Missing link: The digital revolution requires a rethink in schools!
Technology has arrived in many schools. The question now is how the digital devices should be used in lessons, explains Hans-Jakob Erchinger.
(Bild: Gorodenkoff/ Shutterstock.com)
Children often use AI tools without really being aware of it. On Snapchat, for example, ChatGPT with "My AI" is built into the messenger. When asked about the most important digital skills at school, it responds in the chat:
"Hey, good question! Digital skills are super important today. Here are the most important ones: 1. understanding how to use media safely and responsibly 2. the ability to find, evaluate and critically question information 3. knowing how to protect personal data and stay safe online 4. understanding the dangers of online threats and how to protect against them 5. the ability to use digital tools creatively and solve problems."
Excellent, you might think, here the goals of the 2016 "Education in the digital world" strategy of the Conference of Education Ministers are conveyed to young people in simple language. However, there are two problems:
- No young person asks this question on Snapchat!
- Even many adults lack the knowledge that would need to be constantly updated.
Technology and education must be linked
Although the German "DigitalPakt" of 2019 has now brought technology into schools and a concept always had to be presented for this, it is clear in practice that this needs to be tightened up. The key is the realization that teachers will need to have media and technological knowledge in addition to subject-specific and pedagogical knowledge in the future (TPACK model).
The abbreviation TPACK stands for "Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge" and refers to a meaningful linking of the areas for teaching. The Lower Saxony concept of media education is also based on the so-called "Dagstuhl Declaration: Education in the Digital World", which was drawn up by experts from school practice together with media educators and representatives from IT and business. According to the experts, the following three questions should always be considered together:
- How does it work?
- How do I use it?
- What effect does it have (on people)?
This is also helpful at school in order to promote self-confident and critical use of digital media at school.
This becomes particularly clear in tablet classes with 1:1 equipment. At my own school, where iPads have been introduced in years 7 to 9, the key question currently is: How do I deal with mobile device management (MDM)? Do I lock students into apps with Classroom? Do I control use in parallel on a second device? Do I make a usage contract that is sanctioned? Or is it better to just leave the iPad in the bag?
In our year 7 class, we are currently testing the strict control variant: the installation of private apps on the devices is currently not possible in MDM. However, how media literacy can be achieved among young pupils needs to be discussed further among the teaching staff. This is because pedagogical and technical concepts from the DigitalPakt still need to be refined. However, it is clear that even in lessons without tablets, technological knowledge and media skills must always be considered. This requires new lesson planning that takes the use of digital media into account.
New examination formats are needed!
In addition to new task formats, digital teaching also requires a different performance assessment - adapted to the digital challenges. This is what my practical experience has taught me. The education ministries have also recognized this. Supplementary recommendations have been issued for the KMK strategy "Education in the digital world". These also call for a new task culture: Teaching and learning in the digital world "results in opportunities for creative and product-oriented tasks".
If I look at my combination of subjects and my lessons, then the creation of podcasts and videos, image processing, website design and online journals are ideal. For me, these are ideal methods for teaching media skills.
If you take my experience as an example, however, this also means that teachers are particularly challenged, as the communicative use of these new teaching and learning tools must be demonstrated and taught in face-to-face lessons. A critical, inquiring attitude that enables pupils to evaluate information must be constantly practiced and ultimately also considered when assessing performance. To this end, the KMK requires schools to: "Future examination formats therefore also increasingly incorporate creativity, collaboration, critical thinking and communication." (KMK 2021, P. 13)
Lessons "turned upside down"
School processes also need to be completely rethought: Homework and classwork must be adapted to the requirements of the digital revolution. The concept of the inverted classroom (flipped classroom) is based on the media-based acquisition of material as "homework". The content must then always be discussed in class. Here, the teacher must explain, correct and classify.
In everyday school life, journalistic work can be implemented immediately in small steps: The smartphone or tablet is suitable for podcasts, video productions, research on current topics, journalistic text productions or photo documentaries - always with the premise of truthfulness and critical source checking. This requires a high level of media competence for the teacher. In the lesson itself, the tablets can stay in the bag. Except for the group presenting their digital products.
Work in progress
Nevertheless, there is still a lot to do in schools. When it comes to the use of digital technology in lesson design and media education, we are still a work in progress. This is because developments, particularly in relation to artificial intelligence, are so rapid that every concept needs to be flexibly adapted.
Teachers can support each other in using digital technology with micro-training courses, for example. My colleagues have had good experiences with this. However, teachers must also be given the time and resources to keep pace with developments.
Digital tools from the state of Lower Saxony
The Ministries of Education and Cultural Affairs are also making efforts to integrate new tools into everyday school life on an ongoing basis. Teachers therefore do not have to privately check or subscribe to every new tool that comes onto the market (although some teachers do this at their own expense and with a great deal of commitment).
Since the beginning of 2023, the state of Lower Saxony has made 11 learning and diagnostic tools available to schools free of charge. The web-based application Claastime is one example. The tool can be used to carry out digital learning checks, exercises and corrections. These support services will elevate the digital skills of teachers.
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