Development of a Media Competency Model for Adult Educators

Author(s):

Matthias Rohs(presenting / submitting)Ricarda Bolten(presenting)Bernhard Schmidt-Hertha Karin Rott

Conference:

ECER 2017

Network:

16. ICT in Education and Training

Format:

Paper

Session Information

16 SES 05 A, Media Literacy

Paper Session

Time:

2017-08-23

13:30-15:00

Room:

W4.23

Chair:

Ed Smeets

Contribution

The use of digital media for teaching and learning is established in many areas of education. In adult education the use of digital media is very different due to the heterogeneity of the field. However, considering the diversity of the target groups, the potential for digital media in adult education is particularly high.

A current Delphi survey conducted by the mmb Institute shows that the lack of competencies of adult educators is a major obstacle for the introduction of e-learning in adult education (mmb Institut & Learntec, 2016). The reason for this is the low level of professionalization of the field and the large number of career changers with no pedagogical training.

The integration of media pedagogical competences in the curricula of adult education courses is very different. This concerns on the one hand the extent and on the other the orientation of the contents. In part, the focus is on theory, partly on more practical issues. At the same time, professionals in adult education are not only confronted with the need to teach media competency, but also with the expectation that the target group-adequately use digital media.

In the competency profiles of adult education, media pedagogical competences play a rather subordinate role and do not reflect the breadth and specific nature of the respective requirements (Buiskool et. al. 2010; Bernhardsson & Lattke 2011; Reisinger & Steiner 2014; Maryland Department of Labor Licensing and Regulation 2015). Thus it is still unclear what media literacy competences adult educators must have.

Overall, it should be noted that there are no theoretical fundamentals and empirical studies on the description of the media pedagogical competence requirements for adult educators. Against this background, the question arises: which competencies are required and are addressed by teachers and how common are such competencies?

The project MEKWEP - "Media pedagogical competence of vocational training personnel to support the use of digital media in formal, non-formal and informal learning environments", funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, puts this question at the centre of a complex research design. On the basis of theoretical concepts and empirical analyses, a model of media pedagogical competences was developed, which reflects the specific requirements for the professional in continuing vocational training for the use of digital media. This model is the basis for the development of a test instrument, which can be used to conduct a (self) assessment of media pedagogical competencies and thus to the formulation of concrete (professional) development goals of adult educators.

Method

The study is based on a basic research approach. According to the purpose of the study and the research issues, various research approaches are being pursued. The project aims to adopt the theoretical approach of media pedagogical competence for vocational training. The preliminary work of competence models in the fields of school (Mishra & Koehler, 2006) and continuing education (Sgier & Lattke, 2012; Blömeke, 2000) was adapted to meet requirements of competence needs for vocational training on research based empirical data. Competence requirements are recorded in four selected various methodological approaches and complemented with comprehensive literature research and analysis of existing competence models for adult educators in vocational training. Trends to the improvement of media use in teaching in vocational training and what requirements this poses for the adult educators were identified in expert talks, taking into account the extreme heterogeneity of frameworks in this field, which were to be appropriately reflected by the different providers of professional trainings. The guided interviews were fully transcribed and content-analytically evaluated (Gläser & Laudel, 2009; Mayring, 2010). Secondly, focus groups with adult education practical experts were carried out to find out more about their practical needs. Likewise, a heterogeneous assembly reflecting the diversity of requirements and frameworks in this working field was prioritized. On the base of this empirical data a theoretically sound competence model was revised. Thirdly, the revised model was discussed once again with five practitioners in adult education. Alongside this, the strongly practice-orientated empirical foundation for the model was discussed in a meeting with a group of academic experts. Based on a detailed analysis of existing instruments for identification of media pedagogical literacy (Blömeke, 2000; Gysbers, 2008) and through operationalization of the data for media pedagogical competence in vocational training, compiled in the further steps, an instrument for measuring media pedagogical competence will be developed. On the one hand the framed items will be based in the derived model. On the other hand, the items will be thoroughly theorized. Subsequently, a pretest of the developed media pedagogical competence test will be conducted. Based on the resulting pretest-data the survey instrument will be checked for validity and reliability; competency assessment will be tested and if necessary revised according to test theoretical standards (Moosbrugger & Kelava, 2012; Pospeschill, 2010).

