Intercultural Collaboration Bridge to Decipher Internet Addiction (INTERBRIDGE)
Duration: 01.01.2021-31.12.2022
Grant: 161.038 Euro
Institution: Erasmus+ Key Action 205
Project Details: This project aims to initiate a productive dialogue and establish a dynamic network between Turkish, French, Lithuanian and Romanian students, with the ultimate goal of facilitating experience exchange and empowering youth participation in policy level engagement. Internet addiction, highlighted by disproportional uncontrolled electronic device usage, has recently emerged as a common problem for all age groups. Despite the growing body of academic research in this area, a comprehensive understanding of the underlying problematics and countermeasure approaches are still mainly lacking. Importantly, especially young people with internet addiction problem face increasing difficulties associated with social isolation and lack of discipline, which in the long run can result in socioeconomic disadvantage. In other words, the significant number of the young generation is currently under the risk of internet addiction and are expected to hinder the social environment. Since it has been demonstrated that this issue mainly constitutes a risk for children and youth, alternative bottom-up solutions originating from this age group provide indispensable opportunity. This project proposed a holistic assessment of current issues and collaborative effort for shifting problematic technology usage towards improved utilization. The participants of this project will pro-actively take part in internet addiction research by determining its possible causes, discussing obtained results, and proposing potential solutions. The participants from different countries and cultural backgrounds will examine the risks of internet addiction in the context of the social environment, interaction networks, and active democratic participation.
Additionally, the project members will also talk about potential definite advantages of computer and internet usage, and alternative social activities against internet addiction. Moreover, the students will, on the one hand, present their novel findings to decision-makers and, on the other hand, share their ideas with a broader community, including student peers, as an excellent communication practice. Finally, participant students will acquire crucial skills to solve standing problems using a comprehensive assessment based on the proposed innovative ‘Six Thinking Hat’ education methodology model. Six hat models help avoid wasting time while allowing a detailed discussion of a topic from different angles. In conclusion, this project is expected to contribute to the cumulative struggle against internet addiction by establishing long-term international bridges among growing communities and interactively exploring understudied aspects of this complex issue.