Learn to interpret 'big data'!

From February 5 to 7, the Augustum-Annen-Gymnasium in Görlitz held its Media Project Days. Students from two seventh-grade classes engaged in an in-depth exploration of the use, possibilities, and risks of new media, thereby reflecting on their own media habits. In addition to the Saxon Training and Testing Channel in Görlitz (SAEK Görlitz), the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Applied Sciences Zittau/Görlitz served as the second off-campus learning location.

Here, 25 students worked on topics such as “Big Data,” “Credibility on the Internet/Fake News,” and conducted a video street survey in Görlitz. To this end, passersby were interviewed using a video camera and microphone about their usage habits regarding new media and social networks, and the footage was edited into a video in the Faculty of Social Sciences’ video studio. The project was supervised by students in the Social Work degree programme, who were able to put their newly acquired knowledge of active media work with children and adolescents into practice and thereby reinforce their learning in a lasting way.

The results from all working groups were then presented by the students to their parents on February 8 at a “Media Parents’ Night” at the Augustum-Annen-Gymnasium in Görlitz. In addition to prompting reflection, the presentation also sparked many “aha” moments among the parents in attendance. After all, even recommended media and legal protections for minors do not relieve parents of their responsibility for media education. Parents, too, have a duty to engage with the topic. Children need people in their lives with whom they can talk about their experiences and problems in the digital world. An approach focused on avoidance is the wrong path; rather, the goal is to comprehensively promote media literacy. When parents and schools work together toward a common goal, this media literacy can develop actively and sustainably.