Abstract 
Artificial intelligence has transformed the way people create, share, and consume information. Alongside its numerous advantages, AI has also introduced new challenges, particularly through the emergence of deepfakes and digitally manipulated content that can easily mislead the public. The international eTwinning project Global Chatmates Decode the Fake was developed to help secondary school students understand these challenges while fostering digital literacy, critical thinking, intercultural collaboration, and responsible online behaviour. Through seven months of collaborative learning, students from five European countries investigated the technology behind deepfakes, explored their ethical implications, and created awareness campaigns designed to educate their peers. The project demonstrates how international cooperation can successfully integrate digital competence with language learning and active citizenship education.
Introduction 
  The digital revolution has fundamentally changed the educational landscape. While artificial intelligence offers remarkable opportunities for innovation, creativity, and personalized learning, it has also facilitated the rapid spread of misinformation through increasingly convincing synthetic media. Deepfakes—AI-generated images, videos, and audio recordings that imitate reality—pose serious challenges to democratic societies, journalism, education, and public trust.
  Preparing young people to critically evaluate digital information has therefore become one of the key responsibilities of modern education. Schools are no longer expected merely to teach students how to use technology but also how to question information, verify sources, and understand the ethical implications of emerging technologies.
To question it, verify information, and understand its ethical implications.
  With this objective in mind, the eTwinning project Global Chatmates Decode the Fake was launched as an international educational initiative bringing together students and teachers from Croatia, Greece, Austria, Italy, and Latvia.
Project Design and Objectives
 The project was conceived as a STEAM-oriented learning experience integrating science, technology, ethics, language learning, civic education, and creative expression. Implemented from October 2025 to April 2026, it involved 39 students and seven teachers working collaboratively across national borders. 
The primary objectives were:
• to raise awareness of deepfake technologies and their societal impact.
• to develop students’ media and digital literacy.
• to strengthen critical thinking and fact-checking skills.
• to improve communication in English as a foreign language.
• to foster intercultural cooperation and teamwork.
• to encourage responsible digital citizenship.
  English served as the project’s official working language, enabling participants to communicate authentically while simultaneously developing their language proficiency.
  One of the strengths of the project was its carefully designed progression. Each month students received comprehensive study materials, practical resources, and detailed task instructions. Every new assignment built upon knowledge acquired during the previous phase, creating a coherent learning pathway that gradually increased in complexity.
Month 1: Understanding Deep fakes
  The project began with an international online meeting where students met their teammates, learned about the project objectives, and participated in ice-breaking activities. They were introduced to the concept of deep fakes through articles, educational videos, and demonstrations of verification tools.
  Working in multinational teams, students created digital posters and info graphics explaining what deep fakes are, how they are created, and presenting real-world examples of manipulated content.
Month 2: Exploring 
Artificial Intelligence
  Students investigated the technology behind deep fakes by studying Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs). Through visual presentations and collaborative discussions, they learned how AI-generated content is produced and then created animated videos explaining these complex concepts in accessible language. The students’ award-winning work can be viewed HERE. Month 3: Ethics and Society
 Attention then shifted from technology to ethics. Students debated controversial questions concerning the acceptable use of deep fakes in politics, entertainment, journalism, and education. International teams created podcasts and awareness materials exploring issues such as privacy, misinformation, consent, and manipulation. 
  These activities encouraged participants not only to understand technology but also to consider its broader social consequences. 
  The students’ award-winning debate podcast can be accessed HERE.
Month 4: Becoming 
Fact-Checkers
 Students were introduced to practical verification methods using professional tools such as InVID and Google Reverse Image Search. Through workshops and guided exercises, they learned to identify visual inconsistencies, verify sources, and distinguish authentic from manipulated content.
  Each team created digital flyers providing practical guidance on how ordinary internet users can recognise deepfakes and misinformation.
