charting media and learning in europe 2013

Promoting media-based learning to organisations and practitioners through local training and networking events, online resources and knowledge sharing

“Charting Media and Learning in Europe” Report

Laura Orlescu, Activewatch (Romania)

Sofia Papadimitriou, EduTV

(Greece)

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission 21 November 2014

Report background

The production of the report is a core activity of the MEDEAnet Project supported by the European Commission through the Lifelong Learning Programme

8 Partners in 7 Countries

MEDEAnet is promoting media-based learning through local training and networking events, online resources and knowledge sharing.

MEDEAnet operational from January 2012 – December 2014

Media & Learning, Brussels 2014


Research question How is media used to support

teaching and learning in different parts of Europe?

The results of this investigation were published in a series of 3 annual reports – “Charting Media and Learning in Europe”.

Each annual report had a different focus: 2011: policies 2012: school curriculum 2013: teacher training



Report background

Creating knowledge

• Gathering information from Estonia, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania and regions (Baden-Württemberg, Flanders, Upper Austria)

Sharing Knowledge

• Publishing information in reports online, presentation at events and distributing summaries and selected texts



Data collection

Analysis of public

documents

Consultation of existing researches

Interviews with experts in the

field of education + representatives of public bodies

Online resources



Report Year 1 - 2011

Policies, trends and developments in media

literacy and media education

Description of key players, initiatives, organisations, policy frameworks and good practices. Analysis of relevant definitions of media literacy in each country.

Described for all learning sectors, from pre-primary to adult learning.

Focus



Key Findings 2011

Media literacy is understood and defined very differently in the involved countries and it is a shared responsibility for several stakeholders. Some efforts are being made to measure the “level” of media literacy in different European countries (for example in the context of Eurydice) but this still has to improve. It was also noted that some countries or regions rather focus on the cultural component of media literacy whereas in others ICT is in the centre of attention. It is important to see both sides as complimentary, and therefore, both should be addressed simultaneously instead of in a separate way.



Key Findings 2011

Media education connects media culture and the classroom. It sets out a rationale for teaching that reflects the changing nature of contemporary culture and communication and also of young people’s experiences. Media education is the process of teaching and learning about media; Media literacy is the outcome - the knowledge and skills learners acquire.

About definitions




Curriculum Design in media literacy and media education for compulsory

level education

Focus

Information about organisations involved in curriculum design

Description of good practices related to curriculum design



Key Findings 2012

Media literacy is integrated in the curriculum in various ways and there is a discrepancy between the curricula and the effective daily classroom practice. The curricula is flexible and teachers play an important role in integrating media education – both its cultural component and a more technological approach – in the classroom and thus require high quality teacher training to enable them to act as multipliers.




Teachers and their training in production and use of

educational media

Published in Summer 2014

Each of the country or region chapters describes the current state of teacher training related to media education and media literacy.

Focus



Key Findings 2013

Future teachers are not (yet) trained in a way that will increase access to opportunities for MBL. They do not acquire the media literacy in their studies needed to realise cultural expression and reflection. Even where new methods and approaches are prevalent in pre-service training, teachers often revert back to old models when they are actually teaching.

About pre-service training



Key Findings 2013

national initiatives (such as the Digital School programme in Greece)

local, small initiatives in other countries, such as Estonia

differences are due in school autonomy and type of initiative

About in-service training



Key Findings 2013

• tend to come back to old models soon

• Teacher training sometimes focuses too much on theory and not enough in practice.

Theory and

practice

• there is a growing consensus that teacher training has to be adapted to accommodate a successful integration of media literacy and media-based learning.



Key Findings 2013

More and more training opportunities addressing both the actual use of ICT as well as media literacy are offered and there is an increasing number of initiatives and networks for schools.

Initiatives & networks



Key Findings 2013

positive attitude towards media education can successfully be created during pre-service training and supported with periodical in-service training programs.

Esthonia

About attitudes



Key Findings 2013

Teachers’ initial and in-service training focuses on ICT and e-learning skills rather than on media education and media literacy

About ICTs

Romania, Bulgaria, Greece


Key findings in Greece

21 November 2014

Data collection secondary resources published by the public authorities and institutes responsible for educational matters: MoE , The Institute of Educational Policy (IEP), The Computer Technology Institute and Press "Diophantus" (CTI), The Greek School Network (GSN), The Eurydice Network, the Operational Programme “Education and Life Long Learning” Universities Their websites and official documents educational and

media conference proceedings.


Initial teacher education

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a pedagogical training certificate has been established in the curriculum from all University departments of Education Sciences.

In-Service Training The A and B level In-Service Training for the use and application of ICT in the teaching practice. The B level distance training: Blended learning methods, combining distance learning and a limited number of f2f sessions.

The major in-service teacher training Program. Research Projects


European or national projects

21 November 2014

eTwinning, Teachers4Europe, Medeanet, School-Lab


Communities of Practice, Professional Learning Networks

Top Down

Bottom Up Even if media literacy is integrated in the curriculum (either in an integrated way, or connected to specific compulsory or optional courses), it mostly still depends on the initiative/freedom/autonomy of the teacher whether or not it is implemented.

21 November 2014


Key findings in Romania

definitions and policy

21 November 2014

In Romania no common definition for media literacy in its wider pedagogical and cultural understanding exists at national policy level. The only definition present in official education policy papers and relevant for media and learning refers to ICT skills. The media education definitions used in non-formal learning situations vary from the ones that embed the protectionist approach to the ones closer to the participatory model of media education.


Key findings in Romania curriculum design & teacher training

21 November 2014

Good presence of media and learning recommendations embedded in the various school curricula Flexible curriculum for teachers to include media education activities in the classroom

One reason that not much media education happens in the classroom is that teachers lack the training and hence the confidence. Another reason is the lack of institutional support


Key findings in Romania curriculum design & teacher training

21 November 2014

The teachers’ training process in Romania is substantial and offers many opportunities for the teachers to develop the most varied competences to use in the classroom. The teachers’ initial and in-service training contains only a few media literacy learning outcomes.

The focus stays on ICT and e-learning skills (for all formal education)

The 2013-2016 Governmental Programme mentions for the first time support for open educational resources (OER), a step forward to open education.

Media literacy in its various forms is more present in non-formal and informal education settings, as initiatives of small organizations


Recommendations Romania

21 November 2014

The Ministry of Education should consider upgrading the teachers’ training in order to make it more relevant for the production and use of educational media in the classroom. The Ministry of Education should limit the hours of mandatory ICT classes and consider ways to integrate media literacy in all forms of formal education. Academia should develop training programmes for teachers and consider research in the field of media and education because they have a key role in curriculum development. Romanian policy makers should consider a wider cultural approach to media education and support its integration in all forms of education.



Main conclusion

It emphasizes the importance of high quality teacher training as a crucial factor in making teachers more aware of the value of media education and media literacy.

And more fundamentally, to provide them with the competences and attitudes to play an active role as change-makers in education.

All reports freely available on www.medeanet.eu/report More about MEDEAnet here www.medeanet.eu

About our

research


http://www.medeanet.eu/report

http://www.medeanet.eu

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING!

21 November 2014

LAURA ORLESCU: [email protected]

SOFIA PAPADIMITRIOU: [email protected]


mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]