Strategies for schools to effectively tackle the gap between students with and without internet access at home - Guide for Implementing Digital Spaghetti in Educational Institutions
In a bid to ensure the protection of children online while nurturing their competencies in handling new technologies and artificial intelligence (AI), Federal Education Minister Karin Prien has announced a commission of experts for media and news literacy at the federal level. This initiative, announced by Thuringia's Minister President, Mario Voigt (CDU), aims to strike a balance between digital learning and safety in German schools.
Minister Prien emphasizes the need for effective age verification technology and platforms' commitment to enforce it, as well as the importance of new task formats to counter the use of AI in homework. She compares the introduction of AI in education to the introduction of the calculator, suggesting different task formats will be necessary to make the most of AI's potential in schools.
The commission is expected to provide recommendations next year, focusing on digital citizenship education that teaches not only online safety but also responsible, ethical, and critical use of technology, including AI. This approach empowers students with the knowledge and skills to navigate digital environments safely while fostering their ability to use AI tools constructively for learning.
Schools can effectively balance protecting children from online threats and developing their digital competencies by incorporating digital citizenship education. Key strategies include implementing comprehensive digital citizenship curricula, teaching critical thinking skills, providing guidance on screen time and digital wellness, engaging multiple stakeholders, balancing technology integration and safeguards, and incorporating mental health and digital wellness programs.
Meanwhile, the situation in Germany is different, with sometimes an excess of specialists in eastern German kindergartens, but a massive shortage in many western German states. Minister Prien has advocated for more flexibility in the training and further education of specialists to meet the rising legal claim by 2026, when all children in the first grade will have a legal claim to full-time education and care.
In addition, Thuringia plans a Bundesrat initiative for youth media protection, with Voigt calling for no lawless space for children on social media before the age of 16. This initiative aims to create a safer digital environment for young learners, enabling them to harness the benefits of AI while being protected from its potential risks.
References:
[1] Common Sense Education. (n.d.). Digital Citizenship. Retrieved from https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-citizenship
[2] European Schoolnet. (2021). AI in Education: A Vision for the Future. Retrieved from https://www.europeanschoolnet.org/aiineducation
[3] JISC. (2020). Digital Capabilities Framework. Retrieved from https://jisc.ac.uk/guides/digital-capabilities
[4] Partnership for 21st Century Learning. (2017). Learning, Literacies, and Life in a Digital Age. Retrieved from https://www.p21.org/our-work/framework/
[5] The Joint Information Systems Committee (Jisc). (2020). Digital Capabilities Framework. Retrieved from https://jisc.ac.uk/guides/digital-capabilities
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