Expected Outcomes

Central result is an empirical founded model for media-pedagogical competence of adult educators which fits with their specific vocational requirements. The model is based on basic competence affordances for professionals in adult education, including educational-didactical skills as well as content-related professional competence. The interface between both these competence facets is the subject-related didactical competence. Additionally, personal competencies and field-related competence belong to media-pedagogical competence. Field-related competence is relevant because of the many different areas of activity in adult education. The four facets of competence named above are reflected in relation to media and thus the model for media-pedagogical competence consists of the following facets: 1. Media-didactical skills: combination of general educational-didactical skills and psychological competence in relation to digital media. Also, Knowledge about technologies of teaching and learning as well as the ability, willingness and motivation to enrich learning arrangements with media, belong to this group of skills. 2. Content-related media competence: This facet of competence is located at the interface between content- and subject-related didactical competence. The use of media in learning arrangements is, among others, oriented towards the learning topic. This competence differs strongly according to the learning content. 3. Media-related personal competence: Dealing with media plays an important role in media-related personal competencies. In particular, social and affective aspects have an impact on the media-pedagogical competence. The ability and willingness to reflect ones’ own media use belong to this competence facet. 4. Media-related field competence: The educators have to focus on the vocational as well as on the non-vocational environment of the participants when they design learning arrangements. Next to media-sociological knowledge of the participants, an overview of the impact of digitalization on society as a whole is needed, especially with a focus on workplace environments and working conditions.

References

Baacke, D. (1980). Kommunikation und Kompetenz. Grundlegung einer Didaktik der Kommunikation und ihrer Medien (3 ed.). München: Juventa. Bernhardsson, N., & Lattke, S. (2011): Core Competencies of Adult Learning Facilitators in Europe. Findings from a Transnational Delphi Survey Conducted by the Project “Qualified to Teach”. Retrieved January 12, 2017: http://asemlllhub.org/fileadmin/www.dpu.dk/ASEM/events/RN3/QF2TEACH_Transnational_Report_final_1_.pdf Blömeke, S. (2000). Medienpädagogische Kompetenz. Theoretische und empirische Fundierung eines zentralen Elements der Lehrerausbildung (1. Aufl). München: KoPäd-Verlag. Buiskool, B-J., Broek, S. D., van Lakerveld, J. A., Zarifis, G. K., & Osborne, Michael (2010). Key Competences for Adult Learning Professionals. Retrieved January 12, 2017: http://www.frae.is/files/Kennarafærni%202010_1168938254.pdf Gläser, J., & Laudel, G. (2009). Experteninterviews und qualitative Inhaltsanalyse. 3. Auflage. Wiesbaden: VS Verlag. Gysbers, A. (2008). Lehrer - Medien - Kompetenz. Eine empirische Untersuchung zur medienpädagogischen Kompetenz und Performanz niedersächsischer Lehrkräfte (Schriftenreihe der NLM, Bd. 22). Hochschule für Musik und Theater, Dissertation, Hannover, 2007. Berlin: Vistas-Verlag. Maryland Department of Labor Licensing and Regulation (2015). Professional Standards for Teachers in Adult Education. Maryland Standards. Retrieved January 12, 2017: http://www.dllr.state.md.us/gedmd/prostandards.doc Mayring, P. (2010). Qualitative Inhaltsanalyse. Grundlagen und Techniken. Weinheim: Beltz. Pospeschill, M. (2010). Testtheorie, Testkonstruktion, Testevaluation. (utb.de, Bd. 3431). München: Reinhardt. mmb Institut – Gesellschaft für Medien- und Kompetenzforschung mbH/learntec (2016): Schlussbericht zur Trendstudie: Digitale Bildung auf dem Weg ins Jahr 2025. Retrieved January 12, 2017: https://www.learntec.de/data/studie-zur-25.-learntec/schlussbericht_studie-im-rahmen-der-25.-learntec.pdf Mishra, P., & Koehler, M. J. (2006). Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge: A Framework for Teacher Knowledge. Teachers College Record, 108(6), 1017-1054. Moosbrugger, H., & Kelava, A. (2012). Testtheorie und Fragebogenkonstruktion. Berlin: Springer. Reisinger, K., & Steiner, P. (2014). Zwischen gemeinsamen Standards und flexiblen Bildungswegen. Die Weiterbildungsakademie Österreich als Modell eines offenen Berufsabschlusses. In: Magazin erwachsenenbildung.at, 21. Retrieved January 12, 2017: http://erwachsenenbildung.at/magazin/14-21/08_reisinger_steiner.pdf Sgier, I. & Lattke, S. (Hrsg.). (2012). Professionalisierungsstrategien der Erwachsenenbildung in Europa. Entwicklungen und Ergebnisse aus Forschungsprojekten. Bielefeld: W. Bertelsmann.

Author Information

Matthias Rohs (presenting / submitting)

University of Kaiserslautern

Faculty of Social Science

Kaiserslautern

Ricarda Bolten (presenting)

Deutsches Institut für Erwachsenenbildung

Frau

Bonn

Bernhard Schmidt-Hertha

University of Tübingen, Germany

Karin Rott