The A-Z DIMELI Implementation pack:
Schools as Digital and Media Literacy hubs
The A-Z implementation pack (DIMELI ToolKit) will be a comprehensive tool, containing everything that a school or organisation might need in order to implement the DIMELI program.
DIMELI4AC@SCHOOL CLUBS and programme
The DIMELI4AC Programme focuses on the actual implementation, delivery, monitoring, and evaluation of the training planned for primary and secondary students and teachers in the following partner countries:
Cyprus
The pilot testing event in Cyprus was organized by Emphasys Centre in March 2021, in collaboration with the Regional High School of Xylophagou and took the form of blended virtual learning activities (synchronous and asynchronous) due to the restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The pilot implementation of the project was promoted through social media channels and also through Emphasys’ network, in order to approach different schools in Cyprus.
The synchronous part of the training took the form of a virtual training event which was organized in two sessions one in the morning and one in the afternoon. As part of the event, the students had the opportunity to learn more about the DIMELI4AC programme, the functionalities of the e-learning platform, the DIMELI game and the validation system of the project (Open Badges System). Additionally, participants took part in a discussion and online workshops regarding managing digital identity and online grooming.
The asynchronous part of the pilot implementation continued after the training event, where participants registered into the platform, experimented with the material developed, the validation system of the Open Badges and the DIMELI game. The trainers offered support during the registration procedure, downloading the DIMELI game and explained the validation process and any other issues the participants might have encountered. The overall feedback received was positive from both students and trainers.
Greece
Two pilot tests took place in Ellinogermaniki Agogi Primary School. The first one was performed in class on the 7th July 2020 as part of the summer course. One teacher and seven students tested the DIMELI game. The second one was a large-scale pilot testing with 9 teachers and 164 students as participants. Students logged in to the DIMELI platform, had access to the material, used the glossary, completed the quizzes and played the game. This trial lasted three weeks (November-December 2020) and was performed online because all Greek schools were closed this period of time due to the pandemic.
Before the beginning of the trials teachers carefully discussed the resources of the platform and planned through online meetings the implementation in class. They used the material of the platform, but they creatively adapt it to their own needs. In particular, they used the PowerPoint Presentations of the platform but they enriched them with some real-life examples that they found in the learning scenarios embedded in the platform. The main problem was the time since it is time-consuming to teach the six modules. For this reason, students had access to the material from their homes and they also completed the quizzes at home. Additionally, after the first trial, the teachers declared that the DIMELI avatar game is an educational tool attractive mainly because it motivates students to be engaged in the learning process.
Germany
Due to the Covid-19-pandemic, the pilot testing could not be exercised as planned on January 21, since the subjects of sociology and ICT are not part of the distance-learning strategy, that the participating school performed during this period.
Therefore, the following information is based on feedback received by the participating teacher and students and not on classroom activities. Regarding the modules, all of the topics mentioned are very relevant for the students and would have fit well into the curriculum as described above. At the IGS, they also offer weekly disposition lessons (class teacher lessons) in which these topics can also be dealt with (especially cyberbullying, online security, digital manipulation). Ultimately, however, these topics can be covered in each grade in class teacher lessons, in sociology lessons, and presumably also in values and norms lessons as part of a short unit (if necessary, based on a current incident).
In this class, the teacher would have used the presentation and worksheets. The teacher would have had the students first collect associations to the topic “Internet”, then briefly introduce essential aspects of the presentation and finally collect dangers and advantages in the Think-Pair-Share procedure. Afterward, the teacher would have deepened the topic with the worksheet on clickbait. The students would have created their own clickbait in small groups, presented them in plenary, and had other students evaluate their impact. In the context of distance learning it would have been possible to let the students read the presentation texts independently and collect pros and cons in a padlet. Via videoconference the teacher would have presented this intermediate state and discussed it briefly. Afterwards, the teacher would have presented and problematized an example of clickbait, and the students would have had time to create their own clickbait in breakout rooms at Zoom, which they would have continued as homework.
Despite the successful organization of online training activities and workshops, the project consortium strongly recommends the establishment of such clubs in the future as they can be a focal point for using the materials and resources developed as part of the DIMELI4AC programme. These hubs can be established by individual schools, colleges, or universities on their own premises or in community/ youth centres with the support of local stakeholders and take the form of intensive summer school or after-school clubs.