Blog task 5
In this blog task I will answer two questions that I have thought of for the field trip to the Alfred-Wegener-Schule (AWS) in Kirchhain, which was awarded the title ‘Media School of the Month January’. With that title in the back of my mind, my questions were of a more general sort:
1. Which new media devices has the AWS available?
2. How and to what extend do the pupils and teachers use these devices?
To answer question number one, I have to say that the AWS has an overwhelming amount of new media at its disposal. There is a total of three PC rooms, each one equipped with a beamer. One room is equipped with a smartboard and a so-called mobile presentation unit (it consists of a beamer, a laptop and speakers). The highlight was the so-called ‘learning workshop’, basically a hall that consisted of one computer room, capable of multimedia (all PCs were equipped with headphones), the school library and several small rooms for group work. The school also has a system administrator who takes care of the school network and fixes broken computers. Finally the school has screening room (5.1 Dolby Surround of course!) which does resemble a private cinema.
For the future, there are plans to further advance the new media equipment. Through the economic stimulus package, the AWS will get 80 new PCS and several DVD/Beamer-combi-devices.
The second question was how and how much are the new media utilized. Looking at the sheer amount of new media available in this school, one would assume that the new media are widely used by both pupils and teachers. This is true for the pupils. There is a wide range of courses that teach the handling of basic EDV such as Word, Excel or
Powerpoint; internet research is also taught and one key element of the so called information- and communication-lessons. Especially concerning the learning workshop, the pupils are motivated and focused on their tasks, as the learning workshop creates a pleasant work climate. Regarding the teacher side, the use of new media is a
double-edged sword. Younger colleagues are of course more proficient in using new media than the older colleagues, however, there is still a decent amount of older teachers that cloister themselves from the new media.
All in all, I have to say that I am still impressed by the great amount of new media equipment in the AWS. This school truly has earned the title ‘Media School of the Month January’.
Your questions do make sense and your answers are very detailed..I totally agree with you that the AWS deserves the title “Media School of the month”, although Mr. Schouler claimed that he was really surprised that the AWS received this award. Good entry!!!
Hey, I think your questions are really interesting and your answers provided me with a lot of information I did not have because I could not take part in the field trip. As you wrote, the AWS really seems to be all modernised in the field of the New Media, which is really good. You summed up some important facts about this school so I like your blog task a lot.
Yours,
Charlotte