Month 5: The “Spot the Fake!” Campaign
  The project culminated in an international awareness campaign that combined all previous outputs into multimedia presentations designed to educate fellow students.
  Using videos, podcasts, animations, posters, and digital storytelling techniques, participants promoted media literacy and responsible online behaviour within their school communities. The final virtual exhibition showcased not only students’ technical knowledge but also their creativity and collaborative spirit.
  Watch the winning video HERE:
 Interdisciplinary Learning in Practice
  Global Chatmates Decode the Fake successfully integrated multiple subject areas into a coherent interdisciplinary learning experience: 
• English language lessons provided opportunities for authentic communication and international collaboration.
• ICT classes focused on digital tools, source verification, multimedia production, and safe online practices. 
• Civic Education encouraged reflection on democracy, media influence, and responsible citizenship.
• Social Studies explored the societal consequences of misinformation and the importance of informed participation in public life.
 Rather than treating these subjects separately, the project demonstrated how interdisciplinary learning can create meaningful educational experiences directly connected to real-world challenges. 
 Developing Twenty-First Century  Competences
  They strengthened their critical thinking skills by analysing evidence, questioning sources, and evaluating credibility.
  Participation in the project enabled students to acquire far more than technological knowledge.
 Working in international teams enhanced communication skills, intercultural understanding, responsibility, flexibility, and collaborative problem-solving. English became a practical tool for cooperation rather than merely a school subject.
 The project also nurtured creativity through the production of posters, podcasts, animations, videos, and awareness campaigns that required both technical proficiency and innovative thinking.
Educational Significance
 Global Chat mates Decode the Fake illustrates how project-based learning can successfully address contemporary digital challenges while simultaneously supporting curriculum objectives.
  The gradual progression of activities—from understanding technology to critically evaluating it and ultimately empowering students to educate others—enabled students to become active participants rather than passive consumers of information.
  By combining media literacy, digital competence, language learning, ethics, and intercultural cooperation, the project prepared students for the realities of an increasingly AI-driven world. 
Dissemination and Wider Impact
 An essential component of Global Chatmates Decode the Fake was the dissemination of its activities and outcomes beyond the participating schools. Throughout the project, students and teachers actively shared their work through school websites, social media platforms, eTwinning  TwinSpace, and local and international educational networks. The dissemination strategy aimed not only to showcase students’ achievements but also to raise public awareness about the growing challenges posed by deep fakes and AI-generated misinformation. 
  The project’s multimedia products—including posters, podcasts, animated videos, digital flyers, and the final awareness campaign—were made accessible to the wider school community and partner institutions. By presenting their work to peers, teachers, parents, and local stakeholders, students assumed the role of digital ambassadors, promoting media literacy and responsible online behaviour.
 The project also received international recognition through publications on participating schools’ websites and local media, demonstrating the value of cross-border collaboration in addressing contemporary digital challenges. Such dissemination activities extended the project’s educational impact beyond its immediate participants and contributed to a broader conversation on digital citizenship and artificial intelligence.
Project dissemination: 
• Official eTwinning TwinSpace
• GlobeChat Facebook 
• Globe Chat  Instagram 
Conclusion
 Artificial intelligence will undoubtedly continue to shape the future of communication, education, and society. Consequently, the ability to critically evaluate digital information is becoming as essential as traditional literacy itself.
  Through Global Chatmates Decode the Fake, students not only learned about deepfakes but also developed the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to become responsible digital citizens. They learned to question, verify, collaborate, and create—competences that extend far beyond the classroom.
  The project demonstrates that international cooperation, thoughtfully designed learning activities, and interdisciplinary teaching can empower young people to face the challenges of the digital age with confidence, responsibility, and critical awareness.
  As educators, our role is not merely to prepare students for examinations but to prepare them for the complex realities of modern society. Projects such as Global Chatmates Decode the Fake represent not only innovative educational practices but also a vital investment in preparing informed, responsible, and resilient citizens for the future.
(eTwinning project)