Today’s children are growing up surrounded by media. They use it intuitively and without fear. But in order to make their use safe, effective and constructive the handling with media should be learned just as other any other skill. Through media education in kindergartens children can learn about the use and creation of media and its content. The focus in kindergartens should be, in contrast with the usual use at home, not only on the proper handling of media but much more on using media as tools to realize one’s own ideas and goals. Through early media education kindergartens can help close the digital divide and help all children lay good foundations for later media literacy and skills. Our project aims at creating opportunities for children to get to know, think about and experiment with the medium of photography. Today, pictures are the basis of media; they are a form of communication, but also a form of deception. Being able to critically evaluate pictures is becoming a necessity in the digital age, where most pictures are manipulated in one form or another. With simple activities children can learn how photography can stage reality (with the use of perspective, lighting or simply by choosing what to leave out of the picture), how it can change the past by cutting elements out, how it can “improve” reality (filters, Photoshop) etc. With playful activities with stop motion technique they can experiment with making moving pictures and build their understanding of videos. Photography also offers an excellent opportunity for children to actively use media. They can work on their own topics, learn about and create photography art and they can get to know the language of the media and understand its tricks. Using photography, teachers can involve a wide range of topics, from culture and creativity to science and social topics. All this is possible without major investment into pricy equipment. The objectives of our project are: 1. To develop materials for active use of photography in kindergartens 2. Try out practices in kindergartens 3. To inform kindergarten teachers of the importance of early media literacy and their own role in laying the foundation for later digital skills of children 4. To inform parents about the appropriate use of media by children The final product (output) of the project will be the portal “Photography for kids” – a portal for kindergarten teachers with all relevant information about the introduction and use of photography in kindergartens and information about media education. The portal will be available in 5 languages, among them 3 small European languages. The portal will offer: 1. Didactic materials for photography in kindergartens 2. Handbook for teachers on media education in kindergartens 3. Information for parents 4. Practical online tools and templates for teachers to enable them to create games and activities based on children’s photographs We foresee impact on our three target groups (teachers, children, parents) and beyond: 1. higher level of awareness of teachers about the importance of early media education 2. higher motivation of educators to use media in kindergartens creatively 3. better skilled educators (ICT, culture) 4. higher level of basic skills of children (media, culture, science…) 5. higher level of media awareness of children 6. higher level of awareness about media use and media education of parents 7. More awareness of policy makers of the potential and challenges of media education in kindergartens 8. higher level of public awareness for the importance of life-long media education
The main aim of the project was to improve the skills of kindergarten staff in the field of media education. Several studies as well as our own survey among educators show that not enough adequate materials for kindergarten teachers are available and that teachers prefer when the materials are provided online. By involving children in the project activities and offering them opportunities to get to know and use medium photography in kindergarten education, the aim was to help them build their media skills. Studies show that 4-6-year-old children are exposed to media for almost 3 hours per day and that one in four 6-year-olds have a smartphone or laptop. However, their use is mostly passive. Through the project activities children had the opportunity to actively, creatively and critically approach photography and experience constructive use of media. Another important goal of the project was to raise awareness of parents who play the most important role in children’s development. Studies show that most parents are not aware of recommendations concerning age, screen exposure, media content etc. Through the project activities we aimed at contributing to more awareness among parents in our communities as well as the general public.
EduSkills+ Media is an education portal that offers didactic materials and information for implementing early media education through photography. Its aim is to offer teachers ideas, tools and information and to motivate them to try out innovative approaches to media education by offering first-hand accounts of experience of the teachers during the project. The project addressed the need to lay the foundations for digital skills, one of the basic skills for EU citizens, in early childhood. Media education should promote self-determined, reflective and creative use of media. It requires knowledge of media just as much as the reflection on children’s own use of it and, last but not least, the ability to actively and creatively use media as a tool for their own interests. The project aimed at creating opportunities for children to get to know, think and experiment with the medium of photography. Pictures are the basis of media: a form of communication, but also a form of deception. Critically evaluating pictures is becoming a necessity in the digital age, as most pictures are manipulated in one form or another. Visual literacy is therefore called for and the project partnership has developed tools for educators to address this skill.
Today’s children are growing up surrounded by media. They use it intuitively and without fear. But in order to make their use safe, effective and constructive the handling with media should be learned just as other any other skill. Through media education in kindergartens children can learn about the use and creation of media and its content. The focus in kindergartens should be, in contrast with the usual use at home, not only on the proper handling of media but much more on using media as tools to realize one’s own ideas and goals. Through early media education kindergartens can help close the digital divide and help all children lay good foundations for later media literacy and skills. Our project aims at creating opportunities for children to get to know, think about and experiment with the medium of photography. Today, pictures are the basis of media; they are a form of communication, but also a form of deception. Being able to critically evaluate pictures is becoming a necessity in the digital age, where most pictures are manipulated in one form or another. With simple activities children can learn how photography can stage reality (with the use of perspective, lighting or simply by choosing what to leave out of the picture), how it can change the past by cutting elements out, how it can “improve” reality (filters, Photoshop) etc. With playful activities with stop motion technique they can experiment with making moving pictures and build their understanding of videos. Photography also offers an excellent opportunity for children to actively use media. They can work on their own topics, learn about and create photography art and they can get to know the language of the media and understand its tricks. Using photography, teachers can involve a wide range of topics, from culture and creativity to science and social topics. All this is possible without major investment into pricy equipment. The objectives of our project are: 1. To develop materials for active use of photography in kindergartens 2. Try out practices in kindergartens 3. To inform kindergarten teachers of the importance of early media literacy and their own role in laying the foundation for later digital skills of children 4. To inform parents about the appropriate use of media by children The final product (output) of the project will be the portal “Photography for kids” – a portal for kindergarten teachers with all relevant information about the introduction and use of photography in kindergartens and information about media education. The portal will be available in 5 languages, among them 3 small European languages. The portal will offer: 1. Didactic materials for photography in kindergartens 2. Handbook for teachers on media education in kindergartens 3. Information for parents 4. Practical online tools and templates for teachers to enable them to create games and activities based on children’s photographs We foresee impact on our three target groups (teachers, children, parents) and beyond: 1. higher level of awareness of teachers about the importance of early media education 2. higher motivation of educators to use media in kindergartens creatively 3. better skilled educators (ICT, culture) 4. higher level of basic skills of children (media, culture, science…) 5. higher level of media awareness of children 6. higher level of awareness about media use and media education of parents 7. More awareness of policy makers of the potential and challenges of media education in kindergartens 8. higher level of public awareness for the importance of life-long media education