Abstract:

Digital media not only keep constantly moving into schools and universities, they also change schools and education sustainable. In addition to media education there must be especially media-didactic considerations and practical didactic scenarios in teacher training. The educationally appropriate application of new media in the classroom does not only require strong operating skills of teachers. Teachers also need educational and methodological know-how and knowledge of computer science concepts and strategies. They are expected to have these skills, to acquire them on-the-job or already got them in their academic studies. Often there is a lack of appropriate further training. In the training of student teachers such aspects often play only a minor role, too.

A recent survey of didactics academics which are involved in teacher training of the TU Dresden shows that none of these respondents – from the various subject didactics – rejected the localization of digital education in teacher training, the opinions ranged from compulsory to optional-compulsory integration of this issues in university teaching. On the other side it’s difficult for the most institutes to establish own courses on digital skills for teachers. To meet this challenges, two proven concepts for certificate courses take place at the faculty of computer science at the TU Dresden since 2011. Participants are students, which can earn credit points for their studies, trainee teachers and experienced teachers, which can reach a reputable certificate. The two courses convey, in a total of 8 sessions in one semester, key skills based on concrete scenarios for the use of computers and interactive media in schools and education to participating teachers and students. The course "Computer and Media at School" generates and extends competencies for designing and using media as learning and working materials/tools for school. The second course "Interactive Media at School" promotes skills to design and didactically appropriate application of interactive media in education. As a structuring element in this context, basic concepts of informatics are used and conveyed to generate non-rigid and compatible skills instead of inflexible knowledge, which can assist teachers in everyday work in order to emancipated evaluate digital tools and select the suitable. Both courses rely on the active engagement with the learning objects and identify the additional didactic benefit in the use of digital and interactive media in the classroom. Up to now, more than 250 teachers finished the course "Computer and Media at School" and more than 90 the course "Interactive Media at School" at TU Dresden. Approximately the same number of students finished the courses as a part of their studies. The number of participants and their personal feedback tells its own tale. The current evaluation is used for quality assurance and will form the basis for an upcoming additional blended learning course on "Web-based Learning in School".

Keywords:

e-learning, teacher training, certificate courses, blended learning.