ROMEOVILLE, IL — The Department of Homeland Security awarded a $157,707 grant to Lewis University Justice, Law, and Public Safety department’s media literacy and online critical thinking initiative, How2INFORM.
The DHS Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention Grant was requested based on the previous DHS funding for the Lewis University student project, How2INFORM, according to the university.
The grant will fund the continued work of How2INFORM as it works with Illinois educators to provide media literacy training in their classrooms, the university said in a release. How2INFORM regularly re-evaluates materials and resources, which currently consists of videos, websites, publications, and podcasts helpful in combating misinformation.
The team also plans to develop an educator’s toolkit that can be accessed through in-person training or online modules. Free tools and resources will be provided equitably to communities within the state to help combat online misinformation, according to the university.
Dr. Vesna Markovic, professor and chair of Justice, Law and Public Safety Studies mentored the students working on the How2INFORM project, the university said.
In December 2021, Markovic and Kimberley Skubic, M.S., partnered with Nicole Pieranunzi, director of Special Education Services at West40, to develop the statewide distribution of H2I materials and training for Illinois educators. Outreach includes presenting H2I materials at conferences and training at regional offices of education, districts, and schools throughout the state, the university said.
In February, Markovic and Skubic traveled to Springfield to conduct in-person H2I training and materials to West40 coaches from seven Illinois school district hubs, the university said. Coaches returned to their home regions to conduct H2I training and education throughout the 2022-23 school years, reaching students in more than 30 school districts statewide.
Read More: Dept. Of Homeland Security Awards $157K Grant To Lewis University