the programme about a week after the in-person part, shared their experiences, and provided feedback. In addition to earning three credits, students took away above all an intensive experience of international collaboration, connections within the Aurora alliance, and hands-on media production—as well as new questions about what a responsible and fair digital society should look like.
