From 12 and 15 June, the second Study Visit in the framework of the ECHO Network project took place in Brussels, organised by SOLIDAR Foundation’s partner CEMÉA Belgium. The ECHO Network project is based on exchanging experiences and best practices in achieving the vision of a democratised online space that puts consumers’ safety at its centre, as opposed to profit which is made of learners’ data.

In the framework of the project, the focus of the Study Visit was on active education practices to sensibilise participants on ethical digital tools. The workshops revolved around the concepts of active and popular education as practices of raising awareness on safe and ethical digital utilisation. The concept of learning was also scrutinized, highlighting the efficiency of methods that go beyond the formal format, such as informal and non-formal context and teaching practices that match learners’ needs. The participants discussed insights learnt on cognitive and behavioral biases used by big software providers to maintain engagement for profit, and explored ways to find a healthier approach to digital platforms.

During the Study Visit, the participants were presented with insightful projects and tools, such as Peertube, a free, decentralized video hosting software as an alternative to big tech’s video platform. To wrap up the Study Visit, the participants attended a conference on smart cities where they could practice the learnings on video streaming and montages taught by ZinTV.

Read more on the first ECHO Network Study Visit here.