Shaping Critical Minds: ELT & Media Literacy for the 21st Century is a hybrid (in-person and online) international conference designed for English Language educators across Romania and Southeastern Europe. Developed and organized by MediaLitHub, hosted in Buzău by Regional Center for Teacher Development in collaboration with the County Board of Education Buzău and Liceul Tehnologic "Alexandru Ioan Cuza", this event aims to provide educators with the tools, strategies, and insights needed to effectively integrate media literacy into English language teaching (ELT).
All registered participants will receive a Certificate of Attendance, attesting to their completion of 5 hours of professional training as part of the conference program, whether attended in person or online. All in-person participants will receive a Conference Welcome Kit, filled with valuable books, teaching materials, and resources from leading publishing houses to support your ELT and media literacy journey.
Featured Speakers:
Keynote Speaker
Dr. Renee Hobbs – USA
Founder, Media Education Lab
Professor, University of Rhode Island
As one of the world’s leading authorities on digital and media literacy education, Renee Hobbs has created and offered programs for educators, parents, public health, and law enforcement professionals on four continents. She has published 12 books and more than 250+ scholarly and professional publications and has created award-winning digital media and curriculum resources for educators in elementary and secondary schools. A partial list of books include Media Literacy in Action (2025, Rowman and Littlefield),Mind Over Media: Propaganda Education for a Digital Age(2020, W.W. Norton)–winner of the 2021 PROSE Award for Excellence in Social Sciences from the American Association of Publishers; The Library Screen Scene (2019, Oxford University Press); Create to Learn (2017, Wiley), Copyright Clarity: How Fair Use Supports Digital Learning (2011, Corwin Sage.) and Reading the Media: Media Literacy in High School English (Teachers College Press, 2007). As a field builder, she founded the organization that became the National Association for Media Literacy Education (NAMLE) and established an open-access peer reviewed journal for the field, the Journal of Media Literacy Education. With Paul Mihailidis, she served as editor of The International Encyclopedia on Media Literacy (2019, Wiley and the International Communication Association), She received more than $7 million in funding over the course of her career from federal, state, and philanthropic sources. She is a Professor of Communication Studies at the Harrington School of Communication and Media at the University of Rhode Island, where she co-directs the Graduate Certificate in Digital Literacy. She founded the Media Education Lab to advance the quality of digital and media literacy education through scholarship, community service, and leadership development. Professor Hobbs received her Ed.D from Harvard Graduate School of Education and she earned an M.A. in Communication and a B.A. in English Literature and Film/Video Studies.
Guest Speaker
Dr. Adriana Mihai
Romania
Researcher & Trainer
MediaWise Society
Dr. Adriana Mihai is a teacher of English Literature at the Laude-Reut Educational Complex, a researcher and trainer at Mediawise Society in Bucharest, and an affiliate researcher at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Vienna. She has worked and published on various aspects of digital media, ranging from the cultural and political economy of media production and digital cultural memory, to popular culture and media education. She has a PhD in literary and cultural studies at the University of Bucharest.
Speaker
Corina Moise Poenaru - Romania
EFL Teacher & Trainer
Corina Moise Poenaru is an EFL teacher and headmistress at Liceul Tehnologic “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” Buzău, Romania. A Fulbright alumna, she specializes in media literacy, critical thinking, and digital education. Corina is a passionate advocate for modern, inclusive teaching and has led numerous Erasmus+ projects promoting media awareness and global learning in vocational schools through her publications. Corina has actively promoted media literacy education across Romania through her role as a speaker at national events, such as the “Media Literacy & Critical Thinking for EFL Teachers” conference organized by Romanian-U.S. Fulbright Commission and ”Empowering Students Against Disinformation: A Guide for ELT Educators”. She has advocated for embedding media literacy in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms, helping students become more discerning consumers and creators of digital content.
Speaker
Elvira Kiss - Romania
EFL Teacher & Trainer
Elvira Kiss is an experienced English teacher and trainer with over twenty years of teaching English as a Foreign Language to learners of all ages. Based in Târgu Mureș, Romania, she has transitioned from classroom teaching to focus more on educator training. She holds a degree in History and English Language and Literature, as well as a M.A. in British Cultural Studies. A Fulbright TEA alumna (2021), Elvira Kiss received specialized training in media literacy, educational technology, and academic development. She has created and led a range of extracurricular courses—spanning American culture, literature, creative writing, and critical reading—and continues to engage with professional development through MOOCs, Erasmus+ and international masterclasses. As a trainer, she has contributed to workshops promoting media literacy and critical thinking, including events hosted by the Romanian-U.S. Fulbright Commission and the American Corner Bucharest.
