Online training "Active Media Education For Disabled Youth" |Pilot phase in Germany successfully completed
This Monday, Stiftung Digitale Chancen organised the last digital consultation hour of the German online training "Active Media Education For Disabled Youth". This means that the pilot phase of the training is now officially over in Germany. From September 7 to October 16, the online training, which was developed as part of the Erasmus+ project AMEDY, was run through by a total of 19 educational professionals from three institutions all over Germany.
Contents and structure of the online training
The free online training is offered via the learning platform Moodle. It is composed of a total of three modules, which are dedicated to different thematic focuses:
- Module 1 is about "Media usage and Privacy". Here, various social media platforms and their functions are presented, but also the so-called digital footprint is examined more closely. .
- Module 2 deals with "Digital Trends and Risks" that can be encountered in the virtual space. Special focus is given to fake news and disinformation on the net, but other online phenomena and Internet challenges are also presented here. In addition, the topic of cyberbullying is examined from different perspectives.
- The third and last module deals with "Creation and Participation" in the digital space. Here, the potentials of e-participation and gamification are explored, but also issues of copyright are addressed.
All three modules have a uniform structure, which consists of readings for the acquisition of background knowledge, practical tasks, which can be implemented directly in the professional context, as well as an area for joint exchange and reflection. The focus of the training is on linking theory and practice. Thus, what has been learned should ideally also be implemented directly with the target group, young people with light intellectual disabilities, in order to consolidate the acquired knowledge by applying it on a practical level.
The three modules were released one after the other during the pilot phase. Participants had two weeks to complete each module. Each module was concluded with a digital consultation session in which the participants reviewed what they had learned together. Participants were able to report on their practical experiences, exchange information on digital issues, provide feedback and ask any questions that remained unanswered.
For each module, participants could also earn a digital badge (called Open Badges) - to do so, they had to have read at least one text from the "Background Knowledge" section, completed at least two practical tasks, and either participated in the digital consultation hour or posted an active contribution in the forum.
Collaborating Organizations
.A total of 19 educational professionals from the Martinsclub Bremen e.V., the Wohn- und Betreuungsverbund Haus Sonne gGmbH and IN VIA Dortmund e.V. participated in the German online training, with the aim of acquiring more background knowledge on digital topics and ideas for the practical application of digital content for their own educational work. Their feedback in the last digital consultation hour showed that the training was able to get a ball rolling in the participating organizations. The motivation of many participants was clearly noticeable to continue to deal with the potentials and risks of digital media beyond the training in order to pass on the knowledge to others as multipliers in the future.
.Where do we go from here?
After the participants have gone through the online training, the evaluation of the training is now pending. At several points during the training, participants were asked to fill out feedback questionnaires. With the help of the participants' feedback, the online training is to be optimized - that is, the content is to be tailored even better to the end target group, any necessary adjustments and additions are to be made, or the learning environment is to be made more practicable.
The findings of the Greek and Belgian partners, who are currently still in the pilot phase, will also be incorporated into the evaluation. At the end of the project, a free online training course in the form of an open educational resource (OER) is to be created that can be used throughout Europe and adapted to the specific needs in the various countries and reused.