Just shake it off your sleeve? How media concepts and media development plans succeed

Stolberg. Media concept, media development plan, educational technical publishing concept: for schools and school authorities it is important, but also requires a lot of effort, to create these requirements to apply for funding from DigitalPact – they must be carried out in addition to the actual core tasks. It happens again and again that the hard work is in vain and applications are rejected. what is the reason? For Ulrich Sawade of AixConcept, answering this question is part of the day’s work. It accompanies schools and school authorities from the first step of conceptual work to technology and financial planning. Here he explains what is important for approval of funding and how external support can save time. After all, the application deadline is December 31, 2021…

The question arises over and over again why the money from DigitalPact is so reluctantly called, and it is repeatedly said that the application process is very long and complicated. In addition, many schools do not have the time and staff to develop a detailed media concept in a short time (in some federal states this is also called a “media development plan” for schools) and an additional technical-pedagogical concept (TPEK). Others started the concepts, but in the process realized they had underestimated the effort. The essence of the matter: Media Concepts and TPEKs are in turn the basis for school authorities to integrate or aggregate them into media development plans and to submit a comprehensive application. In addition, on the part of cities and municipalities, as a rule, public schools, time and personnel are often scarce resources. During the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been easier for everyone involved to take advantage of the less bureaucratic financing available (eg from the Instant Equipment Program for the purchase of lending devices for school children).

Copy and paste is not the answer

As the deadlines to apply for DigitalPact funding now expire at the end of the year, it’s important to act quickly. Schools and school authorities that contact us are at very different stages in developing their media concepts. At first, some don’t really know how and at what point to start, others have already progressed; They “only” need a list of costs and for that they need realistic numbers and an examination of whether the planned purchases are sustainable. It is true that the federal states provide the most important information and assistance such as models and examples. Next, each school and each school authority has to look individually to see what suits the type of school in question, the individual school’s educational concept or the district’s overall funding concept – a complex process in which “copy and paste” doesn’t help.

correct structure

Ideally, all schools of the institution should prepare their concept according to the same structure (see sample table of contents below). Because this makes it easier for the wearer to transfer the components that are important to him into the media development concept. It is useful – as in some cities and municipalities – for schools and school authorities to maintain contact in working groups and maintain constant exchange. It becomes very easy when an external service provider likes it Aix . concept, coordinate the process for all schools of the institution. Communication between all those involved in education, technology and management as well as a clear understanding of their roles can be a critical factor in achieving success. Success here means not only approval of funds, but also meaningful long-term digitization of schools with pedagogical technical equipment and not the other way around. This is immediately the common thread that has to run through the entire media concept.

Ask the right questions

The start is simple: after a table of contents and brief information about the school, the concept always begins with the current situation. Is there a WiFi or even a professional IT infrastructure? What know-how, what hardware is actually available, etc.? After taking inventory, things get tricky. For now, on the basis of the areas identified under the media competency, it is determined what is still necessary so that the pupils can acquire certain competencies in the individual subjects. What the concept requires is not a simple wish list, but a detailed statement of the necessary device or tool in any subject and educational purpose. Unlike the infrastructure clause, which does not need to be justified, a coherent but linguistically concise argument is imperative.

Manufacturer independent advice

At this point, technical advice independent of the manufacturer provides information on which device is suitable for the required application and at what points synergies can be established. Is it just enough to be able to access the internet using the device or should I introduce the topic of virtual reality to a topic? Are the cabling in the school designed even for the planned devices and the expected data transmission? Is the device capable of multitasking, for example, does it allow the use of multiple applications at the same time? Should private student devices be included? How do current and to-be-purchased appliances fit together?

Bad decisions about infrastructure or peripherals can have major impacts. In the worst case, bad purchases are not used because they cannot fulfill their educational purpose for technical reasons: what is the use of an interactive board if the software is not compatible with all peripherals or tablets of students without classroom presentation technology, mobile device management (MDM) As different types of devices from different operating systems can only be managed at the same time with great effort. Examples can be found in abundance.

School support, training and development

After listing the hardware and software costs, there are other important questions: Who manages and maintains everything? At this point it is often overlooked that DigitalPact also provides funding here via an additional “management” agreement.

Another important point is the training concept section. What is the level of knowledge of faculty members who still need training in any field and what are the estimated costs for this? Also at this point, it makes sense to double-check whether the hardware and software has already been selected in such a way that it can be operated as intuitively as possible for teachers and students with little training effort. The same applies to MDM, which a school IT administrator must be able to manage without special knowledge – even if different end devices and operating systems are used.

Last but not least, the media concept also provides a space for ideas and visions that the school would like to realize. This includes, for example, pedagogically grounded room concepts in order to implement modern teaching concepts such as blended learning.

External support: benefits for schools

Viewing from the outside can save a lot of time when creating a concept. As consultants, we always consider the concept of media and TKEP comprehensively and as a basis for the continuation of the project in the coming years. In other words, the concept should ideally not end up as a file, but rather should become a so-called “living document” that the school can continually improve and develop and thus also use in subsequent funding applications.

According to the motto of “as much as is necessary as little as possible”, we check whether the concept needs detoxification, hardware and software expenses, infrastructure, management and training as well as for larger projects (workrooms and study areas, large-scale WLAN etc.) than the need to clarify the need for School educational development. In doing so, we compare planning with the respective country’s requirements for media skill development. Advice on how to use apps and devices in compliance with data protection regulations or parental consent forms is part of this as well. If our customers use Office 365, for example, we support them in properly implementing data protection requirements so they can work with solutions in the future.

Last but not least, we also support you in creating the concept of educational tech publishing. However, a good media concept is the prerequisite for the success of TPEK. Because that contains the essence of what was presented in the concept of media. Hier wird noch einmal ganz deutlich, dass es sich nicht auszahlt, den Karren vor das Pferd zu spannen: Wird zuerst die Technik ausgewählt und dann erst überlegt, wie die Pädago passengikönn da eternity He. In order to provide teachers and students with finished devices as quickly as possible, important considerations were skipped during purchase, and thus there are still hundreds of originally boxed iPads in schools today, whose IT infrastructure was not designed for use at all.

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This is a press release from AixConcept GmbH.

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