Media competency: Far more than just technical knowledge

Many school leavers already have the technical competencies needed for working with different media. However, the results of the research project “Use and production of media – development of media competences in vocational education and training” by the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB) show that the problem-solving competencies using media, the awareness of legal and ethical issues and the capacity to comply with formal rules, and to convey content according to the situation when communicating, are often not particularly well developed among young people. This content must therefore be learned during education and training and should be given special status in the education and training regulations.

For the first time, the BIBB has not limited media competency to technical use alone – as has been the case until now – but has taken a multi-dimensional view which includes economic, ethical, social and legal dimensions. In the view of BIBB President Friedrich Hubert Esser this approach is important: “Media competency must be regarded in a multifaceted manner. Today it represents a fourth key qualification alongside reading, writing and arithmetic.

The results of the research project show that certain aspects are necessary for ensuring that young people have the media competency required for professional life at the end of their education and training and are able to act responsibly with media.

Key dimensions are:

• Targeted use of media: Trainees are able to select media related to the task in hand and/or op-erate relevant hardware and software. They are able to research in different media and to struc-ture and or document the results of their work.
• Independent learning: Trainees recognise new developments and can identify learning re-quirements which result from this. They are able to learn in an independent and targeted manner.
• Consideration of legal, ethical and economic framework conditions of media use: Trainees are aware of the legal and ethical bases of media use. They are mindful of economic aspects when using media.
• Working together responsibly: Trainees are able to use media to interact and collaborate with others. They involve themselves actively in the interaction and move this forward. They are mindful in the process of respecting and not harming others.
• Targeted use of language: Trainees are able to express themselves both verbally and in writing according to the situation and take into account the established rules in the process. They are able to assess and judge whether information is important for the task.
• Adopt and encourage innovations: Trainees become actively involved with innovation. They can implement new media applications, and develop and design applications in the course of training.

The analysis of existing training regulations and the surveys carried out with trainers as part of the BIBB research project have shown that wide variation exists in terms of media competency requirements depending on the occupation. In the view of BIBB specialists, there is little sense in creating uniform specifications for all occupations. Under their recommendations, restructuring procedures should therefore involve a check in consultation with all stakeholders – the experts appointed by the social partners, chambers, Federal Government and Länder – with regard to whether and to what extent spe-cific dimensions should be incorporated within a training regulation. In future, the value of individual aspects are to be assessed at an individual level and must be weighted differently according to the spe-cific education and training.

The final report contains a “Checklist for consideration of media competency in training regulations” together with an overview of the dimensions and their various aspects. Examples from existing training regulations are addressed in each case in order to show how and where these aspects have already found their way into training which has already taken place.

Further information is available regarding the research project on the BIBB website at www.bibb.de/medienkompetenz (Germany only)

Contact partner at the BIBB:

Dr. Heike Krämer     

Image material is available at www.bibb.de/pressefotos.       

Specimen copy requested if printed.