Enhancing Media Literacy of Students through Online Learning Environments
The University of Leipzig has taken a significant step towards integrating technology into school lessons by introducing a digital classroom, available since April 2023. This innovative space equips students with VR headsets, mobile devices, visualization and presentation hardware, AR technology, and VR technology.
Sarah Bischof, the project coordinator at the University, stated that the digital classroom will help improve the media and digital competencies of various target groups. The digital classroom provides a space for students to experiment with media education, media pedagogy, and mediendidactics outside of seminars.
The Center for Teacher Education and School Research at the University of Leipzig offers seminars in the field of media education, including those on Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR). In the previous summer semester, seminars were held on topics such as fake news and conspiracy theories, creating explanatory videos with learning groups, and media education in primary schools.
The digital classroom is not just a resource for seminars; it is also intended to better equip future teachers for the use of modern media in the classroom. School classes will be able to take advantage of the digital classroom offer in the future.
While specific details about the University of Leipzig’s integration of AR/VR in teacher education are not yet widely available, universities generally embed AR/VR tools into teacher training curricula, develop VR simulations and AR applications for teaching practice, facilitate research on innovative media didactics, and offer hands-on workshops for teacher candidates and students.
As the University of Leipzig continues to develop its digital classroom, checking the official University of Leipzig website or contacting the Center for Teacher Education and School Research would provide precise, up-to-date details on its AR/VR integration methods. The digital classroom at the University of Leipzig is a promising step towards preparing future teachers for the use of modern media in classrooms.
The digital classroom, equipped with AR and VR technology, is part of the University of Leipzig's efforts to enhance the media and digital competencies of students and future teachers. By attending seminars in media education offered by the Center for Teacher Education and School Research, students can experiment with and learn about AR and VR technology, which will enable them to incorporate these tools into their classroom lessons in the future.
