Media education in Estonia: reasons of a failure and

success

Kadri Ugur

Institute of Social Studies

University of Tartu

Educational system of Estonia

• Mandatory education starts at 7 years and lasts 9 years or until pupil is 17

• Primary and secondary education is free of charge

• High scores in PISA and TIMSS tests• Tertiary education is free for students (2013)• 88% adults have high school diploma or

equivalent

Estonian youth in the internet

• EU Kids Online II– All children in Estonia use Internet– 96% have broadband connection at home– 50% of our kids have had problems because of

being too long online– 40% of children have experienced bullying or other

online risks– Digital literacy is a little higher than in European

average – Parental mediation is reactive, not proactive

ML in Estonian curricula

• Cross-curricular theme since 2002– Traditions to teach creating media texts as a part

of classes of mother tongue– Possibility to teach 35 hours in gymnasium level

as voluntary subject

• 2011 national curriculum– CCT “Media education” => “Information

environment”– Mandatory course “Media and influences” in

gymnasium level Estonian

ME in school praxis

• Everything depends on school’s will and teacher’s competency

• No reports about reality of media education• Teacher’s understanding about media

literacy varies greatly• Pupils are introduced to the media they do

not use – Newspapers, TV-news, talk radio

Research program

• “Implementation strategies of cross-curricular themes in Estonian schools” 2009-2011– Based on old national curricula

• Representative sample of 10 schools• Several research instruments

– Analysis of school’s curricula– Interviews with schools’ stuff– Teachers’ survey– Pupils’ survey– Lesson observations (only media education)

Results

• Teachers interpret cross-curricular themes as natural part of educational process and do not reflect on their own actions or words.

• Teachers do not feel ready to deal with media education.

• Pupils are interested for media, but critical about the ways media is mentioned at school.

Why did we fail?

• In 2011, media education as CCT was in weaker position than other CCT-s.– No prove of positive change since

• Research did not explicitly reveal reasons of failure

• Combination with other research results allows to make suggestions

Reason 1: lack of cognitive models

• During pre-service education teachers have got no training for implementing CCT-s– How does teaching CCT differ from “time

consuming chit-chat about what the kids saw in TV”

• Attitudes towards media vary in generations and in persons– Is media worth of our attention?

Reason 2: overloaded curricula

• System of assessment supports good factual knowledge, not critical thinking

• Schools are rated by the results of standardized assessment

• Teacher concentrate on what they assume will be asked in the tests

Reason 3: lack of critical reading competency

• Traditional approach to texts is normative, not critical

• Methodological mousetrap – if you teach kids to critically listen and read media, they will use that skill on you

• Teacher’s inner insecurity

Reason 4: traditions

• Literacy = reading and writing and that we can already

• Media educations = writing news story + using internet

• If we have one “media crazy” teacher at school, other teachers are “safe”

• Media is connected to language, not to social sciences or arts

Reason 5: school culture

• Teacher’s cooperation is not supported

• What happens in the classroom is defined by teacher’s choice and ability, not by pupil’s needs

• The walls between subjects are too strong

Reason 6: different media usage

• Generational gaps, differences in media usage

• No reflection habits

• Prejudices and misbelieves about media

• Verbal vs visual processing?

Reason 7: text books

• Media is “handled” in text books of many subjects– Mostly in out-dated key

• Simplified concepts are spread constantly • Teachers are not able to correct printed

misunderstandings– Media has changed since last textbook issue!

Course “Media and influence”

• Gymnasium level Estonian

• One compulsory + one semi-voluntary practical course – 35 + 35 hours

• Teachers are NOT PREPARED to teach this course– Verbal vs audiovisual media, media

production etc

Good practices

• Schools have some free lesson resource and some freedom in curriculum development– Media is taught as voluntary subject in several

schools by professionals

• Under the name “media” you may find great variety of content– From history of journalism to multimedia

production

Good vibes

• Many media professionals are interested in teaching at schools

• Courses at bachelor level– Media education in secondary school

• Focused on media as cross-curricular theme

– Media education in gymnasium• Focused on 35hour course

– Media didactics• Focused on media production and supportive editing

School media

• Long traditions of school newspapers and radio

• NMK (Youth’s media club) production camps

• Other forms of non-formal education

• Separate projects and competitions for motivated students

Changing teacher education

• Communication skills are trained, not lectured

• Mediated communication is considered• Media didactics is still missing in pre-

service training• Audiovisual training techniques are used

– Possible positive influence

In-service training

• Association of Media Educators– NGO– Lack of resources and devoted people

• New national curricula = endless amount of courses for teachers

“Circle of life” or the way out?

Suggestions

• Media education must be built up based on pupils’ needs and media experiences, not from teachers’ competence or existing text books.

• Creating cognitive schemas during pre-service training of teachers

Sources

• National curricula– http://www.hm.ee/index.php?1512622– http://www.hm.ee/index.php?1512619