Framing the Conference: Purpose, Context, and Aims
IIn an era marked by constant digital connectivity, information overload, and shifting global narratives, the ability to engage critically with media has never been more essential. This hybrid conference brings together educators, researchers, and practitioners to explore the intersection of English Language Teaching (ELT) and media literacy — two domains increasingly recognized as vital in preparing learners for full participation in the 21st century.
Key objectives include:
To address current challenges in education, such as misinformation, disinformation and digital overload
To showcase innovative practices and resources in media-integrated ELT
To encourage interdisciplinary approaches that connect language, culture, and critical pedagogy.
To create a collaborative platform for educators, researchers, and media literacy advocates.
Through keynote talks, panel discussions, workshops, and interactive sessions, Shaping Critical Minds aims to spark meaningful conversations and practical insights for reshaping how we teach — and learn — in a complex media age.
📢 Call for Papers – Post-Conference Publication
If you have used media literacy to develop critical thinking in the ELT classroom, we encourage you to share your experience in the form of a 3-page lesson plan or classroom activity. Submissions should be practical, adaptable, and designed for real-world use.
Details will be provided after the Conference.
Submission deadline: June 30, 2025
Why Submit?
Selected materials will
Be published in a digital conference supplement
Contribute to a collaborative exchange of best practices among ELT professionals
Build your portfolio
✍️ Agenda
12.30 pm – 12.50 pm Welcome Address
Gianina Cociodar – Modern Languages Inspector at the County Board of Education Buzau
Daniela Palcău – Head Inspector at the County Board of Education Buzau
Stefan Torcărescu - Director at Regional Center for Teacher Development
12.50pm – 2.00 pm Understanding Media: Navigating Information in a Digital Age
Corina Moise Poenaru, EFL Teacher & Trainer
Elvira Kiss, EFL Teacher & Trainer
In today’s fast-paced digital world, media literacy is a vital skill. This session introduces core concepts of media literacy—such as bias, representation, and credibility—and offers practical strategies for helping learners critically engage with the media they encounter. Designed for educators and ELT professionals, the talk emphasizes the importance of empowering students to navigate information thoughtfully and responsibly.
2.00 pm – 3.00 pm From Influencers to AI: Media Literacy as a Pathway to English Proficiency
Dr. Renee Hobbs, Media Education Lab | Professor, University of Rhode Island
Join us for an engaging and forward-thinking talk designed specifically for Romanian teachers of English, where we’ll explore innovative instructional practices that powerfully support English language learning through the lens of contemporary media, technology, and society. From sponsored content and influencer culture to generative AI, video games, advertising, and YouTube trends, this session unpacks how these real-world topics can energize the classroom and deepen language acquisition. You'll experience a model mini-lesson that highlights core media literacy strategies and discover practical ways to foster critical thinking and communication skills. We’ll also discuss how educators can champion media literacy education on a national scale by cultivating dynamic professional learning communities.
3.00 pm – 3.15 pm Networking Coffee Break
3.15 pm – 4.15 pm Reading the World in English Classrooms: The Mediawise Teacher Guide
Adriana Mihai, Teacher of English Literature at the Laude-Reut Educational Complex, researcher and trainer at Mediawise Society in Bucharest
In an era of information overload and increasing polarization, media literacy has become a crucial skill for both educators and students. This presentation introduces the Mediawise Teacher Guide as a practical resource for ESL teachers seeking to embed media literacy into their teaching. It will focus on strategies for analyzing media content related to sensitive or polarizing topics, while promoting respectful and open classroom discussions. Participants will explore ways to use these tools across diverse learning units and objectives, helping students become more critical, confident users of information in a global mediascape.
4.15 pm – 5.00 pm Screens, Slogans & Stories: Teaching English with the Language of Influence
Elvira Kiss, EFL Teacher & Trainer
How do we help learners navigate—and create—the persuasive messages that surround them? This interactive seminar blends media literacy theory with hands-on ELT practice, using advertising and digital media to explore the language of influence. Through adaptable activities and real-world examples, you will discover how ads can build vocabulary, foster critical thinking, and deepen language awareness. Ideal for ELT educators and researchers, the session offers practical strategies for using media texts to shape confident, reflective, and media-savvy English language learners.
5.00 pm – 5.45 pm Raising Critical Thinkers: The Case for Media Literacy in ELT
Corina Moise Poenaru, EFL Teacher & Trainer
As language learners increasingly engage with digital content, English Language Teaching must evolve to include media literacy. This session explores why media literacy is essential in ELT, highlighting its role in fostering critical thinking, language development, and global awareness. Attendees will discover how integrating media analysis into the classroom equips students to question, interpret, and respond to information in meaningful ways.
5.45 pm – 6.00 pm Closing Remarks