Johanna Schicker’s Weblog

The use of media in my schooldays…

Thinking back on my schooldays, media technology and computer skills did not play such an important role. Ten years ago, when I was in class 8 we had two lessons of so called “IKG” (Informations – und Kommunikationstechnische Grundlagen) each week where we learned how to type a text, use the printer or how to save files on a floppy-disk… but that’s it. In addition, there were only apple computers in the PC room while those of us who had an own computer (which was about the half of our class at the most) were working with windows. Beside that I remember that we had to do some Wikipedia research in the Internet in class 12 when we were dealing with different world religions… but unfortunately that’s all!!! I really cannot think of any other situations where we were dealing with computers and the internet in school.
Looking back on my language classes I can think of some situations where the teacher used some visual techniques e.g. we watched several English movies in class 9 and 10 and went to the cinema to see Michael Moore’s “Bowling for Columbine” with the Leistungskurs. Furthermore, we often had to listen to taped dialogues in our French class. But nevertheless, I did not get familiarized with modern media in school. It was more or less the time after my school leaving when I taught myself how to use the PC and the internet in an appropriate way.

… and nowadays:

On the web page of the  Gesamtschule Melsungen I found the schoolprogram which comprises 162 pages – but only one page deals with new media in class. The “IKG” course does still exist but is only an optional subject for class 8. In the current school year are only two courses in the list of optional courses which deal with media, namely “creating the yearbook of the school” and “how to produce video films”!!!! Only a short introduction of general computer knowledge for class 5 seems to be obligatory for the students.

Nevertheless, the school has at least on PC room with 24 computers and made a contract with a club who puts old PC’s from companies at the schools disposal. In addition they established an intern network which allows to use the internet from several rooms.

Actually, I was a little bit surprised that there was no clear evidence if computer work and the use of the internet is “deeply” involved or anchored into the educational curriculum of my old school. Admittedly, I could not talk to one of my old teachers in order to get to know something about the current situation or better said to see in how far the media in general and internet skills in particular is used in school. But I have the impression that there is not that much progress compared to my schooldays – above all, because there are still many teachers working who where already teaching there when I was a student…

What about the future?

All in all I have to admit that I am not that sceptical and critical about new media in school anymore. I thought that nowadays new media is already involved into lessons and was afraid that it could become too much in the future. But, considering the apparent situation at my old school it is obvious that there is still a lot of work to do – and I am quite sure that my old school is not the only one!!!! Especially due to the fact that nowadays, students are more familiarized with computers than I was we have to see the possibilities of new media in FL as a chance to rethink traditional methods and to create an interesting and motivating learning environment!!!!